CLAIMS that a ‘rebel’ councillor has been barred from speaking to senior council officers has been denied by civic chiefs.

Cllr Kim Gottlieb said he had been told by council leader Stephen Godfrey his involvement with officers had been “temporarily reduced” following allegations of bullying.

However, at the overview and scrutiny committee on Monday, Cllr Godfrey backtracked when asked by the committee if they were true.

“Nothing I have done or could do would allow that,” he said.

Corporate director Steve Tilbury added: “There are no instructions to officers not to contact Cllr Gottlieb.”

He added that there is nothing in place to prevent the councillor in operating in his role, nor would this ever be the case.

As previously reported in September, Cllr Gottlieb had been relieved of membership of the Central Winchester Regeneration Group by the council leader following complaints from senior city council officers and the then chief executive Simon Eden.

Cllr Godfrey had previously said suspension was needed to “stop the situation escalating”, and it was later revealed that the Silver Hill rebel Cllr Gottlieb had in effect been sacked.

The Chronicle had seen several emails including one from Mr Eden, criticising Cllr Gottlieb with allegations of inappropriate and “bullying behaviour”.

Cllr Gottlieb, whose self-financed legal action over Silver Hill led to the High Court ruling that the council has acted unlawfully over the procurement of the £150 million scheme, had been critical of senior officers.

Complaints against him are currently being investigated by the standards committee.

At the meeting on Monday evening, which Cllr Gottlieb was unable to attend as he was overseas, his ally Cllr Rose Burns called the leader’s decision undemocratic and unconstitutional.

“There is no precedent for it. I would have thought that no one here would want this to happen to them,” she added. “To suspend somebody where there is no precedent is extremely inappropriate,” she said.

However, committee chairman Cllr Kelsie Learney said the decision was cabinet’s to make. “Cabinet has acted within its powers to remove him,” she said. “However, it is a shame that we have had to go to this length to get clarification on the matter.”

The matter was then closed by the chairman, despite Cllr Gottlieb’s calls for the committee to seek the immediate reversal of his current situation “in order to protect other members in the future.”

In an email sent to members of the overview and scrutiny committee, and seen by the Chronicle, the ward councillor for Alresford and Itchen Valley said council leader Stephen Godfrey had emailed him: “Having discussed this matter with all cabinet colleagues, we agree that it is necessary to temporarily reduce your direct involvement with officers.”

Cllr Gottlieb responded by adding: “Curtailing my contact with officers was a significant action on the part of the leader.”