A SHAMED town councillor has urged colleagues to “back me or sack me” after a complaint over his conduct was upheld.

Coun. Kevin Little is fighting for his future on Haltwhistle Town Council after appearing before Northumberland County Council’s standards committee two weeks ago.

The committee upheld claims that he bullied and intimidated town clerk Susan Saunders during council meetings and via email and ruled he was in breach of the town council’s code of conduct.

The town council is set to meet on Friday night to discuss the recommendations made by the standards committee.

Chief among them is for the town council to suspend Coun. Little from all its sub-committees and working groups for 12 months.

However, members have no power to remove Coun. Little from his position as a town councillor.

Coun. Little was present at last Monday’s town council meeting, the first to take place since the hearing.

He challenged fellow councillors to remove him from his position as one of three town council representatives on the Haltwhistle and District joint burial committee.

Coun. Little, who has been a town councillor since December 2013 and joined the burial committee in May this year, said: “I think I have done a good job and served the people of Haltwhistle well. I have spent nearly £1,000 of my own money up at the cemetery and done work for free.

“Since I joined, we have reduced the budget by £5,000 and my initiatives have brought money in.

“But no matter what I do, nothing short of me being a resident in one of those plots in the cemetery will satisfy Haltwhistle Town Council.

“Here is your opportunity to back me or sack me. It’s as simple as that.”

Coun. Michael Ridley said that the council needed time to consider the findings of the standards committee before taking further action.

Friday’s council meeting to consider the report will be held in public at Haltwhistle Library at 6.30pm.