A MAVERICK Basingstoke councillor ejected from his political party has lost his appeal bid to have the expulsion overturned.

But the national Conservative Party appeal panel decided to drastically cut back the period before Councillor Phil Heath can apply to rejoin from two years to six months.

The decision leaves Cllr Heath free to apply for readmission in January. The Basingstoke Conservative Association voted to expel him in July over an alleged argument, conducted by telephone answer messages, between the councillor and Mike Denness, agent for the association and Basingstoke MP Maria Miller.

Speaking after Tuesday’s appeal panel hearing, Cllr Heath said: “It was a draw. It was a compromise between the issues. It could have been better but at least it shows the sentence far outweighed the crime.”

He added: “They [the panel] said the incident could have brought the party into disrepute and, on that basis, there should be a punishment. But, as there is no suspension mechanism, it had to be expulsion.”

Cllr Heath, who represents Hatch Warren and Beggarwood on Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council and Basingstoke South West on Hampshire County Council, said he was happy with the hearing he received from the national party.

Borough councillor Robert Donnell, Basingstoke Conservative Association vice-chairman political, said: “We are very pleased that the panel has upheld that we used the right procedure. We regret that it got to this stage and we now want to draw a line under this sad episode and get on with improving the borough, improving the county and winning elections.”

Cllr Donnell said the panel cut the length of time before Cllr Heath could reapply to join the party because of the “fluid political situation”.

If Cllr Heath reapplies, the association will have to consider his behaviour before and after the expulsion, said Cllr Donnell.

Although he had already been removed from the Tory political group at Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council, Cllr Heath has continued to sit as a Conservative at the county level pending the outcome of the appeal. He will now sit as an unaligned county councillor.