TEMPERS flared and Labour cried foul as some of York’s leading politicians were voted out of their jobs.

At Guildhall last night, the shadow executive on City of York Council was abolished, a move which will save the public purse £21,000 a year.

There was heated debate as Labour members fought to save the status quo, which is worth £4,200 in bonus payments to five of their councillors.

Labour argued the move was unconstitutional and refused to take part in the debate or vote, with all except two of their members leaving the council chamber as the vote was held. The remaining pair, Brian Watson and Sandy Fraser, refused to either vote or abstain.

Conservative leader Ian Gillies, who had tabled the motion, argued the shadow executive, which met fortnightly to examine matters being decided by the ruling Lib Dem executive, had been rendered pointless by other changes to the council structure.

He said: “A shadow executive under today’s system is not only cumbersome, but also wasteful because it now serves as just another layer of unnecessary bureaucracy.

“It is especially important that, just when the council is embarking on a new £15 million efficiency drive, councillors put their own house in order.”

Labour were angry the issue came to the full council, claiming it bypassed the audit and governance committee, which debated the matter last month.

Green councillor Dave Taylor said Coun Gillies' move did seem underhand, but also said the “chickens had come home to roost” for Labour councillors, who had helped abolish the old cross-party advisory panel system of scrutiny earlier this year.

Among the other motions at last night’s meeting was one by council leader Andrew Waller, calling for the continuation of work to kick-start development on the massive York Central site.

The £1 billion project, earmarked for a teardrop site behind York Station, was put on hold last month after landowners said they were unable to attract sufficient interest during the recession.

Coun Waller’s motion was passed by all parties.

Last night’s meeting was preceded by a minute’s silence in honour of former councillor and Sheriff of York Gerald Dean, who died last month, aged 82.