A DISCIPLINARY hearing into the conduct of two councillors was adjourned yesterday so that a new panel can be appointed.

Stanhope Parish Council chairman John Shuttleworth and vice-chairman Richard Mews face allegations that they breached the authority's code at a meeting on June 13 last year when it was decided to sack clerk Val Ward.

A three-man standards committee panel convened by Wear Valley District Council was due to consider the issue yesterday, even though Coun Shuttleworth is on holiday.

But chairman Maurice Pearson agreed to step down because of his connection with the Freemasons movement after Coun Mews pointed out that Mrs Ward's husband was also a Mason.

Now the district council will have to convene a special meeting to extend its standards committee because a number of potential panel members have already been ruled out by potential conflicts of interest.

Coun Mews criticised the adjournment, calling for a judicial review of the district's handling of the case.

He also said he would boycott a future hearing if there was more than one Labour Party member on the panel.

He claimed that the district had not followed procedures laid down by the Standards Board for England, which originally investigated the issue.

Coun Mews said: "I don't agree with the reason for adjourning the hearing. It is not valid.

"In reality, this should have been investigated and checked by the deputy monitoring officer, Sharon Spence, as soon as she received a report from the standards board, in February."

Mr Pearson said the panel was satisfied with Miss Spence's handling of the case and had agreed to bring in a new member in the interests of transparency.

Miss Spence said: "Councillor Mews raised the Freemasonry issue only last week and it was Monday afternoon before the information he gave me was confirmed.

"I am quite satisfied that the procedures laid down by the council following the guidance of the standards board have been followed.