AN EMERGENCY meeting at County Hall saw heated exchanges between members after Labour called for a government takeover of the ‘failing authority’.

But Worcestershire County Council Conservative councillors slammed the Labour group for time wasting and what they called a political stunt, which they said had been orchestrated by the group’s leader and councillor for Bromsgrove Beacon Peter McDonald.

Labour called the meeting to put forward a motion of no confidence in the Conservative leadership and called on the Secretary of State to intervene and takeover all council functions - the first time in the council's history this was put forward.

At the meeting, held last week, Cllr McDonald said: “This council is in complete disarray.

“There are no policies put forward by the controlling group to tackle the increasing human misery caused by a failed approach to provide services.

“I'm challenging you lot, and the Lib Dems, entering into an election, deceitful, where you did not tell the residents of the problems with children’s services in general, and the truth about the £60 million plus cuts that are coming.”

His comments received groans and shouts of rubbish at various times.

Council leader Simon Geraghty said: “Only a few months ago this administration was democratically re-elected by the people of Worcestershire with a clear mandate to deliver our wishes, planned for the county.

“We are making the county an even better place to live work, visit and invest in.

“We have been very up front and honest with the public about financial pressure. We fully expect to be able to balance the budget."

He added: “This motion is ridiculous. Asking the government to intervene tarnishes the good name of this authority, the excellent work we are doing.”

Councillor Nathan Desmond called it a political stunt, while Councillor Adam Kent criticised the Labour group for wasting council and officers' time.

The 2017 group - a Liberal Democrat and Green coalition group, proposed an amendment calling instead for the wealth of talent across all political groups to be utilised.

This was voted down.

Councillor Fran Oborski called Labour’s motion “political grandstanding”.

The debate lasted more than an hour-and-a-half, which included a number of fiery exchanges, before a vote on the substantive motion was lost, 33 votes to nine.