THE leader of Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council (BDBC) has called for councillors to 'put the silly politics to one side' after a meeting descended into chaos.

Conflict arose at the council meeting on Thursday, July 18 during a discussion on the neighbourhood plan for Cliddesden. 

Cllr David McIntyre said he wished to 'congratulate' the work into putting the plan together but added that "our new Labour government threatens to ignore local opposition if it has to deliver more homes".

READ MORE: Popular parks praised for being among the very best in the UK

He continued: "We have already had the news in the King's Speech that housing targets are to be reinstated. I'm sure that will be news to our independent, Lib Dem-led council because they spent the last year telling our residents that their hands are tied."

In response, BDBC co-leader, Cllr Gavin James, said that "they will always encourage local communities to shape their future" adding that he stood up to 'assist' Cllr McIntyre.

He said: "There's a thing called the National Policy Planning Framework, he's possibly never read it, may have coloured it in once."

Gavin James told Cllr McIntyre that the changes to planning policy by Conservative Michael Gove included the inclusion of 'green belt land', none of which is in Basingstoke.

He concluded by reassuring councillors that "nothing has changed".

A Conservative councillor rebutted Gavin James, saying that the housing target has been reinstated with Gavin James responding 'there was a housing target before', leading the Conservative councillor to reply 'no, no, no'.

Cllr Onnalee Cubitt said she wanted to remind the chamber that "we've unfortunately suffered the most terrible blight of speculation in the last four years because of the incompetence of the previous administration".

Leader of the borough council's Labour group, Alex Lee, said he "wasn't going to speak on this, but Cllr McIntyre just had to go in with the blow, Labour are back in power etc. etc".

He added: "Across Basingstoke, residents have unanimously voted against the rhetoric and your actions and plans and desired dreams for Basingstoke by voting you out of office for the last two terms."

He concluded: "So, what does that tell you? Change your plans, maybe look towards some collaborative working and work with us, work with the administration.

SEE ALSO: Council reveals plans to transform Basingstoke's Top of Town

"Let's work collaboratively rather than this rhetoric, and hopefully, we can get more neighbourhood plans out of the ground."

BDBC leader Paul Harvey addressed the councillors in the room, calling the neighbourhood plan an incredibly important subject. 

"I think people are sick to the back teeth of jokes and jibes and silliness' on social media and the sheer diatribe of silliness on planning that comes from certain groups in this chamber.

"People deserve better. They deserve a serious conversation about planning in our borough," he said.

He also criticised 'scaremongering' on social media, saying: "When you get Facebook posts that say an MP is desperate to save the green belt and we have no green belt, that kind of misleading, scaremongering amongst residents is actually quite serious, so let's just dial this back."