I'm a Geordie. If I want to call girls 'nice bits of stuff ' I will, says council leader

Tommy Taylor has built his 32-year career as a local councillor around speaking his mind.

So when he saw a photograph of some female colleagues looking particularly pretty, he had no hesitation in describing them as 'three nice bits of stuff'.

Unfortunately, his fellow councillors didn't see the remark as a compliment. Far from it.

Mr Taylor, the Liberal Democrat leader of Wear Valley District Council in Country Durham, has been summoned to appear before the council to explain his comments and issue an apology.

A motion drawn up by his opponents claims his assessment of the officers at a committee meeting in March has brought the local council into disrepute.

Last night, Mr Taylor refused to apologise and insisted he had done nothing wrong.

'We are Geordies up here and that's the way we should stay,' he said. 'There's no need for airs and graces up here. If you think a woman's attractive and a cracking bit of stuff then why not tell them that?

'It was meant as a compliment. The three women in the photograph are very pretty girls, anyone can see, and I was just expressing myself in Northern jargon. I've had numerous phone calls from people supporting me.'

Mr Taylor, 67, a father of two and a great-grandfather, said the row had been cooked up by two Labour opponents who were upset about a local election defeat.

Councillor Neil Stonehouse - the man he beat to the leader's post - called for a full council meeting on Wednesday next week to discuss the comments.

Cracking: The photo Tommy Taylor commented on, of Catherine Price, Natalie Drew and Julie Tyrie

His motion was seconded by the Labour group's deputy leader, Charlie Kay. In it they say: 'We call upon Councillor Taylor to explain his public description, at a recent Policy and Strategic Development Committee, of three members of the council's staff as "three nice bits of stuff". Does he think this comment is consistent with his role as the council's equalities and diversity champion?'

Mr Taylor claims he has never been the council's equalities and diversity champion. 'I've only been the council leader for three weeks - and two of those I was on holiday,' he added.

'I take nothing back. They are three cracking looking girls. I said that the district was lucky to have three bits of stuff going to a presentation to represent us.

'I have the greatest respect for these girls and I was praising them for their looks, which were out of this world, but also for their abilities as officers.

'I think this is churlish of the Labour group. They will pick on anything to have a go.'

Mr Taylor made his comments after seeing a picture of Natalie Drew, Catherine Price and Julie Tyrie in a local newspaper.

They were photographed picking up an award for their work with Wellness on Wheels - a fitness truck offering people in the Wear Valley an opportunity to exercise.

Councillor Stonehouse said: 'The remarks hurt the officers' feelings and probably broke the councillors' code of conduct.

'They would have been wholly inappropriate if they had been made in private but in public they are totally unacceptable.'

Although Wear Valley was hailed as an excellent council in an unpublished Comprehensive Performance Assessment report, Audit Commission inspector Anne Forster pointed out that improvement had been slow in equality and diversity.

Councillor Taylor, from Coundon, said he had explained his comment to Miss Drew and claimed she took it with good humour.

Neither the council nor the three officers wanted to comment last night.