'Distasteful, disgraceful, despicable'

The hung council was thrown into turmoil at a stormy meeting on Wednesday night, as a power struggle led to the sacking of veteran leader Cllr Tony Phillips and the dissolution of the Conservative majority cabinet.

With the coup leaving the council temporarily without a cabinet but under the control of the Lib Dems, there are question marks over its legality and doubts over the council's future direction. Policies on affordable housing, car parking charges and tourist information centre funding are under review.

Cllr Phillips (Ind) was praised for reaching his 50th year of local government with a cake made for the council's annual general meeting.

An hour-and-a-half later he was sacked after a close vote, walking out of the meeting to clear his office.

The move was labelled "distasteful, disgraceful and despicable" by one Tory councillor, with another saying Cllr Phillips had been stabbed in the back.

The coup was hatched when the council's 18 Lib Dem members joined forces with three Labour councillors and Independent councillors Chris Newbury and John Syme to sack the leader and appoint a new one.

Lib Dem leader and mother-of-four Cllr Sarah Content now has control of the authority, marking a rapid rise to the top since her election to the Trowbridge College ward 10 months ago.

Cllr Content's election, halfway through the council's four-year lifespan, sparked bitter insults, with questions raised over her ability and lack of experience.

Cllr Bill Viles (Con) said she commanded no respect and suggested she would destabilise the council.

"When elected leader or chairman of the council it has to be done with dignity, humour, integrity, respect and pride. Would you have the respect of council, its offices, people in the street? I think not.

"Can't you see what your colleagues are doing to you? They have no idea how to treat a lady. You are being used."

Cllr Marion Clegg said she had never seen anything so "egotistical, sanctimonious and hypocritical" in her 10-years on the authority.

Former deputy leader Graham Payne, an ousted cabinet member, likened the political conspirators to Charles Dicken's character Pecksmith, from Martin Chuzzlewit, who he said was full of "meanness and treachery".

Yesterday morning new leader Cllr Content said the Tory administration had lost the faith of councillors with its raft of funding cuts and hit back at those who criticised her.

She said: "It is sad when people fell they need to start hurling personal insults. It wasn't terribly necessary.

"We have seen lots of cuts. We are here to support the residents of the area. I feel strongly about cuts to the TICs."

Cllr Content said she would take a measured approach and look at each policy decision individually. She was expected to announce her cabinet last night.

Cllr Jeff Osborn (Lib Dem), one of the instigators of the motion to overthrow the cabinet, said the council would be brought more in touch with local people, and said the Tory party would be "churlish and petty" to mount a legal challenge.

Legal doubts stem from the how the coup was conducted, with solicitor Gary Best advising councillors not to appoint a new leader for seven days.

Tory councillors also refused to back a change to the constitution, which allowed the coup to take place, walking out of the council chamber when it came to voting the document through.

Their conduct could be referred to the Standards Board for England, which investigates allegations of misconduct and ethical breaches, although they did not vote against the constitution.

A district council spokesman said the legality of the staged walkout was unclear.

Chief executive Andrew Pate said he believed the authority's new cabinet would support the corporate plan drawn up by officers.

"The previous cabinet had set about implementing the plan and the new leader has indicated that her cabinet will be enthusiastic about taking it forward," he said.

Independent councillor Ernie Clark, who refused to back the coup, said it was a sad day for democracy.

"It was moved to the vote before anyone knew what the Lib Dems had in mind for the future," he said.

"It is local politics at the level that makes people think we are a bunch of idiots.

"The timing was very unfortunate. Tony doesn't know what he has done to dissatisfy the Lib Dems."

Cllr Paul Batchelor (Lib Dem) was chosen as council chairman while Cllr Vic Oakman (Lab) will be his deputy.

Cllr Newbury is at the helm of the council's planning committee while ousted leader Cllr Phillips has been offered the head of a newly merged scrutiny committee.