A PARISH councillor who was found guilty of flouting planning regulations has been re-instated as its vice-chairman.

John Carter, of North Claines Parish Council, was suspended from duties for three months in January, after he was found guilty of failing to declare an interest in a planning application.

At a full meeting of the parish council on Tuesday, this week, councillors re-elected Coun Carter as vice-chairman of the council and chairman of its planning committee.

Mr Carter - who maintains he did nothing wrong - said the matter was over for him and he was happy to be back.

"As far as I'm concerned the matter is closed and is now water under the bridge," he said.

"I'm now back on my path and I've been totally vindicated. I've had tremendous support from the local populace and, being an elected councillor, that means more to me than anything else."

Wychavon District Council's standards committee imposed Mr Carter's three-month ban in January, and, in passing sentence, monitoring officer Ian Marshall said Coun Carter had shown complete disregard for the rules.

Speaking yesterday, Mr Marshall said he was "surprised" by his re-appointment.

"I'm perhaps a little surprised he's been made chairman of the planning committee but really that's a matter for North Claines Parish Council and how it wants to run its parish affairs," he said.

"In relation to a particular matter Coun Carter behaved very badly but that matter has been dealt with and in simple terms he has served his sentence.

"Is he's going to be chair of the planning committee, he'll have to be very careful he adheres to the code of conduct in the future."

But defending Mr Carter, fellow parish councillor Barrie Dobson said Coun Carter was a "very honest man".

"This ban was a minor punishment. It's the next one up from getting your knuckles rapped."