COLCHESTER Council’s leader has been accused of mischief making after he questioned whether a political rival’s cabinet appointment was appropriate if she opposed plans for a giant new town.

Conservative Sue Lissimore, who is both a borough and county councillor, has been handed the housing, property and planning portfolio at County Hall after a cabinet reshuffle earlier this month.

But Colchester Council leader Paul Smith (Lib Dem) said Mrs Lissimore may be unsuitable for the role because of the borough council Conservative group’s opposition to a new town to the west of Colchester at West Tey which could eventually see 16,858 homes built.

Colchester Council is working closely with Essex County Council, Tendring Council and Braintree Council on the project which could also see new towns constructed to the west of Braintree and east of Colchester.

Mr Smith said: “There has been some discussion about how Mrs Lissimore can hold the housing portfolio at the county council whilst being in opposition to the West Tey development.

“The fact is, the county council is a very full and major partner of the North Essex Garden Communities Company.

“I would urge Mrs Lissimore to make her feelings on the development clear and hope she would now have had time to study the facts of the matter.”

In a letter to his colleagues, Essex County Council leader David Finch (Con) said the garden communities remained a personal priority for him, and an organisational one for the council.

Mrs Lissimore said although parts of her portfolio would include work on the new towns, she said the main responsibility would fall to Mr Finch.

She said: “As it is such a major subject it is in his portfolio because it is a big part of the strategic direction of the county council.

“Certainly, as part of my planning and housing portfolio, some aspects of the garden communities will fall into it, but the overall responsibility is with the leader.

“I do still have concerns any of the garden communities are sustainable especially in regard to employment and transport and I think it is something which needs to be addressed.

“There are more studies which need to done to get more depth on the plans.

“As it stood last December, the Conservative group on Colchester Council had concerns about some of the details which are yet to have been revealed.”

Mrs Lissimore said Mr Smith was trying to create division between Tory colleagues on the different councils.

She said:“I think councillor Smith is wrong and is simply trying to create a rift between Conservatives on Colchester Council and Essex County Council.”