INDEPENDENT councillors have criticised the Labour party for giving all but one of a council's 27 available chairmanships to its own party members.

Each of Sedgefield Borough Council's advisory and decision-making panels has a chairman and vice-chairman which carry a large allowance.

Following the local elections earlier this month, the positions became available and Labour voted the vast majority of its own members onto the seats.

But independent councillors are calling for a review because they say Labour cabinet members should have been excluded from some votes.

"We are certainly looking into it," said independent councillor for Newton Aycliffe's Neville and Simpasture ward, Billy Blenkinsopp.

"The list had been predetermined at a Labour party meeting and the whole thing was voted in en masse. Labour have the majority, so they are always going to get their way.

"But if, as we suspect is the case, cabinet members should not have been voting on scrutiny and overview committees, then the outcome would have been quite different."

The Labour party has a majority of eight, but that would havebeen reduced to a minority of one if the nine cabinet members were not allowed vote.

"There is no probity within this council," said independent councillor for Newton Aycliffe's Shafto St Mary's ward, Terry Hogan.

"We had hoped that a few of these positions would have gone to councillors outside the Labour party, to reflect the wishes of the electorate and give fair representation."

Sedgefield Borough Council would not reveal the details of the allowances paid to chairman and vice-chairman posts, but they are believed to be about £4,000.

Leader of the Labour party and councillor for Spennymoor's Tudhoe ward, Agnes Armstrong, said: "When we choose members for committees and panels, they are chosen on ability and expertise and I can honestly say we have chosen the members who we think are best for the roles.

"We have got to reflect what the people want, but we have got to deliver the services they need.

"And let's not forget when the electorate went to the polls, they returned a strong Labour majority."