On Wednesday night, councillors voted 6-6 on whether to grant permission for a house in Nelson to be used as a base for a private hire vehicle - and the prospect of a strike was only removed when chairman Coun. George Adam used his casting vote to reject the application.

Two of his Labour colleagues abstained in the original vote, while others had voted in favour of granting permission against the recommendations of officers.

Liberal Democrat and BNP councillors voted along with Coun. Adam to reject planning permission.

In the debate on the application to use the house in Reedyford Road as a base for one taxi, members of the taxi drivers' association voiced their objections. But things became heated as some Labour councillors began to speak in support of the application.

Voices were raised, and an angry chairman Mr Mohammed Akram warned: "If you approve this, you will not have any taxis on the road tomorrow. If you start allowing taxis to operate from terraced houses, you will have taxis all over the place."

Opening the debate, Coun. Mohammed Iqbal said: "This is not an application by a new driver, but an existing one. There are houses nearby which are used as bases. Granted they are usually airport taxis but there is nothing to stop them linking in with other operators and picking up jobs. If the applicant flouts any of our conditions, his licence can be revoked and we should give him a 12-month permission."

But Liberal Democrat Coun. Sonia Robinson said: "Bona fide taxi businesses have offices and pay business rates. If we approve this, it would open up to all and sundry. I feel sorry for the next door neighbour who has not been asked about the use of the shared drive and the covenant of the property says it should not be used for trade."

Coun. Brian Parker said allowing the application would give the applicant an unfair advantage by not paying business rates.