THE Town Mayor of Westhoughton, Cllr Kath Dawson, has resigned from the Liberal Democrat group and will sit on the council as an Independent.

Cllr Dawson announced her resignation in a letter to Cllr David Wilkinson, leader of the Liberal Democrats on Westhoughton Town Council.

She is the third councillor to resign from the group in the last 12 months with David Chadwick and Charlotte Platt defecting to the Labour Party last June.

In her letter of resignation, Cllr Dawson said she took the decision because of Cllr Wilkinson's constant lack of communication and support during both her term as Deputy Mayor and Mayor.

She accused Cllr Wilkinson of being "undemocratic and dogmatic", which was the same claim Cllr Chadwick and Cllr Platt made when they left the party last year. But Cllr Wilkinson hit back: "We have an open door policy. I will talk to anyone who wants to talk to me but if people do not want to listen or talk back it becomes a dead system.

"We hold regular meetings and information is always being circulated."

Cllr Dawson said she had tried to work with the group but felt she could do so no longer and had been considering her resignation for some time.

"I have decided I will be Independent," she said.

"I am not going over to Labour. I will vote with the Liberal Democrats and vote with Labour.

"I am putting Westhoughton first. I will vote for the best for Westhoughton."

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