LAST week, Clr Robert Bleakley, ward member for Tyldesley, caused outrage after he was found guilty of using his council-issued phone to call sex lines and send inappropriate text messages of a sexual and sexist nature.

In doing so, he racked up a taxpayer-paid phone bill of more than £2,400. Clr Bleakley’s defence? He’s paying it back.

What he failed to mention is that he’s agreed to pay the money back via a reduction in his taxpayer-paid allowances.

Understandably, a lot of residents were outraged by his behaviour – as was I.

What residents may not know is that this is not the first occasion Clr Bleakley has been in trouble. In fact, this was the third hearing he’s been in this year.

As part of our standards process (the way we investigate complaints against councillors) we removed his mobile phone, and asked he attend equal opportunities training to address his issues with women.

Unfortunately, there is no way for us to police these sanctions – which makes it very tempting for him to refuse to go on the training course, and considering his past behaviour I would not be at all surprised if he tries to worm his way out of this one.

I’ve heard a lot of residents complain about Wigan Council’s ‘lenient’ response and I must say I share their frustration. He hasn’t just brought shame on himself, but on the council, on the borough, and on Tyldesley.

The fact that we are stuck with him is absolutely ridiculous.

The reason we cannot remove him, believe you me it is not through a lack of trying, is because the government removed our ability to do so.

Some residents may or may not be aware that in 2011, the Localism Act removed local authorities’ power to remove a councillor from office.

I agree, I think he should be removed. I don’t want a sexist councillor representing anybody in the borough.

But, like most things, it isn’t as simple as that. The only way that residents can have their say about who they want to represent them is by voting for the right to re-elect.

Otherwise residents will be stuck with him until 2016 – when’s he’s up for re-election.

The people of Tyldesley are already taking a stand. On Saturday they launched a petition in the square to call on Clr Bleakley to resign.

If, like me, you don’t want to be stuck with Clr Bleakley for a second longer, sign the petition and make a stand.

Deputy Leader of Wigan Council, Clr David Molyneux