LABOUR councillors on Wyre Forest District Council have been slammed as "pathetic opposition" after their bid to oust transport chief Pauline Hayward was crushed.

Nigel Knowles proposed a motion, backed by his Labour colleagues, that Mrs Hayward should resign as portfolio holder for transport and traffic in the face of Kidderminster's parking crisis.

But the move was thwarted at a full council meeting when members voted 29 to 8 to back Mrs Hayward and denounced Labour members as "hypocritical".

Council leader Mike Oborski, Liberal, said Conservative Mrs Hayward had done a "first-rate job" and the problems had resulted from the Weavers' Wharf development coming at the same time as the Kidderminster College move.

Mr Oborski pointed out Labour councillors had made no suggestions about how to solve the problem and criticised leader Jamie Shaw for failing to turn up to the meeting.

Mr Shaw told the Shuttle/Times & News he had been called to a neighbouring town's high school in connection with his job with Worcestershire County Council.

Fears have been expressed smaller businesses could go to the wall as the festive shopping period has been hit by the loss of 800 parking spaces on the demolished Pitts Lane and Market Street multi-storey and surface car parks.

Conservative councillor Stephen Clee said: "Councillor Hayward needed support not censure from the Labour group. They talk with weasel words and are a pathetic opposition.

"They allude to the lack of support by Councillor Hayward and her lack of contingency planning but fail to come forward with any ideas - only brickbats."

Mr Shaw rejected suggestions the Labour group was "pathetic" and said it aimed to provide "constructive" opposition, having identified a number of subjects for investigation, including play areas and public toilets, and proposed several successful motions.

He said Labour had for two years pushed for the creation of a town centre development working party which would have been able to discuss methods of averting a parking crisis.