FEWER than two per cent of Barnoldswick residents voted in its first parish poll in a decade, with some commentators branding the exercise an "expensive farce".

The poll attracted a 1.09 per cent turnout and every vote cost more than £20 each, prompting eight independent councillors to denounce Coun David Whipp for instigating it at the Annual Town Meeting.

The poll asked for a 'yes' or 'no' response to a proposal relating to the council's involvement in the former Rainhall Road school building.

The scheme would have seen the building developed to house the council offices, businesses and community use. But the town council decided against proposals to move its offices into the development saying it would prove too expensive.

The motion asked people to vote for or against the motion: "The former Rainhall Road school should be brought back to life and the town council should play its part in making that happen."

Of 87 who voted, 72 people were in favour, 15 against. The final cost of arranging the town referendum, which required polling stations to open for five hours last Thursday, is likely to be around £1,800. That works out at more than £20 for each vote cast.

At another turbulent council meeting on Wednesday, two polarised groups of Liberal Democrat and independent councillors clashed with such ferocity that the chairwoman tried to call the whole thing off.

Speaking on behalf of eight councillors who voted to keep their offices on Fernlea Avenue, rather than move them into Rainhall Road, Coun John Broughton gave Coun Whipp an ultimatum - apologise or resign.

He read out a statement saying: "The town poll turned out to be an expensive farce with only a one per cent turnout and we believe it is morally wrong that the ratepayers of Barnoldswick will foot the bill for this pointless exercise.

"David Whipp has been a member of this council for some time and has done a lot of good work for the town.

"However, since this issue arose we have seen a rather dark side to his character. Coun Whipp's antagonism boiled over at the town meeting where he shouted out that he was ashamed to be a member of the town council.

"Such behaviour is not acceptable for councillors in this town - if he feels that way he should either apologise or resign."

The statement also accused Coun Whipp of circulating misleading information about the security of the Rainhall Road project - a claim which he staunchly denied, defending all his comments on the issue.

He said: "I haven't spread any false information and Coun Broughton is bringing the council into disrepute by saying it."

Coun Whipp also defended his decision to call for the poll, pointing out the popularity that his motion enjoyed.

He said: "83 per cent of voters voted in favour of the proposition. The vote was overwhelmingly in favour of it - that sort of majority is impressive in any election."

And Coun Margaret Bell described the attack on Coun Whipp as "absolutely appalling" and cast doubt on the council's ability to function in future, saying: "I don't know how we can go forwards from this."

Their fellow Liberal councillor Allan Buck then resigned from his position as council member for West Craven Together, saying that he felt as though he no longer had the confidence of the rest of the group.

Questions were also raised over disabled provisions in the council's future Fernlea Avenue office, with town clerk Robert Kandt pledging to investigate.

And Barnoldswick man Harold Green, 85, of Dam Head Road, said that voting arrangements had proved inconvenient for many people and he had been unable to cast his vote in favour of the motion.

He said: "I don't think it was a fair vote. It was too cold to be trailing about at four o'clock for elderly people like me - if they'd opened the Butts clinic it would have made things easier."

A shift worker who attended the council meeting also protested over the timing of the poll, saying that it meant he was unable to vote.