THE DUST is beginning to settle after a cold-blooded coup ousted West Wiltshire District Council's cabinet and sacked a leader on the night he marked half a century of service.

Cllr Tony Phillips (Ind) was shown the door just hours after being presented with a gold watch and a cake to celebrate 50 years in local politics.

This week he told the Wiltshire Times of his reaction and explained why he is keen to take a major role on one of the council's most powerful committees.

"On one hand they were sticking the knife in and on the other were praising me as the best man who has ever lived," Cllr Phillips said.

"I don't take these things to heart but it was a Mad Hatter's Tea Party.

"I was celebrating the 50th anniversary of local government and for me it was a major landmark.

"The whole thing was stirred up by a bunch of people who want to destroy the council. They could have done it on another evening rather than on my anniversary. You won't find anyone else in the county who has done half a century.

"Having been totally insulted do you sit there and watch them insult you further? I went down and had some of my cake."

Cllr Phillips said he was passionate about his position as vice chairman of the South West Regional Assembly and said he would become a backbencher if the role was taken off him.

"While I am not egotistical I make a major contribution to the region. It would be a tragedy if they want down that line. They are wrecking the chances of our council having an input.

"I don't give a damn if I am leader or not but under my stewardship we have done an awful lot."

The new regime has asked Cllr Phillips to chair a merged scrutiny committee, a role he is keen to take.

"I would be inclined to take charge of scrutiny," he said.

"What hasn't hit them is the scrutiny role is the most important role in local authority.

"You can demand that cabinet decisions be referred back to them and can do all sorts of things.

"I am going to read the constitution from cover to cover in that section to make myself felt when I consider people go off the rails."

Speaking about the new cabinet, Cllr Phillips said he was concerned about the lack of experience among portfolio holders.

"I wondered whether I was scratching my head dreaming. The calibre of some of the individuals is bloody floss.

"Trevor Carbin is a nice guy but I don't think he would hold a candle to Roy While. Roy has had 40 years experience of finance in local government.

"We have been losing half a million pounds a year, at least I have turned that around. The auditor when I took over said the balance was down £500,000. He said in two years time we would be bankrupt.

"I see the leader is saying she might like to reinstate the TICs. They cost £120,000 a year to run. That would be £120,000 of the £280,000 I have saved gone down in one stroke. They can never resist spending money."

Cllr Phillips said the cabinet was going to face a difficult year financially, with the authority facing the third highest level of government grant withdrawal in the UK.