FORMER leader of West Dunbartonshire Council Andy White has been suspended by his own party and banned from representing it at the next elections.

The move against Mr White, who quit his council post last week, coincided with a decision by Communities Minister Malcolm Chisholm to send in a replacement team to run the local authority's housing department.

Councillor White, 37, leader of the council for nine years, has been suspended by Labour Party bosses who have launched a probe.

It's understood he is being blamed for a lack of openness and the council's poor performance.

He's also being blamed for a culture of bullying, though he is not personally accused.

The suspension, imposed by the Labour Party's Local Government Governance Panel, means Mr White cannot stand as a candidate at May's local government elections.

Several more local councillors are expected to be quizzed.

The council's deputy leader, Jim Flynn, has also stepped down and is now threatening legal action against a fellow councillor.