A TOWN hall is in disarray after a council leader said fraud squad detectives should be involved in an investigation into an alleged breach of election rules.

A full council meeting of Thornaby Town Council on Monday agreed to launch an external inquiry into claims that a political group had printed campaign leaflets using a council equipment.

Thornaby Independents, which hopes to contest several wards in May's election, admit printing the leaflets and say they were given permission by the town clerk.

Before agreeing to launch the inquiry, the council meeting at Thornaby Town Hall saw several heated exchanges.

Council chairman Councillor Ivor Morgan was told he had been given a vote of no confidence by a previous meeting.

This meeting, which was held on Friday without the chairman being present, was subsequently declared illegal by a Stockton Borough Council legal advisor.

At Monday's council meeting, Coun Morgan insisted he would not resign and told the council they should launch an inquiry into the alleged breach of election rules.

He said: "Thornaby Town Council must have a thorough, independent, external investigation using outside agencies to restore the public trust in the council.

"This will involve the district auditor, National Standards Board, Cleveland Police fraud squad and the National Standards Committee."

Afterwards, Ken Wallace, Thornaby Independents Association spokesman, said no one other than Coun Morgan wanted an external investigation.

He said: "This is not what the public want to hear.

"They know we have done nothing wrong and they know that an investigation would just be a waste of their money."

A spokesman for Cleveland Police said they did not expect the fraud squad would be called in to investigate.

She said: "They have not been contacted and it is highly unlikely they would be involved because it is at such a low level.