DEMANDS were made of an Alresford town councillor to step down after she was told to treat people with “respect and propriety”.

Thursday’s packed Town Council meeting saw residents object to Annie Saunders’s attack on alternative plans for the location of 500 houses, to be built under the city council’s Local Plan.

Ms Saunders claimed the Alresford Professional Group's plan was “holistic” and “non-deliverable”, singling out Nursery Road Residents Group chairman Sam Kerr-Smiley.

“It’s just ridiculous that you have flaunted this plan up and down the place and raised everyone’s expectations,” she said.

“You haven’t made any plans about how it’s going to be delivered.”

But her conduct was heavily criticised by several members of the audience.

Resident Janet Barker said: “The code of conduct states the councillor should treat people with respect and propriety and you are not doing that. The council are not listening to us. They are ignoring us.”

Resident Graham Lumb added: “You need to step down. You’re out of order.”

Bob Fowler, of Sun Hill Crescent, asked if the council would consider withdrawing the current plan, which will see the homes as well as business units built in Sun Lane, and replace it with one that more accurately reflected residents’ views.

He thanked the council initially before putting forward the resolution.

“We must remember they’re all working entirely voluntarily and you don’t get paid any expenses,” he said. “I, as a member of the public, do appreciate all the work you do.

“I, and probably quite a few others of this audience, do take issue with your stance on Local Plan and the first thing I would mention is that the code of conduct does require the councillors to adopt the first priority of those electors.

“What we plan now is going to affect our children. I do not object to a number of houses being built in my backyard but I want to see this design properly laid down.

“The Local Plan of 2014 should be withdrawn and replaced with the views of the majority of the residents of this meeting.”

A sea of hands voted in favour of the motion with just four residents voting against.

Mr Lumb added: “How strong does a reaction need to be?

“You have a resolution this evening. What other indication of dissatisfaction of your representation would you need to have?”

Chairman Lisa Griffiths said the council would not make any decision over supporting the resolution until they had discussed it with Winchester City Council officers.

“It must be very disheartening for Mr Opacic [head of strategic planning],” she said. “People don’t like change.”

“I think it’s the fact that people don’t like poorly considered change,” Mr Lumb responded.