Councillors have overwhelmingly rejected a motion to oust Surrey County Council leader David Hodge amid accusations he pushed for a “sweetheart” funding deal from the Government.

A motion of no confidence put forward by the Liberal Democrats was rejected with only eight councillors in support compared to 47 in opposition and 12 absentions.

The council has been embroiled in a row since Conservative leader Mr Hodge announced that he would be proposing a 15 per cent council tax rise earlier this year.

The hike was slashed to five per cent after it was alleged in the Commons that Surrey had been offered a “sweetheart” deal to back down.

Councillors supporting Mr Hodge called the motion “opportunistic” and “mean-spirited” in a debate before the vote.

The controversial motion by Liberal Democrat leader Hazel Watson was called after Surrey leader David Hodge admitted a "gentlemans agreement" had been made with central government to avoid the embarassing 15 per cent council tax hike.

The Lib Dems had urged Mr Hodge to either stand down or face the vote of no confidence at a meeting of the full council today.

But the motion was overwhelmingly shot down, with 47 councillors against deposing Mr Hodge.

Only eight councillors stood in favour of the motion, with 12 councillors abstaining.

The heated debate came after Mrs Watson accused Conservative councillors of being “puppets” in supporting the 15 per cent tax hike, just weeks before voting for a 4.99 per cent increase last month.

She said: “How were they able to vote for a 15 per cent budget one week and 4.99 per cent the next week?

“Not a single senior member was able to stand by their decision. Every one of them is decidedly acting like a puppet when asked to do so.

“I believe that the leader should go now because we need an end to the revelations, the speculations and the leaks so that the county council can go on providing services for residents.”

Surrey Comet:

The meeting took place at County Hall in Kingston today

Woking councillor Will Forster seconded the motion, claiming Mr Hodge's actions had brought the council into “disrepute”.

UKIP leader Helen Windsor said she would support the motion, but questioned why it was being brought just over a month before Surrey residents go to the polls to vote on whether to keep their councillors on May 4.

She said: “Why on earth are we debating a motion of no confidence in the last term of council? We'll have a very different team coming back in May. It's the wrong time and the wrong place. This is for Surrey residents to decide.”

Cllr Windsor did however praise Mr Hodge for being “prepared to roll up his sleeves and fight for his residents”, but was critical of his “lack of transparency and openness”.

Other Conservative councillors branded the motion “politcally motivated” and “mealy-mouthed”, with others taking personal target at Cllr Watson, calling her “pathetic”.

Addlestone councillor John Furey lambasted councillor Watson for “headline hunting” for sending details of the motion to the press and public before officially submitting it to chairman Sally Ann Marks, as is protocol.

He said: “Thank God the Conservatives lead Surrey. I think it's time to have a vote against Hazel Watson.”

Farnham Conservative, Denise Le Gal, ended the debate by calling for the motion to be 'killed', “as it should have done some time ago.”

Cheers and applause were heard across the council chamber as the heavy defeat was announced by chairman Marks.

A defeated Cllr Watson said the vote had denied residents the “fresh start that was so desperately needed”.

She said: “It does not solve the excessive secrecy within the Council, which has been the hallmarks of Cllr Hodge's leadership, nor does it repair the Council's damaged reputation with the people it was elected to serve.

“Instead it means the continuation of a secretive culture at County Hall which serves its own interests, and those of the Conservative party, rather than those of Surrey residents.

“This decision means that Conservative councillors have endorsed Cllr Hodge's 15 per cent council tax strategy, which was totally and utterly rejected by the people of Surrey.

“I note that almost a fifth of the Conservative group did not vote for the leader or did not show up today - hardly a ringing endorsement.

“I therefore look forward to the County Council elections in May where residents can have the final say on this discredited administration.”

Residents across the county are due to go to the polls on May 4 to elect their new county councillors.