OPPOSITION councillors have been attacked for claiming they are being gagged by a Labour-run council.

Conservative and Lib Dem leaders on Blackburn with Darwen Council said they were being prevented from having open debates on contentious issues because of Blackburn with Darwen Council's new constitution.

The new system has replaced regular committees with an elite executive board, and the minutes from the meetings which used to be placed in front of full council have been replaced by executive member reports.

Unless something is included in the reports, it cannot be discussed by opposition members, prompting the gagging claim by opposition councillors.

After including a brief summary on the need for the new consultation at the last minute, Coun Kate Hollern told a meeting of the full council: "I am appalled that the opposition councillors have run to the Lancashire Evening Telegraph saying they are being gagged. That isn't the way to do things. You should come to us and talk to us."

Council leader Bill Taylor said: "Our constitution can be changed if people want it to be.

"I have a list of ways councillors can be involved. They are not being silenced."

Coun Paul Browne, leader of the Lib Dems, said: "Hopefully, this has shaken them up.

"No matter how they put it, we have gone from one extreme to the other.

"We used to be able to discuss everything, now we have to kick up a fuss just to get some of the most important issues even mentioned at full council."

Conservative councillor Jim Hirst added: "Getting information these days is a nightmare.

"We used to be able to get everything easily, but reports seem to work on the basis of 'less is best' now."