THE fate of disgraced Fareham councillor Hugh Pritchard will be decided at a meeting behind closed doors this week.

Liberal Democrats in the town are set to decide whether the Fareham South councillor should stay or go after he admitted defrauding the council.

Group leader Roger Price is maintaining his silence about whether 67-year-old Cllr Pritchard must resign. In a short statement the party leader said: "In light of the court outcome concerning Councillor Hugh Pritchard the Fareham Liberal Democrat group will consider the issues within the next week.

"We will consider all aspects of this matter and take into consideration the party's national standards and guidelines."

The time and place of the meeting is being kept secret.

As previously reported in the Daily Echo, Cllr Pritchard was fined £300 by Fareham magistrates after falsely claiming £1,251.65 in council and housing tax benefits. He has since paid the sum back in full to the council.

On two occasions the father of four, who lives at Holly Hill Mansions, Sarisbury, completed a benefit form, each time claiming his only income derived from council duties and his state pension. He failed to declare two separate pensions he was receiving.

This week's meeting comes after Fareham council's executive leader Councillor Sean Woodward called for Cllr Pritchard to give up his seat on the planning committee.

Fellow senior Conservative councillor Arthur Mandry has called for the Lib Dem's resignation because Cllr Pritchard has committed a criminal offence.

Cllr Pritchard, who first entered local politics in 1965, resigned as planning chairman days before his court appearance but has continued as a committee member voting on planning matters.

Local government watchdog, the Standards Committee said they will only investigate the matter if they get a written letter of complaint about Cllr Pritchard's behaviour.

Under local government rules they have the power to insist he's struck off.