A ROW has broken out at Bury Town Hall over who will be the next mayor.

The current mayor, Cllr Sheila Magnall, will step down in mid-May and her colleagues have to choose a replacement.

Usually, councillors agree a nomination amicably and take a formal vote at May’s full council meeting to rubber-stamp the decision.

The role is usually awarded to a long-standing member who will attend a series of civic engagements between May and next April and preside over full council meetings.

Cllr Magnall and her predecessor, Cllr Peter Ashworth, are both Conservatives, so Labour believe it is now their turn to take back the chains.

However, council leader Cllr Bob Bibby has indicated the Tories may hold on to the role, angering the opposition parties.

Labour leader Cllr Mike Connolly said: “It is definitely time for one of the two parties not in power to get the mayor’s post and the Liberal Democrats are happy for it to be a Labour councillor.

“It would be very poor form for the Conservatives to play party politics with this one and I would be very disappointed if they did.

“We would like to resolve this issue quickly as there is no meeting scheduled in which we can discuss it before the decision is made.”

Sources close to Labour have said Cllr John Byrne, who has been a member for almost 26 years, would be their nominee.

The Conservatives might want to hold on to the mayorship in case voting is tight on vital issues at full council meetings where some Tory members are absent due to ill health or holiday and the casting vote of the mayor is required. Cllr Bibby said: “I will come up with a name, discuss my suggestion with my party and then we will reach a decision.

“I understand that traditionally there is a rotation, but that is not to say we always have to do things the traditional way.

“If we feel it is most appropriate for the mayor to be Conservative then we will nominate a Conservative.”