A shamed councillor who has admitted making indecent images of children has resigned from his position at a town hall.

Simon Carter, who represented Labour in the Tottington ward for Bury Council, has stood down as a councillor, the council confirmed.

His resignation comes ahead of a sentencing hearing due to take place at Bolton Crown Court tomorrow.

A by-election in the ward could now be held.

Carter, 53, of Rosewood Avenue, Tottington, was charged with 16 counts of making indecent images of children in June and appeared before Manchester and Salford magistrates court. He was immediately suspended from the Labour Party.

Carter subsequently entered guilty pleas to the charges in July and the council said he has now been expelled from the party.

He tendered his resignation as a councillor in Bury today.

Coun Mike Connolly, leader of Bury council, said he had made the ‘correct decision’ because of the serious nature of the charges.

He said: “I can confirm that Simon Carter has today resigned from the council with immediate effect. He has made the correct decision, given the gravity of the offences he has been convicted of.”

It is understood that the charges Carter pleaded guilty to cover a period of time between January 1, 2011 and April this year. He was arrested following an investigation by Greater Manchester Police’s Child Abuse Investigation Team, based in Bury.

Further details are expected to be revealed at the sentencing hearing tomorrow.

Carter, who is believed to work as a self-employed IT trainer, was elected to Bury council in 2012, winning the seat from the Tories. He was due to stand for re-election next year.

Carter sat on the council’s overview and scrutiny committee and the standards committee up until this year’s elections in May and until today, only sat on the Ramsbottom, Tottington and North Manor township forum.

The council said that under electoral law, a by-election in the Tottington ward would only be held if one is requested by two members of the town’s electorate.

A by-election would be held within 35 days of a request being made.

The resignation leaves Labour with 34 councillors in Bury. The Conservatives have 12 with two Liberal Democrats, one Green councillor and one Independent.