A COUNCILLOR is today preparing to take a stand over a restaurant scheme.

Coun John Fletcher says it will go against free speech if he is asked to leave a meeting of Stockton planning committee this afternoon.

He says he does not want to be pilloried for "doing the right thing" over a declaration of interest.

The row has blown up over an application for a restaurant and parking at a former funeral parlour in Eaglescliffe.

Egglescliffe Parish Council objected to the scheme and it was subsequently rejected by Stockton planning committee.

When parish councillors considered the plans, Coun Fletcher - a parish and borough councillor - declared a non-pecuniary interest. He thought the proposed car park shared a boundary with land owned by personal friends.

When this turned out not to be the case, Coun Fletcher no longer felt the need to declare an interest.

But the applicant's solicitors complained and Stockton's legal team felt that, because the friends objected to the plan in any case, Coun Fletcher should have continued to declare interest.

Coun Fletcher told the parish council he had been extremely upset by the affair.

He said there was now a fresh application for the restaurant.

Today the planning committee will consider whether to recall the refusal decision.

Fellow parish councillors are worried about road safety aspects of the scheme, mainly with regard to parking.

Coun Fletcher said: "The applicant said he would be mainly employing teenagers and would get them home by car or taxi so there would be no staff parking.

"He said many diners would come and go on foot or by taxi."

Coun Sue Ireland said: "But if this place becomes popular there will be more and more traffic."

Chairman, Coun Ian Bewley, was also concerned about parking aspect and extra traffic which could be generated.

Coun Fletcher said later: "The planning committee is first going to consider whether to reconsider the original application and for this I may be asked to leave the meeting.

"I will do what I think is best for the area without conceding a point of principle."

The committee refused the application with an 8-4 vote.

"They will have to decide whether to abide by that decision and subsequently may have to consider the new plan," he said.

"I have been very upset by all this. I don't want to be pilloried for doing what I thought was legally and morally the right thing.

"We don't want to be in a situation where any councillor who has public-spirited friends who lodge an objection is barred from speaking and voting.

"That would run contrary to free speech and our job of representing our wards."

A spokesman for Stockton council said: "The council received a complaint regarding the planning committee which dealt with an application relating to 661 Yarm Road, Eaglescliffe.

"In order to resolve the matter in the fairest way the application is to be referred back to the planning committee on February 16."