THE owner of a controversial airfield has been accused of influencing parish council meetings.

Swindon Council's standards committee has been called in to hear a complaint made about Wanborough parish councillor Joe Smith who, along with his wife Sarah, owns the controversial Redlands Airfield in the village.

The airfield is a grass airstrip used by microlight enthusiasts and as a school for skydiving.

It has been at the centre of a long-running row over low-flying aircraft for years.

The complaint being investigated by the council was originally made to the Standards Board of England by Wanborough resident Kay Lacey.

She claims Coun Smith failed to declare his interests in the airfield as its owner at meetings during which planning applications involving the site were discussed.

She claims that on three occasions, in September 2002, January 2004, and February 2006, he did not leave the meeting room when matters involving planning on Redlands were being considered.

Instead, she claims, he remained in the room and answered questions on his applications and that was contrary to the council's code of conduct.

A standards committee hearing will be held on March 23 with members of Swindon Council and parish council representatives.

If Coun Smith is found to have broken the code of conduct he could be restricted from accessing council resources, or even suspended from duties, for a period of up to three months.

Neither Ms Lacey or Coun Smith were available for comment last night.

The airfield has been at the centre of strained relations in the village for some time.

In 2003 nearly 1,000 people from Wanborough and east Swindon signed a petition objecting to the skydiving operation, claiming that the noise was causing a great nuisance.

Others say the extreme sport adds excitement to the sleepy village near Swindon.