A bitter war of words has erupted over access to a controversial committee looking into the future of council-owned assets in Castle Point.

Tory MP Bob Spink claimed the public no longer trusts the Labour-led Castle Point Council over meetings of the asset management panel.

His outburst came after he presented a 500-signature petition to the Commons objecting at possible plans to sell council-owned property such as the Endway car park and the Homestead car park, in Hadleigh, to make way for housing.

Mr Spink wants to attend the "private business" part of the meeting, next Monday night, but has been turned down because he is not a councillor.

Labour council leader Dave Wells accused the MP of "talking rubbish" and being "deliberately disruptive" ahead of a controversial council meeting.

The first panel meeting on January 14 sparked controversy after it was held in private and rumours spread that councillors were secretly plotting the sale of council assets.

After that Mr Wells said, apart from confidential matters, every future panel meeting would be open to the public.

Published Wednesday, March 20, 2002