THE future Mayor of North East Lincolnshire has been suspended from her post on the Healing Village Council for "bringing her office into disrepute".

Deputy Mayor Melanie Dickerson, faced a Standards Committee hearing on Monday, which decided to suspend her from Healing Village Council for four months, from February 13, a North East Lincolnshire Council spokesman has confirmed.

Because NELC is a higher tier of local government than a village or parish council, it deals with such issues that arise within them.

The spokesman added: "The committee determined to impose a four month suspension from her duties after breaching the code of conduct and bringing her office into disrepute".

Mrs Dickerson, says she is "saddened" by the decision – which she described as "excessively harsh" – and is now considering resigning from the village council.

However, Mrs Dickerson, who is also a North East Lincolnshire councillor (Con, Wolds), said she will continue to serve the area and looks forward to becoming the next Mayor of North East Lincolnshire.

Parish clerk Kathy Nunn made the complaint after Mrs Dickersen failed to declare an interest during a planning consultation meeting on Tuesday, May 10, 2011, when a development on The Avenue, Healing, was mentioned in the exempt items.

Mrs Dickerson had declared an interest when the application last came to the village council in December 2009, and again when the appeal reappeared before the council in July 2010, submitted by close personal friends, Mr and Mrs Jerem who owned the land. However, when the application returned in 2011, it was under the name of Ashworth – the married name of the Jerem's daughter, Rachel.

Councillors Teresa Blanchard, Hannah Tofton and Ian Nesbitt expressed concerns that Mrs Dickerson did not express an interest.

A statement by Kathy Nunn read: "It is my opinion that Councillor Dickerson would use her position to try and gain an advantage with this application on behalf of those with whom she has a close relationship."

However, Mrs Dickerson claims that her intentions were "honest and genuine" and denies making a mistake. She admits having a close relationship with the Jerems, but not the new applicants, the Ashworths.

She said: "I have always tried to live my life the right way and if I thought I had made a mistake, I would hold my hands up to it. The Ashworths are acquaintances who I probably see once a year and I honestly had nothing to gain from taking part in the discussion.

"This is a village and I often know the people who make planning applications, but that does not mean I have a personal interest."

Melanie Dickerson has been a village councillor since the mid-80s, making her the longest serving councillor, but is now on the brink of resigning.

"I consider being a village councillor an honour and a privilege, but something I can not do properly with four months out. My head tells me to resign, but my heart makes it very difficult.

"After all these years, it is a shame that I now have this shadow hanging over me, but hope that those who have trusted me to represent them for so long will continue to do so."