YORK’S ousted council leader has challenged his successor on why two formerly suspended executive councillors have been reinstated to the ruling committee.

Cllr David Carr, who was voted out as Conservative leader before dramatically quitting the party last month, used a full council meeting on Thursday to challenge the new council leader Cllr Ian Gillies.

He asked Cllr Gillies if he endorsed the reinstatement of Lib Dems councillors Nigel Ayre and Keith Aspden.

Cllr Carr suspended the two in September, when he was still leader, saying the seriousness of allegations against them made the move necessary.

He said the two members were “both extremely able” but asked Cllr Gillies to explain why he had reinstated them when a standards process was still ongoing.

Cllr Gillies’ reply was that the Lib Dem temporary leader Cllr Andrew Waller, who filled the post for two weeks after Cllr Carr’s resignation, had put the pair back on the executive, and that he accepted that.

Cllr Gillies added: “I did not object to their coming back on and I fully support the standards process.”