ELTON Sailing Club made waves when it proposed a representative to sit on Bury West Area Board.

Former Labour local election candidate Vera McClung was put forward for the vote as a new co-opted member for the boating group, which also incorporates Bury Angling Association.

Mrs McClung, of Cann Street, Tottington was defeated in council elections this May, when she stood as a candidate in Ramsbottom.

Members had been given notice that a co-option was up for discussion on the night, but no details about who or what was proposed were revealed until the meeting.

The move upset Church ward Tory councillor Roy Walker, who said that members should have the chance to look for alternative candidates before voting. He drew attention to Mrs McClung's political aspirations.

Coun Walker said: "There are a limited number of places on the board and I thought this item on the agenda was simply to report a vacancy.

"Mrs McClung is a party political activist who put herself up for election in this area recently.

"If we have a vacancy, then the name and address of whoever is being nominated ought to be on the agenda, as well as whoever is nominating them."

Coun Walker's comments on the need for a more constitutional system were echoed by co-optee Mr Alan Spencer, of the Bury and District Disabled Advisory Council.

Mrs McClung, who was present at the meeting, said that she would simply be representing the sailing club's interests, and Elton Labour councillor John Costello sprang to her defence.

He said: "We should not be disingenuous here. This is something which should be divorced from party politics.

"If we want to have a vote, then we should have a vote on rational reasonable grounds.

"The sailing club is an organisation in its own right and I certainly have no objection to it being represented."

Voting was deadlocked, with acting chairman Coun Jack Walton refusing to use his casting vote on such a controversial issue. The matter will be discussed at a later meeting.