A POPLEY councillor has submitted an official police complaint against the deputy leader of Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council following a planning meeting in December.

Popley East councillor, David Potter, sent a letter to Chief Inspector Simon Dodds last Tuesday asking him to investigate borough council deputy leader, Cllr Ranil Jayawardena, as he “may be guilty” of a criminal offence under the Localism Act 2011.

Cllr Potter claims that during a development control committee on December 3, in which councillors were deciding on an application for 200 new homes in Minchens Lane, Bramley, Cllr Jayawardena shouldn’t have spoken as a member of the public.

Before speaking at the meeting, Cllr Jayawardena, who is also running to be the MP for North East Hampshire at the General Election on May 7, declared a pecuniary interest as he has a property in The Street, the road next to the Minchens Lane site and left the meeting after making his comments opposing the scheme.

But Cllr Potter has pointed to Government guidance which says that councillors attending a meeting with a disclosable pecuniary interest should not participate in any discussion or vote at the meeting.

In addition, the guidance says prohibitions apply to speaking as a member of the public, which Cllr Jayawardena did.

In his letter, Cllr Potter also referred to a case in which the former leader of Dorset County Council, Spencer Flower, was found guilty of an offence under the act after he voted in a matter that he had a disclosable pecuniary interest in during a meeting.

Cllr Potter told The Gazette: “I believe an offence may have been committed by Cllr Jayawardena under the Localism Act 2011 but I expect the police to determine this.

“I have no idea what the pecuniary interest is that Jayawardena declared nor does anyone else as far as I know. It was his declaration so there must be one which is significant enough for him to declare it.”

When The Gazette approached Cllr Jayawardena for a comment on the story, he said that it was "mudslinging" by the borough's Labour party, adding: "I am disappointed with the desperate tactics from Basingstoke’s Labour Party, who are trying to smear me for political gain.

"I live close to this proposed development so actively sought - and followed - the legal advice provided to me by the Council’s Deputy Monitoring Officer.

"The advice was clear - I could attend a meeting with other Bramley residents and speak as a member of the public. This is recorded in the minutes."

The council’s monitoring officer Lisa Kirkman said: “Cllr Jayawardena sought advice from the council’s Deputy Monitoring Officer prior to the meeting last December.

"This advice was followed by him declaring his interest, speaking during public participation and then removing himself from the remainder of the meeting. Under the Standard’s regime any suspected breach regarding a failure to declare a disclosable pecuniary interest is a police matter to investigate.”

Graeme Barbour, communications officer at Hampshire Constabulary, said: “We can confirm a complaint has been received. It would not be appropriate to comment further until such time as the matter has been reviewed.”