A local politician has been reported to the Council Standards Board for speaking out at a planning meeting after being gagged for comments he made in the Northumberland Gazette.

Lesbury councillor Hugh Philipson, and Alnwick councillor Albert Davidson, both expressed their opposition in the Gazette to plans for a waste management site at Alnwick's Lionheart Business Park.

But council rules meant that they were subsequently barred from speaking at the planning meeting where the waste site was given the go-ahead.

Having heard the council's decision, Coun Philipson stood up and told the board: "I am disgusted. You are a lot of damn hypocrites.

"I'm ashamed to be associated with you. Report me to the standards board if you want."

Coun Philipson had said in the January 2 edition of the Gazette that he was '100 per cent against the plan' and would do 'everything' he could to stop it.

And the paper published a letter, on January 16, from Coun Davidson saying he had written a letter of objection to the County Council, and would be contesting the application at the meeting.

But the council's code of conduct states that councillors should not publicly express a final view on a proposal prior to it being determined, as they may not be aware of all the planning considerations.

Bob Bingham, editor of the Northumberland Gazette at Alnwick, said: "It is just another attack on the freedom of speech.

"It seems absurd that councillors are barred from speaking on local issues or giving an opinion when there is a strong local issue involved."

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