COUNCILLOR O'Neill is being irresponsible as leader of the opposition group on Warrington Borough Council.

Unable to accept the verdict of the voters, he has led his group into disrupting council business over a petty constitutional dispute, which could easily have been resolved, instead of allowing the orderly conduct of the council.

He and his Member of Parliament have begun to campaign against a schools review they started and their Government was pressing for.

The new administration has brought this review into the public eye by carrying out the consultations that should have been started months before the election, to ensure the best outcome for the pupils and people of Warrington.

As the responsible portfolio holder he exposed the council, and its officers, to a potential prosecution for breach of health and safety laws, or even corporate manslaughter.

Had one of the open bins being emptied against the manufacturer's instructions and caused an accident, the council and its officers would have been liable.

He now implicitly demands that our refuse staff should stick their hands in other people's rubbish to close their bins for them.

While he may enjoy sticking his hands in rubbish, we don't expect council staff to do so and more than 98 per cent of the people of Warrington don't ask them to do that either.

We are looking for responsible opposition from the Labour leader in Warrington, but all we get is rubbish.

Perhaps the Warrington Labour group needs a new leader as much as their MPs do.

CLR BOB BARR Lymm