AN attempt to formally censure Northumberland County Council’s leader over a joke email to a political opponent has failed.

Liberal Democrat Jeff Reid sent the email to Conservative councillor Gordon Castle, apparently suggesting that the council would not bid for funding for a new high school in Alnwick unless the administration’s car parking strategy was approved.

Coun Reid insisted the message was simply a joke, and accused the Tory group of having a sense of humour failure.

Tory group leader Peter Jackson attempted to move a formal censure motion against Coun Reid at the county council meeting which approved the parking strategy. But it was ruled out of order by chairman George Todd on advice from principal solicitor Liam Henry.

Mr Henry said the motion was “not relevant” to the discussion taking place in the council chamber.

The motion claimed Coun Reid’s email was in contravention of the council’s code of conduct for elected members, and said he had “betrayed the trust of students, teachers and parents in Alnwick and Northumberland as a whole”.