MAVERICK Alresford town councillor Robin Atkins is at loggerheads with his colleagues yet again.

This time he is demanding an apology from chairman of the town council David Hughes. Mr Atkins claims he was asked to leave a meeting when the council did not have the power to request this.

Mr Atkins left a town council meeting earlier this month because fellow councillors said he had a pecuniary interest in the skateboard park discussions.

Mr Atkins is a leading campaigner against the park at Sun Lane recreation ground and lives nearby.

Other objectors had said their houses could be devalued and so councillor Anne Hanson and Mr Hughes declared that Mr Atkins had an interest and he had to leave.

But Mr Atkins says he has contacted Winchester City Council's solicitor Stephen Whetnall who has told him other councillors cannot declare an interest for a colleague.

Under the councillors' code of conduct it must be the individual who has to declare the interest.

Mr Atkins said he did not feel he had an interest to declare.

He explained: "They declared it for me when they did not have the power to do so. They are in breach of the council's standing orders, and they might have to re-discuss the skateboard park, which I was excluded from.

"I invite the town council to make an appropriate and immediate public apology to me.

"The council must not take illegal action which deprives elected representatives of their rights."

The latest flare-up is in a long line of rows and animosity to hit the council, which has been dubbed the Parish of Dibley, after the TV show, because of all the bickering.

Mr Hughes was unavailable for comment.