A MIDDLESBROUGH councillor has been cleared following an investigation into his involvement in a planning application which was branded "a disgrace".

Coun John McPartland was reported to the council's standards committee by the owner of Cassidy's nightclub, in his Middlehaven ward, when she accused him of abusing his position as chairman of the planning committee.

Maria Stevenson claimed the councillor should have declared an interest in her application to vary the opening hours of the club, because it is in his ward.

She also said he made biased, unfounded statements during the meeting last July.

But an investigation carried out by Chris Davies, the council's members' office manager, completely exonerated Coun McPartland of breaching the councillor code of conduct.

His report read: "Ms Stevenson said that Coun McPartland's behaviour at the meeting 'was a disgrace'. He made her 'feel dreadful'. He shouted, and was biased, not allowing any supporters of the application to participate."

Ms Stevenson had also said that Coun McPartland had told the meeting that residents who lived near the club had been intimidated.

The councillor strenuously refuted the allegations made against him when he was interviewed by Mr Davies.

The comprehensive report, which said Coun McPartland had no case to answer was unanimously backed by the members of the standards committee, which is made up of cross party representatives and independent members of the public.

When Coun McPartland was interviewed, he accepted he had said that residents felt intimidated. However, he said he meant elderly people were intimidated by club-goers and not the management or staff from Cassidy's.

Speaking after being cleared of any wrongdoing, Coun McPartland said: "I was very pleased. I was confident that would be the decision because the research done by the council officer who investigated the claims was very thorough.

"His report was totally clear and there was no evidence to substantiate what Ms Stevenson was suggesting. The evidence was overwhelming.

"There was nothing at all to substantiate these allegations and the fact I got full support from the members of the standards committee shows that I did not act inappropriately."

The Northern Echo was unable to contact Ms Stevenson yesterday.