GAZETTE & HERALD: INDEPENDENT councillor Philip Alnatt has been suspended from the district council for two months for alleged irregularities in his dealings with a charity.

Coun Alnatt, 55, of Lady Coventry Road, Chippenham, who is standing in the General Election against James Gray, was found guilty of serious misconduct by North Wiltshire District Council's standards committee on Tuesday but claims he was betrayed by the charity. He did not attend the hearing but said he would be appealing against the suspension. "My conscience is clear," he said. "I reject what has been said completely."

It relates to his work as voluntary treasurer of the Carers Association in The Causeway, Chippenham.

Coun John Ireland, one of three people on the standards committee, said: "It was a matter of honesty and integrity. Over a period of time two years ago he messed about with the accounts.

"It was nothing illegal but basically he wasn't doing his job properly. They had to pay an accountant to sort them out and it cost them an awful lot of money. It almost brought them to their knees."

Coun Alnatt, who has been a district councillor since 1999, said: "The fact they came to the conclusion without me being present underlines the justice of this so-called decision.

"It's also unjust because the suspension runs before the appeal is even heard."