A COUNCILLOR who quit Blackburn to live and work in Sheffield has vowed to continue his role until the next local elections.

Shadsworth councillor Charles Mills insisted he could do just as good a job for his constituents while living in Yorkshire.

The Liberal Democrat says he would not stand again if his new job worked out and has yet to make a decision about next year's local election.

Details of his move emerged during a heated council debate about councillor allowances, when Coun Mills blasted plans to increase the amount of money paid to chairman of the authority's watchdog overview and scrutiny committees. Under proposals approved by the full council last week, and put forward by an independent panel, scrutiny chairmen will receive £2,588 a year, up from £1,035.

When he said councillors shouldn't be awarding themselves extra cash, Labour veteran Dorothy Walsh, who would benefit, said: "It's particularly galling to hear you criticise what we get. Most of our work is volunteering and this money reflects the extra responsibility we have. You should get back to Sheffield."

Coun Mills, who has been travelling across the Pennines since May, said afterwards: "I've moved because I have a new job, and I'm splitting my time between Blackburn and Sheffield.

"If everything goes well in Sheffield, I won't stand again in Blackburn, but I want to make sure everything is going well at the moment. People know how to contact me and my mobile number is common knowledge. As soon as someone rings me, I get straight on to it. I am as committed to doing my job here as I always have been. It's not as if I have moved away and stopped doing my job but continued taking my money."

Controversy erupted in the Corporation Park ward earlier this year when stay-away Tory Graham Pound revealed in an email he was taking home £350-a-month for doing nothing as a councillor, and would have resigned had he not been persuaded to stay on by senior Tories plotting to oust incumbent leader Colin Rigby.

He had moved to Manchester and was subsequently de-selected for next year's elections, but refused to resign immediately despite pressure from Tory leader Colin Rigby. He then pledged to spend as much time as possible in Blackburn - but did not attend last Thursday's full council meeting.

Council leader Sir Bill Taylor said: "Sheffield is about a two hour drive away and I'd have thought it be quite difficult to be as responsive to the Shadsworth community as Shadsworth deserves."

Mr Rigby said: "It is a matter for the Lib Dems, but I am not happy with the situation we have with Coun Pound within our own party because rules which were set are not being kept."

All three main political parties are reluctant to call for a by-election because they fear it could enable the BNP to snatch a second seat. They would rather wait until next May's all-out local elections, when the BNP will not be able to target all its resources at one seat.