Calls for Labour deputy leader to resign over gaffe which Tories say could have jeopardised £90m funding

Blackpool's Tories are calling for the deputy leader of the council to stand down from the position after claiming he revealed 'confidential' government information at a public meeting.

Coun Ivan Taylor told a meeting of the full council on January 31 that funding of £50m was on its way to transform housing in the town.

But he quickly admitted he should not have revealed the figure which the council had been told to keep confidential until the official announcement which was made on Friday, March 1.

Coun Paul Galley, leader of the Blackpool Conservative Group, said: "Initially we were delighted when Coun Taylor told the council chamber we had secured the money but excitement turned to shock as he quickly told us, on being made aware of his mistake, to forget what we had heard.

"We then found ourselves in the unusual position of protecting the council over the last month from leaks by its own deputy leader to ensure the money wasn't lost.

"Now the investment has been confirmed, we are free to hold Coun Taylor to account for his inappropriate actions, which could potentially have jeopardised over £90m of essential investment in Blackpool's housing stock. We urge him to do the right thing and resign as deputy leader or else we fear this could happen again."

But Coun Taylor said he had no intention of resigning from his position as deputy leader and there was "zero risk" of the incident putting the funding at risk.

He said: "What I said was not confidential in any legal sense. I got the figure wrong, as I said we were going for £50m and we got £90m, so it can't be all bad.

"When we got the announcement of the funding it was one of the best days for the council, so far from resigning, I am celebrating. We now need to take advantage of it and make sure it works for us."

The funding announcement was made by Michael Gove, Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, at the Convention of the North 2024 in Leeds. The sum of £90m from Homes England’s Brownfield Infrastructure Land Fund programme will be used to regenerate housing in some of the most deprived areas of inner Blackpool.