A NORTH Ayrshire councillor has resigned as chair of the authority’s planning committee and local review body after a motion of no confidence was submitted by colleagues.

North Coast and Cumbraes member Tom Marshall, who had been chair of the committees since 2017, stepped down from the roles at a virtual council meeting last week amid allegations that he had chatted to a neighbour about an application.

During a shambolic debate lasting more than an hour - which was streamed live online and compared to “an episode of Handforth Parish Council” by NAC leader Joe Cullinane – Cllr Marshall slammed what he branded a “kangaroo court”.

The Conservative group leader was accused in December of speaking to a member of the public regarding an application to build a two-storey extension to a home in Gray Crescent, Irvine, which had previously been refused by the planning committee.

A motion of no confidence was submitted by Irvine South Councillor Robert Foster before last Wednesday’s council meeting, but Cllr Marshall resigned before it could be heard.

He said: “It is apparent that other political parties have already decided to support this trumped up motion... thus, rather than be subjected to a kangaroo court decision which doesn’t recognise the standards of law or justice, I formally resign as a member of the planning committee with immediate effect.”

He added: “I think this whole process totally stinks.”

Following several recesses, points of order, questions and interruptions, Cllr Foster removed the first part of his motion and moved to appoint SNP Councillor for Irvine South, Christina Larsen, as the new chair.

Thirteen members supported that decision, with 12 voting for an amendment which would have seen the committee’s vice chair, Timothy Billings, appointed instead.

Several members abstained, including Independent Jimmy Miller, who called the situation “embarrassing”.

Cllr Miller said: “I am worried that the public are going to see this and say this is a circus, because that’s the way it’s turned out today.”