Kirklees Conservative chief has called for Labour to take action over its four members embroiled in the Ratesgate scandal.

Tory leader, Clr David Hall, said the councillors who failed to admit they had been summonsed for non-payment of council tax should be disciplined.

Councillors Mohammed Sarwar, Amanda Pinnock, Amanda Stubley, and Jean Calvert have been exposed for non-payment but only Clr Sarwar has offered any explanation to the electorate.

Conservative councillor, Donna Bellamy, was also implicated but she came clean a few days before the official information was released by the council.

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She was summonsed for just £27 compared to the thousands owed by the Labour members.

A sixth councillor who was summonsed for £870.34 has not been named as they are no longer a serving councillor.

Clr Hall said: “Clearly anyone can make a mistake in failing to pay a bill on time.

Clr David Hall
Clr David Hall

“Councillors are human and no different to anyone else in that regard.

“But surely when it comes to paying bills councillors should be making paying Council Tax a priority.

“Receiving a reminder is reasonable if promptly rectified, but receiving a summons for hundreds of pounds smacks of neglect.

“Many members of the public are having to make ends meet, including paying council tax, and they quite rightly expect paid councilors to do their bit.

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“Receiving a summons on more than one occasion, as in the case of former Mayor and Labour Deputy Leader Clr Jean Calvert, who had previously been taken to court publicly, is unacceptable.

“In the case of Clr Amanda Pinnock, a lawyer who ought to know better, to deny responsibility and then attack the local media as being racist for exposing her, stretches her credulity as an elected member.

“It is reported that both had the gall to deny they were among the culprits.

Clr Amanda Pinnock

“If this is true, they have been exposed as not telling the truth, and that is no example to set to the electorate and no way to behave as councillors.

“It is particularly shameful that neither has yet had the decency to apologise, and it calls into question their fitness for public office.

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“Clr Pandor, the new Labour Leader, now has the opportunity to show whether he has the mettle to lead his group by removing the Labour whip from these two shamed councillors.”

Last week the Labour party said whip of the Kirklees group, Clr Mohan Sokhal, had launched an investigation and they were taking the issue seriously.

Local election count at Cathedral House, Huddersfield - Labour Clr. Mohan Sokhal retained his seat.

Clr Sokhal said he was taking action but was not ready to comment yet.

Kirklees Council said it was up to the political parties to do any disciplining of councillors.

But it has now emerged that the council’s Standards Committee could take action if a complaint was made to the Monitoring Officer, chief executive Adrian Lythgo.

The committee, which was established to help maintain and promote high ethical standards among councillors, is made up of six Kirklees councillors and co-opted members.