COUNCILLORS have dismissed calls for an investigation into a leaked video in which a planning inspector says they don’t need to build homes on the green belt.

Dave Blackwell, leader of Canvey Independent Party, called for an investigation into how the video was leaked to the Echo.

The video showed Keith Holland, a Government planning inspector, telling Castle Point councillors at a private meeting they would not be forced to release green belt to meet housing targets.

However, fellow councillors did not support his calls with some saying the information should be available in the public domain.

Tory councillor, Bill Dick, said: “It was a private meeting, but the gentleman concerned had already stated the same facts at another meeting somewhere else, a public meeting. So it was known, it was not just in these confines.

Mr Blackwell argued: “The point is simple. If you take something from anybody’s business without permission – in my words that’s stealing.

“If a member of the public got into our members room and took something we would call the police. The point is someone has taken something, I don’t care about the document. Someone has taken something from these council offices without permission.”

Fellow Canvey Independent Lee Barrett said whoever leaked the video had “disrespected the due process of the council".

Other councillors said an investigation would be a waste of officers time and irrelevant when the contents of the videowere of public interest.

Mr Blackwell’s calls for an investigation were defeated by 20 votes to 18.

Steve Guest, 39, who is campaigning to save green belt land in Glebelands, Benfleet, said: “I would rather see councillors make decisions than calling for investigations, but I do think councillors should be able to make these decisions over the local plan using all the sources available, but I don’t think it’s in the public interest to see the video. We need to give local authority the freedom of authority to ask questions and check facts without it getting leaked.”