WILL he back him or sack him?

That is the question hanging over county council leader John Davies as his lengthy silence over the future of controversial cabinet member Brian Hall continues.

Pressure has been building on Councillor Davies to comment after Councillor Hall's appearance before the county standards committee earlier this month.

This week the Western Telegraph contacted Cllr Davies and asked if a man who admitted making threats of serious violence was a fit and proper person to serve on the council's cabinet.

But, Cllr Davies' lips will remain tight until the meeting of full county council on March 1st.

He said: "Opposition leaders have made submissions to full council which requires the members to consider the matter. I shall be responding fully to those issues relating to Cllr Hall at full council on March 1st.

"To pre-empt the meeting and its deliberations would not be appropriate. I shall make my views known at the meeting".

Cllr Hall was cleared of bringing the office of councillor into disrepute when the standards committee was unable to decide if his comments - saying he knew people who could break a journalist's arms and legs -were made as a councillor or a private person.

That decision was made despite Cllr Hall claiming travel expenses for the function.

Last week, on the Western Telegraph website (www.westerntelegraph.

co.uk) we asked: Should Hall step down?' By Monday more than 40 readers left comments. The vast majority said it was time for Cllr Hall to fall.