A SECOND parish councillor in the New Forest has said he would rather be sacked from his seat than sign the government's new code of conduct.

Long-serving Fawley councillor Philip Pearce-Smith has insisted he will not sign the new code of conduct drawn up by the standards committee.

He said: "It runs to 19 pages and I have to list all my business interests, which will be displayed on a register for public consumption.

"I must also take into account any decisions I make at council, any possible interests of relatives, ranging from spouse, partner, parents-in-law, sons, daughters, stepson, grandparents, uncles, aunts, nephews, nieces or any spouse or partner of these relatives.

"I must also notify the monitoring officer of gifts or hospitality over £25."

Cllr Pearce-Smith knows he will cease to be a member of the council if he refuses to sign.

But he said: "I am not going to resign. I am going to let them sack me."

Councillor Pearce-Smith is a former Fawley parish chairman and an ex-New Forest district councillor.

He also runs the Lepe-based Venturers Search and Rescue group.

There are also signs that another Fawley councillor, Eve Brooks, is set to refuse to sign the new code.

She said she had not made her final decision, but added: "It is unlikely that I will be signing it.

"I signed a code of conduct when I was elected and I don't feel the need to sign a second one."

Last month Brockenhurst heard it would be losing one of its longest-serving councillors when John Clark said he would not be putting his signature on the new code.