THE mayor of Ryde has survived a vote of no confidence at an extraordinary meeting of Ryde Town Council.

Motions of no confidence were tabled against five councillors at Friday's meeting — mayor Cllr Michael Lilley, deputy mayor Cllr Adrian Axford and Cllrs Phil Jordan, Diana Farrel and Diana Conyers.

All were rejected by with nine votes to six, with one abstention.

Cllr Karen Lucioni was the only signatory not to support the motion, even after she had called for it. She abstained.

Cllr Axford described the meeting as 'mumbo jumbo.'

A letter sent to Cllr Lilley last week, signed by seven councillors, called for the meeting due to a lack of transparency, inclusion and respect shown towards colleagues after two clerks left the council.

The signatories said a town council panel negotiated the clerks' terms without the proper authority.

At the meeting, three signatories — Cllrs Ian Stephens, Julian Critchley and Sue Lyons — submitted an amendment saying they were willing to withdraw the motions if the council agreed to an investigation led by auditors or the National Association of Local Councils.

The amendment did not succeed and the motions were voted on as written.

Cllr Stephens asked about payments agreed by the personnel panel without consent of the full council.

It is understood the panel approved HR and legal costs, and payments to the clerks.

He said: "This is public money. We are responsible for that. It is important we look after this money and we look after Ryde.

"We need to make sure we are open, honest and transparent.

"We have due process and our standing orders. That is the way we should and will operate. If there is a shadow of doubt in my mind, don’t you think I am going to say something isn’t right?"

Cllr Critchley said he and other councillors were left in the dark about the panel's decisions and said taxpayers should know how their money was being spent.

Cllr Lyons, a Labour councillor, was accused by Cllr Lilley of putting fellow Labour Cllr Conyers' reputation on the line. He later apologised, but Cllr Lyons said she found his comments 'very hurtful.'

She said: "My objection is not about people, but process. I want us to follow the correct procedures and work together."

Speaking after the meeting, Cllr Lilley said he had submitted complaints to the Isle of Wight Council that some councillors had breached the code of conduct. He declined to say which councillors.

He said: "I think it went very well. Democracy has come through. Clearly, you have a vote and here common sense has prevailed.

"I absolutely agree we do need scrutiny and we do need an audit. That will happen because our council does need proper processes, which is why we have put that in place already

"It is sad we have had to go through this, but I am glad the public have come out and they have confidence in me because I love this town. I love Ryde.

"The most important thing is about confidentiality. We have to do some things in private, but we are not hiding things.

"I do feel I have had quite a difficult time and I am glad it's over."

Cllr Tim Wakeley, one of the letter's signatories, said the decision was 'entirely predictable' and questioned whether a review would actually take place.

He said: "We knew from the onset we were never going to win the motion. It was about creating an environment where we could say, look, there are serious concerns about the way in which the public monies are being determined.

"Proper process is not being employed, let's get the internal auditors or the National Association of Local Councillors involved.

"We cannot do either of those things unless the council is involved and, from what we heard tonight, it is extremely unlikely the mayor will make such a resolution.

"It leaves the question, what is there to hide?"