AN auditor has cleared Calne Town Council of allegations of malpractice surrounding the sale of the Newcroft allotments.

Former allotment holders and residents living next to the site were furious because they believed the six acres of land, which was sold for £1.35 million, should have fetched more.

Their complaints prompted the auditor to launch a six-week investigation into the council's handling of the sale.

But in his report the auditor found no evidence to support the allegations and concluded that the sale had been carried out lawfully and correctly.

Calne Mayor Tony Trotman said: "I'm not surprised because we went through everything in all sorts of detail sometime ago.

"We consulted our solicitors and went through all the legal detail in the sale and distribution of the land and money before we acted.

"I'm very pleased to see the report's in our favour, but it's no surprise to me and it's what I expected."

District and town councillor John Ireland wrote a letter to the local government ombudsman in April, on behalf of the angry townsfolk, which led to the auditor's investigation.

He claimed the town council did not sell the land at best value and alleged there were irregularities during negotiations with the allotment holders.

The ombudsman passed the letter on for investigation by the firm of auditors which carries out the annual scrutiny of the council's finances.

Coun Ireland said he would accept the auditor's findings.

"My personal reaction was disappointment because I'm convinced something's wrong somewhere, but the auditor's report has to be the final arbitrator," said Coun Ireland.

"He has found it to be ok and I have to accept that. This line of investigation now has to be closed because the auditor is the final authority."

But in a letter to the mayor, Coun Ireland insisted that the investigation was necessary because he was unable to get the information from the town council to satisfy the electorate of his ward that the council 'acted properly and in strict accordance with the law' in the sale of the land.

He added that the row highlighted the need for complete openness and transparency in the sale of council land for contentious developments and insisted that the public should be informed at every stage.

Calne town councillor Ellenor Bland, who also represents concerned residents living next to the site, said: "I'm very concerned that we had to take this route.

"We shouldn't have to. We should be afforded the information. The public has a right to know."

But despite the auditor's report, Coun Ireland and Coun Bland say they have not given up hope of saving the allotment site from development.

Plans to build more than 100 houses and 17 housing association flats on the site have been approved by North Wiltshire District Council.

Work was due to start on the allotments at the beginning of June, but the bulldozers and heavy machinery were halted almost immediately after slow worms, which are a protected species, were discovered on the site.

The development has been delayed indefinitely to allow environmental consultants to conduct a survey of the slow worms and decide how best to deal with them.

"The ground's future now rests with English Nature because of the ecological issues involved," said Coun Ireland.