A senior Manchester councillor who was suspended by Labour pending an investigation has been quietly removed from the council's executive body.
Coun Rabnawaz Akbar has been 'administratively' suspended by the party in relation to a complaint which is being investigated by police as a hate crime.
The Rusholme councillor, who was the executive member for neighbourhoods, has strongly denied the allegations which relate to an incident in early October.
READ MORE: Senior councillor suspended and police investigate amid Labour warfare in Manchester
However, his executive role is now vacant, according to a new council report.
The report published ahead of next week's meeting of the executive on Wednesday (December 15) reveals that the change took place last week.
The decision was taken on Wednesday (December 1), the same day that Coun Bev Craig became the new council leader, taking over from Sir Richard Leese.
It comes as the Manchester Labour Party finds itself fighting factional battles amid the first change in leadership of the council for a quarter of a century.
Burnage, which is the ward the new council leader represents, has seen a particularly stormy process of selection of its future councillor candidates.
The allegations made against Coun Rabnawaz relate to a meeting held at Burnage Academy for Boys on October 7 where candidates were shortlisted.
Police are also investigating a separate 'disturbance' at another local Labour Party meeting which was part of the same selection process on October 21.
The day before the new council leader was appointed, a Labour councillor quit, claiming she had been bullied and calling the culture of the ruling group 'toxic'.
Coun Marcia Hutchinson, who was elected to represent Ancoats and Beswick ward in May, claimed she was 'treated differently' as a black female councillor.
However, a spokesperson for the Labour group said all allegations have been 'thoroughly investigated' by the whips' office and were found to be untrue.
Coun Craig, who became the first female leader of Manchester council last week, has already reviewed the roles and responsibilities of the executive.
The council report published ahead of a meeting next week, states that the new leader has 'reaffirmed' the existing arrangements of the executive body.
Labour group secretary Pat Karney said other executive members will share the responsibilities of the neighbourhood portfolio while the position is vacant.
He explained that executive members must step down during an investigation.
However, he was keen to highlight the 'health' of the ruling Labour group despite the 'turbulence' in recent weeks relating to internal party politics.
He said: "The comradeship and friendship across Manchester Labour group is second to none."
Manchester council's executive meets on Wednesday, December 15 at 2pm.
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