ALLEGATIONS of bullying and homophobia have been levelled against two councillors as a dispute over a "perilous" community centre continues.

Members of the Mosses Centre voiced their concerns and complaints in the council chambers.

A total of 12 complaints have been submitted by members of the public to the council against councillors Stella Smith and Annette McKay who are trustees of the centre.

Veterans are refusing to use the centre due to "mismanagement" by the trustees, according to an ex-fusilier.

Louise Blackmore, who spoke at the town hall meeting last week, accused the Bury East and Moorside representatives of "abusing" their positions as councillors.

She said the councillors, who have been accused of bullying and homophobia, have caused "untold levels of distress".

Shirley Simmons, another trustee at the centre, said members moved a vote of no confidence against the councillors in March but they have "refused to resign".

She said: "The members and the membership of the Mosses Centre have lost faith of the trustees. As landlords of the Mosses Centre, will the council intervene and prevent it from complete collapse due to mismanagement by the trustees."

At one point mayor Trevor Holt, who a former trustee of the centre himself, was accused of "partaking" in the scandal.

The Mosses Centre has lost external grants in recent months and failure to pay a local builder has resulted in a potential legal claim of over £30,000, according to members.

The centre in Cecil Street is used by between 700 and 800 people every week and home to more than 30 community groups.

Councillors Smith and McKay, who deny the allegations, issued a joined statement. They said: “The Mosses Centre has been suffering a decline for a number of years, and the new trustees have been working very hard in face of many difficulties, to reverse this decline.

“Without some of the difficult decisions we have made, we believe the centre would already have had to close.

“Two of the trustees are councillors, but their work at the Mosses is completely unrelated to their council work, so the questions from the public gallery tonight were inappropriate and totally inaccurate in their assertions.”

Outgoing council leader Rishi Shori said the council, as the centre's landlord, is trying to reach a resolution to the matter.

A council spokesman said: "The council is aware of complaints in relation to the Mosses Centre, which is a charitable trust and independent of the council. The concerns raised are being considered in this context, and at this time Bury Council is not formally investigating."