A Tendring councillor has refused to back down over allegations of "corruption" he made against his own authority.

Steve Henderson made the claims during a meeting of the full council and was challenged to prove it or withdraw it by council leader Tom Cook.

Now Mr Cook, leader of the controlling Labour group, has demanded Mr Henderson back his claim after he made no attempt to retract it.

But the former Labour member - who represents Harwich West Central as an Independent and is the brother of Harwich's first Labour MP Ivan Henderson - today remained defiant.

"I have received the letter from Mr Cook but I will not be withdrawing my comment or apologising over it, so it is now down to him," he said.

"I have spoken to the council's chief executive John Hawkins and explained the situation as far as I am concerned and he has promised to look into it."

Mr Henderson said that his comment over a "corrupt council" came about after he was refused access to a letter concerning a planning application in Dovercourt.

He said there was also another matter which he brought to Mr Hawkins' attention and asked for paperwork to be made available.

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