Town councillors Nikki Barton and Kirsten Ellis have lost their appeals against Waverley’s standards panel rulings that they broke Haslemere council’s code of conduct at a meeting on November 28, 2019.

Cllr Barton’s appeal was dismissed on September 5 and Cllr Ellis’ appeal was dismissed a day later.

The town council is set to consider what steps to take.

Town clerk Lisa O’Sullivan said: “On September 7, Haslemere Town Council was notified the appeals by Cllrs Barton and Ellis against the earlier decision by Waverley Borough Council that they had breached the Haslemere code of conduct had been dismissed.

“The conclusions of the standards panel have been referred to Haslemere Town Council for such action, if any, that it considers appropriate.

“Because of the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, council meetings due to be held during the ten-day mourning period have been cancelled. Haslemere Town Council will meet to consider what action, if any, it intends to take after that mourning period has finished.”

Cllr Barton said: “It is right that all councillors are held accountable for their conduct and I accept I inadvertently failed to include on the council’s register of interests the fact I was a member of my local residents’ association.

“The panel made no finding that I acted in anything other than good faith and there was no finding of personal gain or conflict of a pecuniary nature.

“However, I do not accept the panel’s finding that, as a councillor, being a member of my residents’ association meant I could not be objective when voting on the town’s whole Neighbourhood Plan in November 2019 and that therefore I was in breach by taking part in the debate and vote.

“This bizarre finding means I have had to withdraw my membership of Haslemere South Residents’ Association.”

Cllr Ellis said: “It was found that in November 2019 I had inadequately declared a non-pecuniary interest before voting on the Haslemere Neighbourhood Plan, because I was a member of the Haslemere South Residents’ Association.

“In future, I fully intend to continue to represent those who elected me. If I need to repeat my ‘special interest’ in living near a town boundary or having cared enough to speak up to protect greenbelt countryside, I have no problem.”

Waverley’s Conservative group declined to comment when asked by the Herald.