LABOUR and Independents this week pledged to continue to provide a vigorous opposition to the ruling Tory group on Bromsgrove District Council, despite having no official leader.

The decision by 25 to 13 not to make the appointment was met with dismay by some councillors in opposition parties.

The vote came after councillor Susan Baxter, who represents Hollywood and Majors Green for Wythall Ratepayers, proposed the role be scrapped when the council came to appointing an opposition leader for the ensuing year at its annual meeting on May 10. She told members that with five opposition parties on the council the post of leader was now meaningless and confusing and of no benefit to residents, members or the council.

Labour group leader Cllr Peter McDonald (Waseley) said later: "I assure residents there is a Labour opposition even if there is no other. We will continue to watch the Tories carefully and expose their incompetence."

Cllr Nick Psirides (Ind-Norton) agreed. He added: "On behalf of the Independents I can tell the people of Bromsgrove any decisions taken by Conservatives which are not in their best interests will not go unchallenged."

The Conservatives' Whip, Brian Fuller (Hillside), commented the role of opposition leader had never been official. To pay a special rate to one member of the five groups referred to by Cllr Baxter was, he said, a waste of public money.

He added: "I would expect Cllrs McDonald and Psirides to mount a vigorous opposition. The problem is politically they are miles apart and have very different views."