A Tory council leader has accused opponents of electioneering in a row over giving Colchester its first teenage mayor.
Lib Dems wanted to create the post of youth mayor, to represent youngsters at Colchester Council.
But the ruling Conservatives objected to a proposal for the youth mayor to "shadow" the council's own mayor at events and rewrote the motion.
The Lib Dems had been banking on Tory support at a meeting last week. Now they have accused the Conservatives of "dirty tricks".
Stanway councillor Lesley Scott-Boutell, who tabled the original motion, said the council should "hang its head in shame after such a shabby display and show of utter disrespect to our young people".
Tory council leader Robert Davidson said he was in favour of the creation of a youth mayor, but he didn't believe the council's own mayor should be "shackled" to anybody.
He accused the Lib Dems of electioneering.
"They are in election mode and just trying to make a story out of nothing," he said. "I'm cross because it's dragging the council's good name in the mud."
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