THE first leader of Teesdale District Council has tendered his resignation after only three months in the post - but did he jump or was he pushed?

Coun Phil Hughes' election to the role in May was controversial, with Independent members of the authority clashing with Labour and Conservative rivals as to whether such a figurehead was needed.

At the time, Coun Hughes said that, although there was no defining role for a leader, he would be there to motivate, enthuse, ensure achievement, set challenging goals and targets and be the visible focus of the organisation.

However, in his well-publicised resignation letter, he blamed the unwillingness of the council's corporate strategy group to consider a suitable role for him.

And with the Audit Commission due to assess the authority's performance soon, Coun Hughes said he had no particular desire to shoulder responsibility for events or activities over which he had little or no control.

"Had the leadership and the ability to implement policy been in place, then a number of changes would have been made to the governance of the authority," he said. He would have wanted to look at the committee structure and align it with the new director structure; reduce the scrutiny committees to one panel, with proper powers that could be inquisitorial, and to be more consultative.

His most radical plan would have been to look at moving the authority into purpose-built rented accommodation, selling off the current offices and using the capital released for the benefit of Teesdale, before any change to create a unitary authority.

"The council now has two options," he said. "It can either retain its comfortable complacency or can look to recognise it needs a leader. To make a reality of the situation as it exists, it could elect the chairman of the corporate strategy group, Coun Ken Robinson, to be leader, giving responsibility to his position of power."

However, Coun Robinson, stung into response by Coun Hughes' criticism of the group, said the position of leader at Teesdale Council was neither tenable nor sustainable. Leadership came from the corporate strategy group, which was representative of the whole council.

"Coun Hughes is saying it was his decision to resign," added Coun Robinson. "But he had been informed of a notice of motion, signed by 18 of the 32 councillors, asking for his resignation.

"That was going to go before the next meeting of the full council, but he was given the option of resigning to avoid that," he said, agreeing that it was a case of Coun Hughes jumping before he was pushed.