SHEPWAY councillors accused of bullying and harassment have been exonerated, it was revealed today.

Officers at the district council made the allegations against members. But this morning councillors received letters from the Standards Board for England, who they had been reported to, saying they had done nothing wrong and would not be investigated.

Those accused were Shepway's Conservative chief whip Colin Tearle, Tory councillors Michael Lyons and Martin Ross, vice chairman of the council Joy MacMillan, Labour councillor Bernard Sealy and Liberal Democrat member Paul Marsh, a former mayor of Folkestone.

A special meeting of Shepway's full council was held at Folkestone on Tuesday night to discuss the wrangle.

The council's chief executive Ron Thompson reported the councillors, following complaints by officers who work at the local authority.

Speaking after the letters of exoneration had been delivered Cllr Tearle said: "This is very good news. It's been like handbags at dawn at the council. All the protests are a smoke screen about protecting incompetent officers. The charges against councillors were so trivial its untrue.

"The letters from the standards board merely say all the councillors were doing was what they have been elected to do - and that's ask questions."

Cllr Michael Lyons said the complaints were unnecessary. He said: "I think it is a great shame that the council has been brought in to disrepute by the chief executive going to the standards board over this.

"It is outrageous. All this has been totally blown out of proportion. The council has been left with egg on its face and has lost credibility. We all look very stupid now - I shudder to think what the electorate must make of all of this."