A CITY leader is to be urged to remove a cabinet member from his post.

Opposition councillors are set to call on Southampton City Council leader Christopher Hammond to remove Cllr Steve Leggett - cabinet member for green city and place - from his position.

The Conservative group is also going to ask the council to halt and assess its controversial Green Transport Recovery Plan.

But Labour leaders described the move as  "a cheap political shot" and said Cllr Leggett has been doing "a fantastic job".

The news comes as the transport plan was previously "called back in" for further scrutiny following a number of concerns.

But it was then approved by cabinet members.

At the full council meeting set to be held on September 16 the leader of the opposition Cllr Dan Fitzhenry is set to move a motion which reads: "This Council has lost confidence in the Cabinet Member for Green City and Place to make objective decisions on behalf of this city’s transport requirements. Decisions are being made to the detriment of many of our residents and businesses within our city because of the ever increasing influence of a small minority over the cabinet member. More now than ever, this city requires clear and strong political leadership to help us emerge from this crisis, not the pursuit of an ideological approach of “forcing people from their cars” by the cabinet member. Therefore Council calls on the Leader of the Council to remove Cllr Leggett from his position immediately."

Cllr Fitzhenry added: "We want him to resign because his approach is not the right one for the city. I think he has been driven by an ideological view which I do understand but they need to broaden that view and look at the impact on people's lives. We asked them to do it and they haven't so he should just move on."

Cllr Marley Guthrie is also set to move another motion asking for the transport plan to be halted and for the schemes currently in place to be removed  "whilst sufficient data is gathered on traffic levels".

Cllr Hammond was unavailable for comment but in a statement on his behalf deputy council leader Jacqui Rayment said they will not support the motion regarding Cllr Leggett.

She added: "It’s a cheap political shot to grab a headline, I know that Cllr Leggett has the full support of the Labour Group and has been doing a fantastic job in light of the Conservative Governments fast changing transport requirements. A Conservative Transport Plan not supported by the Local Conservatives."

Talking about the second motion she also said: "With this motion, Cllr Guthrie is trying to get round the democratic process."

Cllr Leggett has also been approached for comment.