A MAYOR has called on two councillors at the centre of a bullying row to resign.

Mary Cartwright, the mayor of Peterlee, said her and colleagues within the North East Party believed councillors William Jeffrey and Mandy Thompson should step down.

The Northern Echo has revealed this week how Peterlee Town Council is facing a £300,000 bill after town clerk Jane Russell launched legal action against the authority, claiming she had been bullied by the two Labour member - a claim vehemently denied by the members.

The row at the authority has now intensified with the call from Cllr Cartwright for the pair to quit.

She said: "When the issue of bullying by Councillor William Jeffrey and Councillor Mandy Thompson came to our attention the council referred the matter to a lawful and independent panel.

"Sadly Cllr Jeffrey and Cllr Thompson refused to acknowledge or attend the panel. The panel upheld that bullying, harassment and intimidation had taken place.

"Therefore the members of the North East Party believe that Cllr Jeffrey and Cllr Thompson should resign without delay."

But Cllr Thompson rejected the criticism, saying it was the North East Party councillors who should step down.

"They're not going to force me out. All I've done is what they should be doing - protecting the public purse and asking pertinent questions."

The councillor said she and Cllr Jeffrey did not comply with the panel because it was unlawful.

She added that she had repeatedly pushed for an internal investigation into the management of the council, but the requests had been rejected by North East Party members.

Cllr Thompson said that as a result of her determination to seek answers at the authority, she, her husband and her elderly parents had been threatened and harassed.

The councillor said the fall-out began after she raised concerns about the clerk's pay.

Cllr Jeffrey said he would also not be resigning but not comment further at this stage.

Sources say Ms Russell has been offered more than £200,000 to settle a legal claim against the authority after making allegations of bullying.

It is understood the authority could face of legal fees of up to £100,000 on top of this.