A Waddon councillor has defended her decision to table a motion debating the EU referendum at Monday’s full council meeting amid criticism it was not relevant to Croydon Council’s work.

Conservative Councillor Clare George-Hilley was criticised on social media and by the Labour opposition for bringing a motion stating the council supported a parliamentary private member’s bill to enable a referendum on Britain’s membership of the European Union.

Labour sought to amend the motion, but lost out in the vote, before voting against the original motion which was passed.

Coun George-Hilley, who said her consituents had raised the issue with her, said: “It is a fundamental issue for Croydon, it has been nearly forty years since people had their say on Europe, they take £50m a day from us.”