WARRINGTON Borough Council’s leader is set to be challenged for his role in a Labour group meeting vote this evening, Tuesday.

It comes days after the election, which saw Labour retain control of the council and increase its majority by six.

It now has 42 of the 58 seats on the council.

Council leader Cllr Hans Mundry retained his Latchford East seat, while deputy leader Cllr Janet Henshaw retained her Great Sankey North and Whittle Hall seat.

But the Warrington Guardian understands Cllr Henshaw will challenge Cllr Mundry for the role of leader.

A vote is set to take place on it when the Labour group meets for its annual general meeting at the Town Hall this evening.

A Labour source hailed the election results for the party and called on the party’s councillors to back the council leader in the vote.

The source said: “This was the biggest victory for Warrington Labour, and to achieve that against the backdrop of what we are facing in the town makes it an unbelievable victory.

“Everybody should be backing the leader. You don’t change the leadership once you get a win like this.

“No soldier gets rid of its general in the middle of a war.”

Furthermore, it is understood that Cllr Jean Flaherty and Cllr Tom Jennings have put their names forward for the role of deputy leader.

Positions in the council’s cabinet will also be decided.

Speaking at Birchwood Community Hub on Saturday, after the borough council election results were declared, Cllr Mundry told the Warrington Guardian he would be ‘surprised’ if there is a leadership challenge.

He said: “I’ll be surprised if there is a leadership challenge, based on one of our biggest victories in history in Warrington, I will be surprised if there is a leadership challenge at this time.

“You can never say never but it would be really unusual for anything like that to happen.”