Yet the story of Britain’s most famous condiment actually begins more than 300 years ago in the heart of Durham City.

Long before mustard became linked with Norfolk, Durham entrepreneur Mrs Clements is believed to have turned mustard seeds into the fiery powder still found on British tables today.

According to local histories, Mrs Clements made her breakthrough around 1720.

Mustard had been eaten in England for centuries, but it was usually made by crushing the seeds into a coarse paste.

Mrs Clements found that grinding the seeds into a fine powder, like flour, produced a much stronger flavour.

The pungent, versatile product soon became famous far beyond County Durham.

Her invention became hugely popular and was soon known as ‘Durham Mustard’.

At a time when opportunities for female entrepreneurs were limited, Mrs Clements travelled around the country taking orders and building a successful business.

The mustard’s fame eventually reached the royal court.

Historical accounts suggest King George I became a customer, helping spread Durham Mustard among fashionable society.

For decades, Durham was famous for its mustard trade.

An old local saying summed up the city’s attractions as “wood, water and pleasant walks, law, gospel, old maids and mustard.”

The precise location of Mrs Clements’ original mustard operation has been debated by historians, but it is believed to have been centred around Saddler Street.

Today, Vennels Café celebrates that connection from one of Durham’s historic alleyways.

The café occupies part of a centuries-old building and tells visitors the story of Durham mustard.

Vennels says part of the original property was linked to Mrs Clements’ business, so it calls itself the birthplace of modern English mustard.

For years, Durham’s role in the story of English mustard was largely forgotten.

Recent work by local historians and tourism organisations has revived interest in the story.

A closer look at Durham Mustard.

In 2024, a new Durham Mustard brand was launched, inspired by historic recipes and Mrs Clements’ pioneering work.

More than three centuries later, visitors can still walk Durham’s cobbled streets where the story began.

Durham may no longer be Britain’s mustard capital, but its claim to have created the nation’s favourite fiery condiment remains a source of local pride.

A pretty market town, just an hour from Cambridge and 20 minutes from Peterborough, has narrow streets with stable doors and independent shops in honey-hued cottages

It’s easy to feel as though you’ve stepped into another era when wandering past the honey-coloured cottages and through narrow lanes lined with traditional store facades of a charming town near Cambridgeshire.

Nestled along the River Nene, just an hour from Cambridge and a few miles from Peterborough with a PE8 postcode, is the historic market town of Oundle. Many might know it for having the third-largest boarding school in England, after Eton College and Millfield School, but what really sets the town apart is its idyllic scenery, which has even drawn attention from film productions.

There are quaint, narrow streets lined with a vast collection of well-preserved Georgian manors, Grade II listed cottages and old stable doors that once welcomed horse-drawn carriages. Amongst its beautiful honey-stone architecture are independent retailers whose shopfronts are frozen in time, with traditional signs hung above their sash windows and arched entrances with elegant pillars.

Some notable highlights include the children’s store Bumble and Twig, The Rounded House, which sells an array of elegant gifts and homeware, Milestones Florist Ltd, Stu Pots for every type of kitchen supply, and the jewellery shop Harpurs Of Oundle. It’s an elegant scene of boutiques to explore along its old-fashioned streets that remain wonderfully quiet, even on the weekend.

Locally referred to as a ‘posh area of Northamptonshire’, Oundle is home to several charity shops where it’s not uncommon to uncover a designer or vintage piece of clothing at a bargain price. There’s even an Oxfam shop dedicated to selling second-hand books and music, which is packed from floor to ceiling.

Adding to its quintessential scenes are the handful of cosy coffee shops, from The Lemon Tree, The Coffee Tavern, and The Greedy Piglet, that serve up a hearty full English breakfast and their renowned ‘Piggy’ milkshakes, sure to be loved by kids or those with a sweet tooth.

Additionally, there’s a selection of pubs in the town, including the retro Rose & Crown and the traditional The Ship Inn, as well as restaurants such as Mediterranean, Dexters, and Italian Salerno’s.

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One local favourite, just outside the town centre, is the waterside restaurant Tap and Kitchen, serving a selection of locally crafted beers and a tasty menu, either in its trendy restaurant or on its terrace overlooking the river. It’s fittingly located next door to Nene Valley Brewery, where visitors can pick up their favourite beers, sours or stouts, all locally made.

It’s hard not to notice the presence of the prestigious Oundle School when exploring the town, with its buildings dotted around the compact town, and it undoubtedly played a part in putting Oundle on the map. That, alongside its use as a filming location for the hit Netflix series The Crown, with its picturesque and frozen-in-time setting, making it easy to depict the 1990s and bygone years.

Do you have a travel story to share? Email webtravel@reachplc.com

The changes should make the bus network ‘simpler to operate and explain’

A number of bus services in Peterborough are due to change following a review. Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority (CPCA) carried out a review of bus services across the county to ensure the bus network was affordable, sustainable, evidence-led and better aligned to passenger need.

In Peterborough, the proposed changes include merging services 60 and 61, and introducing different timetables for services 60, 61, 62 and 63. They also include retaining the current loop around Werrington as part of the 62 service, helping residents to continue accessing Werrington centre.

Service 60 runs between Peterborough Queensgate Bus Station and Orton Northgate, while 61 runs between Queensgate and Newark Sainsbury’s, 62 runs between Queensgate and Maxey, and 63 runs between Queensgate and Parnwell.

A report to go before the CPCA transport committee on September 9 stated: “There would be no significant change to overall service levels [in Peterborough], but the network should be simpler to operate and explain.”

The revised proposals were developed in response to a six-week public consultation that received 1,182 responses.

Residents emphasised the need for reliability, punctuality, frequency, operating hours, access to rail and healthcare, the need for clear information, affordability and integrated ticketing, and the importance of services that were usable for work, education, healthcare, shopping and leisure.

If approved at next week’s meeting, the changes could be introduced from February 2027, with further changes planned for August 2027.

CPCA Mayor Paul Bristow said: “Thank you to everyone who took the time to share their views as part of our Bus Network Review. Listening to residents is incredibly important, because you are the people who use these services and understand what works well and where improvements are needed.”

Service changes elsewhere

Fenland – Services 46, 50, 56 and Tiger 7 would be redesigned to create a clearer local network, including improved March–Wisbech links, better weekend provision and revised connections through Chatteris.

St Ives, Earith, Somersham and Ramsey – The 301 would be improved to provide a simpler, more frequent core service, with Tiger 12 withdrawn alongside replacement links and implementation planning.

St Neots, Godmanchester, the Hemingfords and St Ives – Service 65 would be revised to serve St Neots Rail Station and extend from the Offords to Godmanchester, the Hemingfords and St Ives.

Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire – Services including 8, 26, 27, 27A, 27H, 75, T2, T4 and T5 would be revised to improve reliability, provide more regular Cambridge links and support evening, weekend and peak-time travel.

East Cambridgeshire and Suffolk links – Several existing low-frequency services around Haverhill and Newmarket would be replaced by simpler services, including new 119, 120 and 121 routes.

Kemi Badenoch piled pressure on Andy Burnham over defence last night as she pledged to slash welfare to fund military spending.

In a major intervention, the Conservative leader set out plans to raise defence spending to 3 per cent of GDP by the end of the decade – a commitment the Prime Minister has failed to match.

The Conservative leader outlined a £10billion package of savings to fund the investment, which is seen as vital to keeping Britain safe.

Chancellor John Healey resigned from his previous job as defence secretary in June over Sir Keir Starmer‘s refusal to commit to the 3 per cent target, saying it was the minimum needed to keep Britain safe. 

But neither he nor Mr Burnham are now willing to say whether they will find the money to boost Britain’s cash-strapped Armed Forces.

The Prime Minister ducked the issue again yesterday, despite fresh threats from Russia and pressure from his own MPs.

Mrs Badenoch said: ‘The first duty of every Government is defence and the Conservatives will always put our defence first. 

‘That’s why we are setting out our plans to reach three per cent on defence spending by the end of this Parliament through further cuts to welfare and restoring the two-child benefit cap.

The Prime Minister ducked the question on Britain’s cash-strapped Armed Forces again yesterday, despite fresh threats from Russia and pressure from his own MPs

‘John Healey resigned from Keir Starmer’s government saying Labour were not keeping our country safe. Now he is the Chancellor he should adopt our plans and make sure our Armed Forces have the funding they need.’

Mrs Badenoch’s move heaps pressure on the PM and Mr Healey to find the funds to accelerate defence spending at a time of rising international threat.

Mr Burnham was savaged over the issue by a senior MP on his own side yesterday.

Tan Dhesi, Labour chairman of the cross-party Commons defence committee, accused him of ‘kicking the can down the road’ by deferring a decision on the issue until next year’s comprehensive spending review.

In a bruising intervention, Mr Dhesi also warned that Mr Burnham’s trademark optimistic bluster would not be enough to keep Britain safe. He told the PM it was ‘imperative that we invest in our Armed Forces in the here and now’.

He added: ‘Defence is definitely one area where vibes alone just will not be enough. Rather than kicking the can down the road… will the Prime Minister urgently commit to charting a pathway to reaching three per cent of GDP being spent on defence by 2030?’

Mr Burnham appeared thrown by the hostility of the question and he told Mr Dhesi: ‘I have made that commitment, I have made it very clearly.’ 

But Downing Street later confirmed that he is only committed to a much looser target of 3.5 per cent by 2035. Vladimir Putin has lashed out at the West as his forces struggle in Ukraine.

Vladimir Putin has lashed out at the West as his forces struggle in Ukraine (file image)

In recent days, Russia has threatened the UK with ‘catastrophic consequences’ over its support for Ukraine. Germany revealed this week that Russia was responsible for a failed drone attack on Leipzig airport. 

CIA chief John Ratcliffe is reported to have travelled to Moscow last week to warn Mr Putin against attacking a Nato country.

In his June resignation letter, Mr Healey revealed UK spy agencies believe Russia could attack a Nato country by 2030.

But Britain has slid down the Nato spending league table in recent years, despite the growing threats. 

Under Labour’s plans, spending will nudge up from 2.6 per cent next year to 2.7 per cent by the end of the decade. In contrast, Germany expects to spend 3.5 per cent by 2030 while Poland is already spending 4.7 per cent.

Mrs Badenoch’s plans would involve slashing billions of pounds from the bloated benefits budget. 

This will include at least £4billion a year through reforms to housing benefit. Restoring the two-child benefit cap, which Labour axed this year, would raise £3.1billion. £1billion would be saved by ending VAT exemptions for Motability vehicles.

The rest of the £10billion would be funded by scrapping Labour’s Chagos Islands giveaway and by diverting money from new windfarms and civil research and development.

Defence now looks set to be one of the biggest early tests of Mr Burnham’s administration. 

Mr Healey quit in June after the then chancellor Rachel Reeves refused to agree a timetable for hitting the 3 per cent spending target. But since being appointed her successor in July he has refused to commit to finding the cash.

Mr Burnham yesterday told MPs: ‘The very reason I appointed this Chancellor to his position is because of his strong commitment to the defence of our country. We will fully fund the defence investment plan.’ 

But Mrs Badenoch urged him to move faster and ‘get serious about defending our nation’.

Denton Community Academy says its uniform policy is intended to “set an appropriate tone for education”

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A dad said ‘this isn’t the army’ after his daughters were turned away from school for wearing skirts ‘inches’ too short. The girls, who attend Denton Community Academy, were refused entry on Wednesday despite their skirts being bought through an official uniform provider.

The father, who did not wish to be named, told Manchester Evening News he had spent a “fortune” on new uniforms for his children. He said: “They were ringing us saying they weren’t allowed to enter the school.

“The skirts they had on were not rolled at all and fell a couple of inches above the knee, if that.

“It was throwing it down with rain and there were 40 or 50 kids standing outside, not allowed in. They were soaking wet and some were crying.”

The Mirror reports the father said other parents also went to collect their children, while his two daughters spent the rest of the day at home and missed their first day back.

Northern Education Trust, which operates Denton Community Academy, said its uniform expectations had been shared with families several times before the start of the new academic year and insisted its policies were applied “consistently” and “fairly”.

The trust said: “Denton Community Academy is committed to maintaining the high standards that have driven significant improvements in our students’ educational outcomes.

“The academy is the most improved secondary school in Tameside and is now the highest-performing non-selective secondary school in the borough.

“We are incredibly proud of our students and the high expectations that have driven this improvement.”

It said families had been told about the uniform expectations on May 6, May 18, July 16 and August 20. The trust added: “We cannot comment on individual cases, but we strongly encourage parents with any concerns to speak directly to the academy.

“We will always work with families to resolve issues, and believe that direct conversation with the school, rather than through the media, is the most constructive way to do that.”

The father said he had since returned to TopMarks Schoolwear in Ashton, where he claimed the longest skirts available were around 20 inches.

He said his daughters were of average height for their age and claimed even the longest skirts available would not fall below their knees.

The father also pointed to a photograph in the uniform section of the academy’s website which he said showed a female pupil wearing a skirt several inches above the knee.

He said: “This is not an army camp. They’re treating them like soldiers, but they are children, they need an education. It feels like punishment.”

Denton Community Academy’s website says its uniform policy is intended to “set an appropriate tone for education”. It says the uniform provides “a sense of belonging and identity for all students”, while also being “comfortable” and allowing pupils to be themselves.

The policy also prohibits make-up, hoodies and jewellery, as well as “writing on hands or arms for any reason”.

It states: “We do not exclude students for wearing jewellery, having mobile phones or any other breaches of this policy.

“We will however, always ask students to rectify the issue that we have raised. These are reasonable requests.”

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The couple visited their GP many times and were offered several different diagnoses, including anxiety and depression.

It took 13 long years for Emily Wilson’s late husband Jim to receive his final, and correct, diagnosis of dementia with Lewy body.

The family first noticed Jim having difficulty walking back in 2001, then other changes started, such as Jim getting lost on holidays and a difference in his mood. The Newtownabbey couple visited their GP many times and were offered several different diagnoses, including anxiety and depression.

But Emily says all that time she knew something was terribly wrong: “Jim became unusually tactile and when I held his hand I could feel a tremor. He was eventually diagnosed with dementia – but the wrong type. We were told he had Alzheimer’s disease and then eventually we found out it was actually a rarer form of dementia – with Lewy body.”

Emily explains the devastating impact of such a long wait for diagnosis on the family: “Well the first thing to say is that no diagnosis equals no benefits. The financial impact on the family was huge. Jim had just turned 60 so at least he was able to leave work with a small occupational pension, but it wasn’t very much.

“I was still working even though I’d been treated for cancer – and eventually I had to leave work too, before the state pension age – so I could care for Jim. Then he went into care and that has an impact on your finances too as Jim’s pension was used as part of the calculation for his care.”

She added: “Worst of all is the feeling of not knowing what’s going on. It was so stressful. The children are affected too. My youngest daughter can’t remember her Dad before he had dementia. One daughter wanted to drop out of university.

“I wish I could say things have got better since our experience but they haven’t. Families are still being terribly let down – waiting for a diagnosis and then receiving next to no support when they do get one.”

Emily is sharing her story as new research published today by Alzheimer’s Society reveals that families affected by dementia are being forced to put their lives on hold by prolonged waits for a diagnosis.

A survey of over 1,000 carers reveals nearly half of people (45%) waited more than six months for a dementia diagnosis after first seeking help, with devastating consequences for their work, finances and mental wellbeing.

The survey lays bare the toll diagnosis delays can take on families. Nearly half of carers (46%) said the wait had affected their work, while more than a third (35%) said it had made it harder to plan for the future. Three in ten reported sleepless nights or feeling as though life was on hold. Among working-age adults aged 35-44, over half (56%) reported an impact on work.

Alzheimer’s Society’s latest survey found that even after receiving a diagnosis, many carers felt they needed more support. When asked what would have helped most after diagnosis, respondents most commonly identified more follow-up from healthcare professionals, better information about treatment options, help accessing local services and clearer guidance on next steps.

The findings come as Alzheimer’s Society supporters and campaigners deliver an open letter to 10 Downing Street calling on Government to set a bold and ambitious plan for dementia, including faster access to diagnosis, treatment and support.

The charity is calling for a new nationally-recognised standard that would mean within 18 weeks of a GP referral, someone with dementia would receive an accurate diagnosis, together with a care plan and access to treatment (where appropriate). This ambition, or better, has already been met for all other major health conditions.

Ruth Barry, National Influencing Manager for Alzheimer’s Society said: “A dementia diagnosis can bring answers, understanding and access to the support, treatment and care that can make a real difference to people’s lives. However, in Northern Ireland, as in other parts of the UK, too many families spend months, and sometimes years, waiting for answers while their dementia progresses.

“It is like trying to plan a journey without knowing where you are going or when you will arrive. Behind every delayed diagnosis is a family living with uncertainty and trying to prepare for the future without the support they need. People living with dementia should receive an accurate diagnosis and, crucially, a care plan and access to appropriate treatment, within 18 weeks of referral.

“There is no time to waste in addressing this issue. In Northern Ireland we face the highest projected increase in dementia prevalence in the UK. Around 25,000 people live with dementia here, a figure projected to jump to over 37,000 by 2040.

“We know that dementia already costs Northern Ireland £1 billion per year, a figure that is predicted to increase to £2 billion by 2040 without strategic intervention. We know that there are already around 15,000 A&E visits annually from undiagnosed dementia patients in our hospitals.

“These pressures are building and yet Northern Ireland does not have an up-to-date dementia strategy. We urgently need to invest in systems to improve early diagnosis, diagnostic accuracy and waiting times.”

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The President has slammed the leaders of both agencies, but has not clarified what triggered the incident that left three people hurt and several ‘detained’

Three people have been injured after two top Ukrainian intelligence agencies shot at each other on the streets of Kyiv, officials have confirmed.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has hit out at the leaders of Ukraine ’s security service (SBU) and its military intelligence unit (HUR) after the incident, according to the president’s chief communication adviser Dmytro Lytvyn, per the FT. Three people were wounded in the Wednesday (September 2) morning melee.

The President’s office has not clarified what caused the clashes, but the SBU has issued a statement claiming its personnel were attacked when trying to search a property for a ‘pre-trial investigation into the terrorist act organised by the FSB of the Russian Federation’.

An SBU spokesperson said: “During a search at one of the addresses, a group of individuals carried out an armed attack on the SBU operational-investigative group. They tried to hinder the investigation and blocked the passage of law enforcement officers with their cars.

“To stop the attack and ensure the safety of the participants in the procedural actions, a special unit of the Special Operations Center “Alpha” of the SBU was involved. During the cessation of armed resistance, law enforcement officers used weapons.”

They then claimed the SBU ‘detained’ members of the Ukrainian defence forces. The spokesperson added: “As a result of the incident, there are injured people among the people who resisted. The attackers have been detained.

During the initial investigative actions, it was established that the detainees belong to one of the units of the Defense Forces of Ukraine. Weapons and documents were seized from them.”

The HUR has not commented on the incident.

Footage from the incident circulated on social media early on Thursday morning (September 3). It shows a large group of men in military uniform shouting at one another, before several shots are fired.

The incident took place as Russian drones targeted Kyiv for the sixth day in a row. Russia has expanded its use of drone warfare in recent months in an effort to cripple Ukraine’s economy.

The high street bakery chain is promoting its Steak and Stilton Bake, which has returned to menus today (Thursday, September 3) after a seven-year absence, with a ‘Stilton Insurance’ offer.

If customers don’t enjoy the blue cheese filling, they can swap it for a classic steak bake at no extra cost.

Zoe Harris, customer director at Greggs, said: “It’s been seven long years, and while we know Steak & Stilton has a fiercely loyal fanbase, we get that there are still some Stilton sceptics out there.

The Steak and Stilton Bake features diced beef, grilled onions, and Stilton cheese in gravy, wrapped in flaky pastry and topped with a black pepper crumb (Image: Greggs)

“Blue cheese can be a bold sell, but we’re so confident this bake will win people over that we’re literally guaranteeing it.

“Consider this the ultimate taste test with zero risk, if you really can’t stand the Stilton, our classic Steak Bake is on us, no questions asked.”

How will the Greggs Steak and Stilton Bake insurance policy work?

The Steak and Stilton Bake features diced beef, grilled onions, and Stilton cheese in gravy, wrapped in flaky pastry and topped with a black pepper crumb.

Customers who don’t enjoy the Steak and Stilton Bake can return it to the counter, even if it’s half-eaten, and exchange it for a regular Steak Bake.

The offer is available in all Greggs shops nationwide.

According to a survey commissioned by Greggs of 2,000 people, more than a quarter (28%) of Brits shy away from Stilton, and a further 11% have never even tried it.

Despite this, research reveals that 55% of Brits believe too many people write Stilton off before they’ve even given it a fair try.

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Further research from Greggs found that 54% are put off spending money on a new food in case they don’t enjoy it, while 57% said that free ‘insurance’ on food would give them the confidence to try more new products and flavours.

The study also found that one in five (20%) Brits only try new food or flavours once every six months or less and more than a quarter (28%) say they can tell from just one bite whether they like it or not.

Will you be trying the Greggs Steak and Stilton Bake? Let us know in the comments.

Buckingham Palace officials have confirmed a major cybersecurity upgrade will go ahead as the threat from Russia operating in the ‘grey zone’ grows, three years after the Royal Family website was targeted

Russian hackers have forced Buckingham Palace into making major upgrades amid a growing threat from Moscow, reports suggest.

The Palace’s cybersecurity systems will be upgraded after officials from the King’s household admitted its ‘ageing’ IT needs a revamp, reports The i .

The move comes amid rising tensions between the UK and Russia, with the US warning on Wednesday (September 2) a ‘limited’ attack from Russia on NATO countries was more likely to happen sooner than the previous estimate of 10 to 15 years.

In the meantime, Russia appears to be operating in the ‘grey zone’ of war, launching a drone attack on a Ukrainian plane stationed at Leipzig Airport in Germany. Russia has also previously targeted the Royal Family website, managing to take it offline for around an hour and a half in October 2023.

It’s against this backdrop that Palace officials have decided to spend a portion of the annual Sovereign Grant on upgrading cybersecurity at Buckingham Palace.

“The new level of the grant will ensure that the Royal Household can continue to deal with property maintenance backlogs following some years of constrained funding during the pandemic,” Treasury minister Dan Tomlinson said.

“It will also allow the Royal Household to replace ageing systems to strengthen cybersecurity and to install energy-efficient heating systems.”

The £99.9 million annual Sovereign Grant is the settlement given to the Royals by the government, funded by the taxpayer. Last year, it was worth £137m.

The ‘core element’ of the grant will rise from £72m in 2026 to £99m in 2027 as King Charles and Queen Camilla conduct hundreds of engagements every year, and 100 more than the late Queen Elizabeth II carried out in the final years of her reign.

Mr Tomlinson added: “That reflects this bottom-up assessment that has taken place, looking across the needs of the Royal Household and making sure that it is being funded adequately for the work, for the public duties that His Royal Highness the King and the royal family carry out.

“And it is worth pointing out, of course, that those activities have increased significantly in recent years.

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“Towards the end of her reign, the late Queen was not carrying out a large number of foreign engagements, and also was hosting a smaller number of state visits.

“The King has increased the engagements that he is carrying out on our behalf as part of his public duties, and that has involved more expenditure in terms of staff costs and making sure that those engagements and the benefits that in terms of the representation of our country and supporting good causes here in the UK can get the funding and the support that they need.”

However, the overall grant will reduce from 2027, as funding for the renovation of Buckingham Palace is removed as work is completed.

Buckingham Palace was contacted for comment on this story.

Huntingdonshire District Council’s Liberal Democrat-led joint-administration collapsed over backlash to plans to build on car parks

The leader of a district council has survived a vote of no confidence sparked by backlash over plans to build flats on car parks. Cllr Sarah Conboy will continue to lead Huntingdonshire District Council after Tuesday evening’s vote failed.

The Liberal Democrat-led administration collapsed last month after two Green councillors left, leaving them without a majority. Councillors Stephen Ferguson and Lara Davenport-Ray said they had lost faith in the council’s leadership over their handling of the plans.

The council joined a partnership with developers Capital and Centric in July 2025 to come up with ideas to regenerate parts of St Ives, St Neots and Huntingdon. The developer unveiled plans to build homes earlier this year which included building on a number of council-owned car parks, though no formal application has been submitted.

Cllr Ross Martin, leader of the Conservative group, said that calling a special meeting for the vote of no confidence was not something they had taken lightly.

He said: “We have seen, quite sadly from my point of view, a series of events which has significantly damaged the reputation of this council. When we look back in history, we see empires being destroyed by barbaric invasions, we see governments brought down from scandals or financial issues.

“It’s not very often that you see a council administration fall down because of a consultation – a questionnaire essentially.”

He said that nobody has taken ownership of the decisions that have been made but it is up to elected officials to bear the responsibility. Cllr Tom Sanderson said the administration had invested in leisure centres – reopening Sawtry swimming pool and putting £30 million towards improving One Leisure in Huntingdon.

The Lib Dem councillor said: “There are plenty of good things happening in this district and I think we need to remember those as well.”

Cllr Julie Kerr, leader of the independent group, said that Cllr Conboy still had their support and they should wait for the facts to be investigated first.

She said: “Tonight we are being asked to overturn a democratic decision – so I think we have to ask a very simple question, what’s changed? What has happened since May that is so fundamental that it justifies removing a leader that this council elected?

“The decision at cabinet was to explore the regeneration opportunities and work with Capital and Centric – it was not a final approval of a particular development.”

Cllr Alex Bulat, the council’s only Labour member, accused the Lib Dems of trying to shift blame and hide from responsibility. She said: “It’s the same playbook every single time – it’s always someone else’s fault, never the right time to say, ‘we got this wrong’.”

Cllr Geoff Seef said: “There is not a councillor in this chamber, nay a resident of Huntingdonshire, that is not concerned and does not have questions to ask about Capital and Centric’s appointment and instructions.”

The Lib Dem councillor said voting to oust the leader would disrupt the investigation into how the contract was awarded and what the developer was told.

He added: “It does not allow attention to our residents’ needs and frankly they’ve done this for naked, and I would say naive, attempt to gain political advantage”

Cllr Ricky Ioannides said: “You have been elected to lead this council yet all we have got is blunders, excuses, blaming of others and the same old waste – not only of time, but of our taxpayers’ money. But equally blind and deaf, I’m afraid to say, are the Tories.”

The Reform councillor said they had failed to scrutinise the Capital and Centric partnership and would not be able to win a vote of leadership – which could lead to a hung council or a different Lib Dem-led administration.

He said: “I am therefore minded to abstain from this vote because you are all as bad as each other. You all brought this disaster upon yourselves today and to be honest I’m sick of this nonsense.”

Cllr Sarah Conboy said she had “listened carefully” to the debate which had been “excruciatingly uncomfortable”.

She said: “I have said publicly, and I will say again tonight – we got this wrong. I deeply regret the cause for concern to our communities and the damage this has done to the confidence in this council.

“I didn’t wait for a vote of no confidence to act – immediately after the final engagement event, I commissioned the information needed to understand what had happened. I haven’t hidden from the response – I have spent hours reading residents’ emails and watching the conversations on social media. If I say I’m going to listen, I have to be prepared to listen.”

The motion of no confidence failed with 24 votes against, 18 for and eight abstaining. Following the vote, a spokesperson for the Liberal Democrats branded it a “failed political stunt”.

They said: “We’re glad that we can get back on with the job we were elected to do, which is making Huntingdonshire a fairer, greener, and better place to live. We are listening to residents and will make sure their views are being fed into the work this council does. Compare that to the Conservatives who have wasted everyone’s time with their failed political stunt this evening.”