A North-East council's first-ever leader has resigned - claiming he has had no power and no real job to do.

Councillor Phil Hughes, an Independent who describes himself as a part-time farmer, was voted into the newly-created position of leader of Teesdale District Council at its annual meeting in May.

But he said yesterday: "I have discovered that there is no role for a leader, and I'm afraid I don't want to be a leader without a role. But I will continue as a councillor."

The 32-member council has traditionally made do with a chairman, but after Coun Ken Hodgson was chosen for this post at the AGM he gave his casting vote in favour of appointing a leader as well.

Coun Hughes, member for the Greta ward, as well as manager of Teesdale Citizens Advice Bureau and a council member of One NorthEast, said yesterday: "I was pleased to be chosen, as I felt I could help to get things done.

"I hoped to get the council embedded in people's hearts and minds, and make an ally of the public.

"But I've been able to do nothing and there is now confrontation all over the dale."

He blamed the council's new seven-member corporate strategy group for failure to consider a suitable role for him.

But Coun Ken Robinson, chairman of that group, said: "It was a mistake to appoint a leader in the first place, as there is absolutely no need for one.

"This group was set up specifically to lead the council, and that's what it does by deciding on policy matters. There is no point at all in having one member as leader."

The strategy group has two Labour, one Conservative and four Independent members, reflecting the overall council makeup of nine Labour, three Conservatives and 20 Independents.

Coun Robinson said: "A leader can have a role on an authority controlled by one party. But this is a hung council, as the Independents have splits among themselves, so it can't work here."

Coun Hughes, who keeps sheep and highland cattle on his small farm at Bowes, near Barnard Castle, said a performance assessment is to be carried out on the council soon by the Audit Commission, and added that he did not want to shoulder responsibility for things over which he has had no control.

His decision to quit comes after a cash row among Durham county councillors. Some councillors refused to accept the 13.8 per cent wage rise, claiming it was "immoral".