TV Producer's Rant Sparks Council Inquiry

The TV producer behind Neighbours from Hell has been told he made a "gratuitous personal insult" by calling a member of the public 'psychopathic' when he was a parish councillor in Cold Ash.

The complaint from neighbour Gavin Bailey, lodged four years ago, was aired at a hearing last night after the council initially tried to keep it behind closed doors.

It began after Mr Clark grew concerned for a family whose land was being dug up by neighbours widening a rural lane. In an email to fellow councillors he described Mr Bailey as a "neighbour from hell" and also called him 'psychopathic', 'pompous', 'high handed', 'hectoring' and a 'dangerous and nasty man'.

Mr Bailey obtained the email via a Freedom of Information request and complained to West Berkshire Council, which launched a standards investigation.

Bernard Clark, a veteran BBC and independent producer who made the 1996 World in Action special Neighbours from Hell, refused to apologise and accused the council of having 'lost the plot'. He told the panel: "I have to show why a person is a 'neighbour from Hell'," and argued: "When a person hires a digger to dig into someone's garden then that is a 'neighbour from hell'."

He added: "Instead of caring for residents under siege, West Berkshire Council decides to persecute a former parish councillor for serving his community and commissions a wildly expensive, pointless 670-page report into a few not very hurty words." He also said: "The council's behaviour is verging on the criminal and leads me to believe there is definitely mileage in producing a new television series called Councils from Hell."

Mr Clark cited Article 10 and quoted Voltaire: "i disagree with what you say but defend to the death the right to say it, is from Voltaire," while repeatedly trying to introduce evidence and witnesses and interrupting the meeting chair.

Mr Bailey said Mr Clark had dismissed the investigation as a 'faff' and demanded a public apology. "Resignation should not be an escape hatch," he said. "Residents are entitled to basic respect. I felt as if there was no transparency and I was being messed around and that he was acting in his own capacity and not as a parish councillor."

Lib Dems did not attend because of a reported conflict of interest; Mr Clark is a party donor and says he helped Lee Dillon MP win the Newbury seat.

The council investigator told the panel: "This is not a TV show. You are elected to represent all residents and not take sides." The hearing found Mr Clark breached the code of conduct, but because he is no longer a parish councillor the council's powers are limited; the likely outcome is a strongly worded letter.

Niki Hinman, Local Democracy Reporter