AFTER formally taking over as leaders of Bolton Council, appointments have been made by the Conservatives for those who will lead various areas of the authority.

At a meeting on Wednesday night Cllr David Greenhalgh was chosen to lead the council, gaining 31 votes of the 60 councillors after brokering a deal with smaller parties to come to a working arrangement with the Tories.

There was a clash between the Conservative and Labour leaders with opposition leader Nick Peel accusing Cllr Greenhalgh of ‘uncharacteristic discourtesy’ and not consulting him over appointments.

Also ratified at the meeting was the list of cabinet members and other appointments to committees, including the vital roles of overseeing scrutiny of the council.

Cllr Martyn Cox continues as deputy leader of the council while Bromley Cross councillor Nadim Muslim continues as cabinet member for communities.

Susan Baines will head up wellbeing while Anne Galloway will be the councillor overseeing children’s services.

Andy Morgan will be cabinet member for adult social care, Toby Hewitt for housing and planning, and Adele Warren for environmental services and Stuart Haslam for transport and highways.

All the appointments are continuations of previous roles before the elections with Cllr Greenhalgh saying he wishes to carry on the progress made during the first two years of the administration.

Overview and scrutiny committees were introduced in 2000 as part of arrangements to ensure that members of a council who were not part of the executive could hold the executive to account for the decisions and actions that affect their communities.

Labour’s Richard Silvester will chair the corporate and external issues scrutiny committee while Liberal Democrat Doug Bagnall will chair place scrutiny committee.

In a clue to the deal done with Farnworth and Kearlsey First Cllr Julie Pattison will chair the health overview and adult services scrutiny committee.

During the meeting there were heated exchanges between Labour leader Nick Peel and David Greenhalgh about the way committees were formed.

Cllr Peel, said: “I can’t accept zero consultation in terms of the roles of scrutinising the administration.

“I cannot accept myself being notified of what positions we have been given by a late night text last Sunday.

“Despite a promise of a conversation about it that conversation didn’t happen.

“There were zero discussions with myself of what chairs of scrutiny the Labour group would like to take up rather than just being told.

“It’s a level of uncharacteristic discourtesy from Cllr Greenhalgh.”

Cllr Greenhalgh, said it was “hypocrisy” from Labour because under previous Labour administrations opposition councillors were sometimes not appointed to chair scrutiny committees, unlike now.

He added: “I texted him on Sunday and said I was happy to talk if you wish.

“I have absolutely distributed the scrutiny appointments in a fair way.”