TWO Labour councillors have accused a Tory adversary of telling lies about them during the Viridor Laing saga at Bradley Fold.

They have reported councillor Michelle Wiseman to the Standards Board for England (SBE), saying she has abused her position and broken the code of conduct.

Feelings ran high in the area when Viridor proposed building a large, 24-hour composting plant near residents' homes. After weeks of protest, the plan was only dumped last month when the council decided not to sell or lease the land.

But Radcliffe Labour councillors Wayne Campbell and Sharon Briggs are unhappy at "misleading information" put out by Councillor Wiseman during the campaign. They accuse her of trying to boost her profile as the Tories' prospective Parliamentary candidate for Bury South.

Coun Wiseman, however, has denied all the charges and says she will defend herself vigorously in the investigation.

The SBE will determine whether the complaint is serious enough to be judged by the local standards committee. This can impose hefty sanctions: three Bury councillors have been suspended in recent years for breaches of the code.

Mr Mark Sanders, Bury Council's chief executive, is carrying out a separate report into the allegations.

The Viridor case reached a climax at a public meeting when 400 residents packed into Dobbies Sports and Social Club to voice their protests.

The Labour duo say Coun Wiseman, at the meeting, implied that Labour had done a deal with Viridor for the site when they were in charge of the council. They say this is backed up in an e-mail, in which Coun Wiseman says that councillors Campbell and Briggs, who was then Bury's representative on the Waste Disposal Authority, would have been fully aware of these proposals.

Labour say that no deal had been done, and they did not even know where Viridor wanted to put a site until after the local elections, when the Tories took charge, and they read it in the local papers. Coun Campbell said: "She knowingly gave information to members of the public about myself, and the Labour group, knowing that the information was untrue. This I believe has brought myself, and some of my colleagues', honesty and integrity into question. It did nothing for the residents and their problem, and only lengthened the process, giving the local residents additional anguish."

And Coun Briggs said: "These lies have questioned my integrity and could have had implications for my position as a magistrate and professional social worker, besides my position as a councillor."

In response, Coun Wiseman - who represents Pilkington Park in Whitefield - said she would not have said anything without proof.

"I've not heard anything from the Standards Board yet, but I will be defending my position, of course I will," she said.

"I was only trying to do my job and fairly represent the residents of Bury. I did not mislead anybody - I have been open and honest throughout the whole process. I have done nothing wrong, and I have nothing to hide."