91Èȱ¬

Belfast councillors have passed a motion of no confidence in the chair of the council's strategic policy and resources committee, Ulster Unionist Jim Rodgers.

Alliance claimed he had made "negative comments" in the media about council staff in July during a period of tension about bonfires in east Belfast.

Mr Rodgers said it would be inappropriate to comment.

There is no obligation on him to stand down from the committee.

Alliance councillor Michael Long proposed the no confidence motion at a meeting of the council's strategic policy and resources committee on Friday.

The motion passed with support from Sinn Féin, but the DUP and UUP voted against it.

Mr Long said there were also concerns over the number of special meetings of the committee that were called by Mr Rodgers in early July, claiming the number of meetings caused delays which made it "increasingly difficult to get decisions around controversial issues taken".

Also on Friday, the Local Government Commissioner for Standards Marie Anderson said she will hold a hearing into a complaint against Mr Rodgers, to determine whether he has breached the councillors' code of conduct.

It is understood it is a separate complaint that is unrelated to the motion of no confidence brought forward by Alliance.

The standards watchdog said the complaint related to a possible breach of council rules "regarding the registration, disclosure and declaration of interests", but could not comment further.

Mr Rodgers has been elected to Belfast City Council since 1993 and has served as Lord Mayor twice.