COUNCILLORS have been banned from using their own website message board amid accusations that an opposition member used it to criticise senior officers.

Wear Valley District Council's Labour leader, Councillor Olive Brown, used the site's Wall of Words to censure Liberal Democrat Derek Jago for his messages in support of Bishop Auckland Football Club.

She posted a statement saying that only members of the public would be given an airing on the Wall which, she said, was set up to give people a chance to express their views and ask for information.

Mrs Brown said: "It was not created to enable individual councillors, who have privileged access to officials and the decision-making process already, to pursue personal hobby horses or vendettas against particular individuals, however passionately they may feel about it.

"I am taking this action to enable Councillor Jago to exercise quiet restraint and some self-regulation.

"I am quite sure he is able to promote his case without the sustained invective - open and implied - which has disfigured his contributions to date."

Mrs Brown said Coun Jago should not have criticised officers who could not defend themselves, and should have used the authority's scrutiny committee to raise concerns.

Coun Jago, Bishop Auckland FC's chaplain, has been an outspoken critic of the council over the club's £1m bid for funding for a stadium.

He and others have accused the council of snubbing the club by supporting a grassroots football project at Bishop Auckland College.

It took him just two hours to publish a response to Coun Brown on the website.

He said he could not speak on the club issue at any council meeting because he had declared an interest, in accordance with local government rules. The ban was "using a sledgehammer to crack a nut".

"I don't know what particular massage has brought this about. I regard it as censorship of the worst kind," he said.

The website address is www.wearvalley.gov.u