BEXLEY Council's standards committee has rejected a complaint from a member of the public about the actions of one of its councillors.

Clair Yates, 34, of St John's Road, Sidcup, made her complaint against Tory councillor for Crayford, Geraldene Lucia-Hennes following a licensing sub-committee hearing in June.

The sub-committee was hearing an application from Sidcup Snooker Club, for a licence to hold pole dancing at the club.

One of the three councillors hearing the application was Cllr Lucia-Hennes, while Ms Yates was one of those objecting to the application by the Sidcup High Street club.

Ms Yates subsequently made a complaint to Bexley Council that Cllr Lucia-Hennes had not declared an interest in the application.

Cllr Lucia-Hennes' husband Peter is licencee of The Charlotte pub in Station Road, Crayford.

The Charlotte's application for a licence to stage adult entertainment including "ladies and gentlemen's evenings with some semi and full nudity" is being heard tonight (20th) by another licensing sub-committee.

Ms Yates complained that Cllr Lucia-Hennes had broken the council's code of conduct by not making public her own, personal interest in the snooker club's application.

Ms Yates claims decision to grant the snooker club a licence for its gentlemen's club - the first in the borough - set a precedent which Cllr Lucia-Hennes' family hope to capitalise on.

But the council's assessment sub-committee, which looked at the complaint, has rejected it.

Ms Yates was told that although Cllr Lucia-Hennes had an interest in The Charlotte, the decision on the snooker club was not related to the Crayford pub, nor was it likely to affect any decision on an application by The Charlotte, as each application is judged against the licensing objectives, not on previous decisions.

But Ms Yates said: "I still feel Cllr Lucia-Hennes should either not have sat on the sub-committee or should have declared an interest.

"Councillors need to think how things appear to the public and should be respectful or our feelings."

She has until Sunday (24th) to ask for a review of the assessment sub-committee's decision, but says she has not yet made up her mind.