A CONTROVERSIAL council leader is to stand down weeks after describing three female officers as "nice bits of stuff."

Tommy Taylor, leader of Wear Valley District Council, says that ill-health is behind his decision to relinquish his post, which he has held since August.

The 67-year-old Liberal Democrat suffers angina and recently had a stroke, which he says has left him with no alternative but to step aside after more than 30 years in local government.

He will officially make way at a full council meeting on Monday, but he will continue to serve as a district councillor and remains unrepentant over the remarks which caused a national storm.

"It is purely and simply down to my health," he said today. "People will put two and two together and come up with five.

"Wild horses wouldn't have got me out of that job if I'd had the age and health to go with it, but I feel I can't do it justice and my health has to come first."

He had made the "bits of stuff" comment at a meeting in March after seeing a photograph in The Northern Echo of the three council workers, Natalie Drew, Catherine Price and Julie Tyrie, at an awards ceremony.

Coun Taylor came under pressure to retract his comments, but refused and said he has received hundreds of emails and letters of support from all over the UK.

* For the full story, read The Northern Echo tomorrow.