As reported last week, district councillors who have openly spoken against building houses on allotment land have been advised by the council's solicitor to refrain from voting on or speaking out about the matter.

Council leader Coun Michael Doody (Con, Radford Semele) said this was because of government legislation, but following a barrage of letters sent to the Courier, he has decided to ask the solicitor to rethink the advice.

He said: "The councillor's duties are many. One is that they are voted to represent the public and in order to be able to do that job, they need to be able to tell the public what their views are.

"We have been gagged by this government. I believe that democracy has been upset by this rule.

"All I can say is that until I am given any other advice, there is nothing I can do about it."

He added: "But I will ask the solicitor to reconsider the situation. I think it is a terrible decision."


Councillors who have taken part in 'welly' and 'wheelbarrow' walks organised by Bringing Leamington Allotment Societies Together (Blast) and spoken publicly in support of campaigners include Bill Gifford (Lib Dem, Leamington Milverton), Bob Crowther (Lab, Leamington Clarendon) and Chris White (Con, Warwick South).

Coun White said: "If I feel an issue is important, and the issue about allotments certainly is, then I feel duty bound to give my views and opinions.

"It is a peculiar system but at the end of the day it is important for people to know where I stand."

But Coun Crowther told the Courier this week that he was confident he had not prejudiced his position, despite speaking at the 'welly walk' demonstration.

He said: "I did attend the welly walk because I was invited to do so.

"But I addressed them in a balanced way and challenged some of the assumptions people were making.

"I argued that there needed to be a balance between protection for areas and the need for houses. I had not aligned myself with any campaigning group."