A CONTROVERSIAL former Alresford councillor has hit back at criticism of his complaints record.

Robin Atkins says he has put in five allegations against members of New Alresford Town Council (NATC) since he left the authority in 2007. But the authority says the figure is much higher because he has lumped several complaints together.

His latest case against Steve Middleton led to the councillor being found in breach of conduct rules.

But Cllr Middleton has hit back saying the investigation into what was a “minor technical matter” had cost taxpayers £10,500.

Mr Atkins, who served on NATC for eight years, including as chairman, said: “The cost of the thing is high because of the way the investigation was done, if Cllr Middleton had of admitted it in the first place it would have been less.

“If there’s no justification the authorities don’t investigate. You can’t just complain on anything, Winchester City Council look at things properly – if you don’t do anything wrong there would not be any complaints.” Winchester City Council’s found Cllr Middleton to be in breach of the councillors’ code of conduct on four occasions.

Its standards committee said Cllr Middleton, a director of Alresford-based Middleton Builders Ltd, failed to register three contracts between the company and NATC.

Two invoices totalling £600 were raised for plant and machinery to help The Wednesday Conservation Volunteers (WCV) – which are supported by NATC – in clearing the Millennium Trail in 2008. A further payment was made in March 2009 for the emergency removal of guttering at Stratton Bates Pavilion.

Cllr Middleton was also accused of failing to declare his interest at meetings at which these three invoices were discussed. The standards committee cleared him of wrongdoing with regards to the Millennium Trail invoices but said he was in breach of rules over the Stratton Bates work.

Cllr Middleton, rejecting calls for his resignation, said: “It’s a minor technical mater and that’s the end of the matter as far as I’m concerned.”

The businessman said the Millennium Trail work had been raised via the late David Goodman and he did not realise it was linked to NATC. He added his staff undertook the work at Stratton Bates while he was away on business in Brighton and that he registered the matter when he was made aware.

In light of the investigation Winchester City Council told Cllr Middleton he must undergo a two-hour training course. The authority also recommended other NATC councillors and its clerks participate in a similar session.

Cllr Middleton, a former chairman of NATC, had a request to have the hearing in private declined by WCC, who said there was a clear public interest in having it in the open.