THE leader of the borough council's Conservative group is among a trio of the party's senior councillors set to serve out the remainder of their terms as Independents. 

Cllr Hazel Edwards has been joined by Cllrs Wendy McClure and Martin McLeavy in cutting ties with the Tories.

In a joint statement, they accused the Barrow and Furness Conservative Association of being 'dysfunctional' and referenced a 'cabal of officers and some members' who 'seem to focus on their own self-importance and personal political ambitions rather than on the good of the community'.

“Locally and nationally, this is not the Conservative Party we joined and certainly not the party we feel we can continue to represent as councillors in Barrow," they said.

The trio are familiar faces in borough politics. Cllr Edwards is a former mayor, Cllr McClure is chairman of the Cumbria branch of the Conservative Women's Organisation and a former mayoress, and Cllr McLeavy is chairman of the council's overview and scrutiny committee.

"We believe that part of our work as community councillors is to raise funds for local good causes and groups," they said. 

"Unfortunately, the Barrow and Furness Conservative Association seems to take a different view about this.

“We were extremely saddened and disappointed when, after recently raising funds for such excellent causes as the Blood Bikes, the Bluebell Foundation for bereaved families, Askam Town Silver Band and the X112 community bus, we were criticised by the Conservative Association, who told us that all the money we raised should be for political purposes."

READ MORE: Barrow and Furness Conservatives deny rift in party

They said they felt that councils should be non-political and that 'playing party politics is not what we should be about'.

They expressed a belief that, nationally, the Conservative Party often appeared 'to be unaware of the present struggles of ordinary people'.

Cllrs Edwards, McClure and McLeavy plan to continue serving their constituents as Independents until the borough council ceases to exist on March 31 of next year - with a unitary system of governance in Cumbria to begin operating from April.

A spokesman for the Barrow and Furness Conservative Association said: “We will be appointing a new leader of the Conservative group who will continue the great work of Conservative councillors across Barrow, Dalton, Askam, Ireleth, Lindal and Marton.

“Conservatives in council continue to hold the Labour-led administration to account for its failings on recycling, bin collections, and grant payments to businesses who desperately need it to bounce back from the pandemic.

"Conservative councillors across the Barrow and Furness area support their communities in a number of ways, with many being volunteers and championing their communities they represent to help everyone. 

“Working together with Simon Fell MP, we’ll be taking our message for change to the people of the borough of Barrow-in-Furness as we roll out our plan for better services from the new Westmorland and Furness council. 

“Our plan includes a plan to fix potholes, for cleaner communities, safer streets and backing business, and that’s what we’re focusing on now.”