AN expanding row is developing between Ledbury county councillors over Code of Conduct complaints and whether or not the necessary apologies have been offered, to help end the squabbling.

A recent Hereford Times article revealed that former Conservative councillor Emma Holton, who represents the Ledbury South ward, was found in breach of the code because the content of some emails she sent to fellow county councillor Liz Harvey was disrespectful.

This complaint was upheld against Cllr Holton, who joined the Independents last month. She was told to apologise to Cllr Harvey. However, when asked, Cllr Harvey said she had not yet received an apology.

But now Cllr Holton has claimed that she is still awaiting an apology from Ledbury county councillor, Andrew Warmington: a claim that Cllr Warmington denies.

Cllr Holton said: "In the interests of transparency and openness I placed a code of conduct complaint against Cllr Andrew Warmington (IOC member for Ledbury West Ward) in 2017. The complaint was upheld, yet I am still awaiting an apology."

Cllr Holton added: "As a county councillor I am not interested in petty squabbles. I was elected to represent the residents in my ward and it’s proving hard and hugely frustrating enough to get even the smallest ward issue resolved.

"Code of conducts are minor compared to the issues within Ledbury Town Council over the last three years and of which I have had no involvement. With planning applications for housing estates in Ledbury coming thick and fast I repeat my recommendation of three years ago, that Ledbury Town Council need to stop fighting amongst themselves and focus on getting regulatory protection for the town and its residents, for the future.”

But Cllr Warmington accused Cllr Holton of having "a colossal nerve" and added that the complaint she laid against him was "politically motivated".

He said: "It was about my omitting to tell council officers that I was taping a meeting on a dictaphone for note-taking purposes. None of them were remotely bothered about this when I contacted them after her complaint.

"Cllr Holton is entirely wrong to say that I did not apologise."

Cllr Warmington has acknowledged openly that he did omit Cllr Holton from the list of those he responded to, after the monitoring officer’s evaluation of her Code of Conduct complaint against him, last year.

He said he subsequently copied Cllr Holton into an email which had sent to others who had been present at the meeting.

Cllr Warmington said: "This acknowledges that permission should have been asked before recording the meeting and that I hoped this had not caused any problems for them."

Cllr Warmington said to The Reporter: "I also wish to place on record that Cllr Holton has refused from day one to cooperate with me and Cllr Harvey."