WARRINGTON Borough Council has voted to increase the number of elected councillors from 57 to 58 ahead of public consultation.

The decision was made at the extraordinary meeting of the council at the Town Hall, on Monday, despite strong opposition from the Liberal Democrats.

Council leader Cllr Terry O’Neill proposed the move and admits an additional councillor would help the town’s development amid further cuts.

“We have to determine the appropriate ideas of the council, we have to look at the way we operate and the way we run the council as an administration,” he said.

“We can’t forget the role we have as community champions.

“The more austerity measures there are,the more it impacts the community and we will then have to make them more resilient – it is more work for us.

“I think we should go to a 58-member council.”

Liberal Democrat leader Cllr Ian Marks proposed an amendment, declaring that the council should keep its ‘status quo’ of 57 members.

Deputy Mayor, Cllr Geoff Settle, who chaired the meeting in Mayor Cllr Ted Finnegan’s absence, allowed the amendment to stand but cut short Cllr Marks’ speech after a time elapse, which resulted in the leader passing his papers to Cllr Bob Barr to continue the argument.

"It is disgraceful - I asked for permission to exceed the five minutes allowed for speeches beforehand," he said.

Cllr Chris Fitzsimmons (LAB - Birchwood) argued the case to the Liberal Democrats to persuade them to allow the notion of 58 councillors to pass to the next stage, and backed the need for more clarification for the public.

He said: "It is still going into consultation and the commission will make the final decision.

"Many people don't know the ward that they live in."

Following public consultation, the final decision will be made by the Boundary Commission.