A LEADING Kidderminster Hospital campaigner has demanded better guidelines after being banned from serving as a councillor for three months.

The Standards Board for England has disqualified Health Concern's Madge Shineton, who represents Stottesdon on Bridgnorth District Council, after upholding a complaint that she had not declared a prejudicial interest in a planning meeting.

But Mrs Shineton, who maintains she did "nothing improper", wants the board to define what constitutes a prejudicial interest more clearly - claiming councillors would be "virtually gagged" if they constantly erred on the side of caution.

The complaint was from the applicant at the centre of a planning bid last year to convert The Gate Hangs Well pub in Furlow, near Cleobury Mortimer, into a house.

The tribunal panel found she had failed to withdraw from a meeting in which she had a prejudicial interest as her nephew was a member of the group campaigning to save the pub.

Mrs Shineton had only declared a personal interest to the authority.

"There's not enough information about when a personal interest becomes a prejudicial interest - this is the part that tripped me up," said Mrs Shineton.

"The Standards Board for England hasn't defined this area clearly enough for councillors to be able to make a proper judgement."

She wants more training for councillors and more clarity from the board, set up in March 2001 to promote high ethical standards among elected members in the UK and to investigate complaints.

Mrs Shineton also criticised the board, saying an ethical standards officer recommended she be disqualified from Bridgnorth District Council and Stottesdon Parish Council for five years - while the tribunal decided to impose the much shorter ban, only relating to the district council.

A board spokeswoman said councillors could ask their authorities' monitoring officers for clarification of rules, while a video had recently been produced to explain the issues.

She was not aware of any recommendation made by an ethical standards officer.