FIVE hundred people have signed a petition calling on the leader of Torfaen council to resign.

Petitioners say they were left incensed at the way council leader Bob Wellington responded to a query from Torfaen investigator Dave Simpson during a full council meeting.

Mr Simpson had asked Cllr Wellington to explain how Torfaen council employees established if members of the public wore recording devices.

Mr Simpson put the question to the council leader at the public meeting after claiming to have recorded conversations of council officers.

In his response, Cllr Wellington said most people found his actions “disgusting” and said this would be taken up by trade unions.

Mr Simpson felt the council leader had not answered his question fully and an online petition has been started calling for his resignation.

More than 500 people have signed the petition, which include a web link showing the heated exchange between Cllr Wellington and Mr Simpson at the council meeting.

Petitioners have also been shocked at the way the council responded to another question that Torfaen campaigner Ray Watkins put forward at the public meeting on April 14.

Mr Watkins called on the council to turn on thousands of street lights which have been switched off to save cash in Torfaen.

The campaigner said he thought the lack of street lighting could coincide with a spike in crime and accidents, but his plea was rejected by councillors at the meeting.

Both Mr Simpson and Mr Watkins were given the opportunity to ask their main question as well as a supplementary question.

A comment was requested from Cllr Wellington about the online petition calling for his resignation through Torfaen council’s public relations office.

In an official statement a Torfaen council spokesman said: “The council is aware of the online petition.”