A code of conduct complaint against a town councillor who voted on decisions about a football pitch while treasurer of a town's football club has been upheld.

Cllr Rolf Beggerow of Hadleigh Town Council was found by a monitoring officer to have failed to declare an interest at council meetings where the pitch was discussed.

As treasurer of Hadleigh United Football Club (HUFC), the councillor both proposed and voted on motions about a new football pitch to be used by the club at Layham Road Sports Ground.

Town councillors Angela Wiltshire, Andrew Knock and Huw Roberts previously expressed concerns about the cost to the council and the potential environmental impact of the pitch.

Fellow councilors aired concerns at conflict of interest

Hadleigh Town Council is likely to spend at least £105,000 on the third generation (3G) pitch, expected to cost around £850,000 in total.

The code of conduct complaint decision stated: "Under the grounds of non-registrable interests, you should consider the nature of your relationships with relatives or close associates.

"I would suggest you would be in close contact with members of the football club on a regular basis and that a member of the public might reasonably think you were prepared to favour the club when discussing a matter that affects them.

"I have therefore reached the conclusion that you do have a non- registrable interest.

"You should not have remained in the room while matters relating to the Hadleigh Town Football Club were discussed."

Cllr Beggerow is to undergo further code of conduct training and the council will review all the decisions taken while he was in the room when matters relating to the football club were discussed, as part of the monitoring officer's decision.

Cllr Beggerow said: "When Hadleigh Town Council agreed to adopt the new LGA Code of Conduct at their meeting on July 21 I asked for clarification from the town clerk, who in turn sought clarification from both the Suffolk Association of Local Councils (SALC) and the monitoring officer regarding my connection with HUFC.

"Based on that advice I read out a statement to the Council meeting on August 18 stating that based on the advice I have received, my connection with HUFC did not require a declaration of pecuniary, other registrable or non-registerable Interest"

This is the latest on issues surrounding decisions about the sports ground. In September this year, a report by the council's town clerk addressed the fact that the projects officer discussed and voted on decisions as a member of the Layham Road Sports Ground working group between July 2021 and June 2022.

The same officer also discussed and voted on decisions made by the neighbourhood plan sub-committee.

As they are not elected by the public, officers should not vote on decisions. It is also prohibited under the Local Government Act for officers to be members of sub-committees.

Alicja Barnes, left, acted unlawfully, town clerk Wendy Brame, right,