An angry councillor stormed out of a full council meeting after a decision did not go the way he wanted.

Cllr Phil Sims, Conservative ward member for Kennington in Ashford, removed his lanyard, which held his identification card, and threw it on a desk before walking out of Ashford Borough Council’s (ABC) Civic Centre last night (Thursday).

However, it is unsure if his actions were a demonstration of his resignation as a borough councillor or if he was simply showing his anger and disappointment over the evening’s developments.

His walkout came at the end of a lengthy debate and only moments after a majority of councillors voted in favour of forming two new community councils in Ashford - one in Kennington and the other in South Willesborough/Newtown.

As part of a review into community governance, Ashford residents were consulted over the creation of five urban communities in September and October this year.

A ballot was held for those living in the currently unparished areas, which also include Central Ashford, North Willesborough and South Ashford as well as Kennington and South Willesborough/Newtown.

“I for one do not believe it is government policy to have mischievous electioneering, biased, ethically flawed ballots where only part of the truth is told." - Cllr Sims

Some 11,000 people voted, with the results showing that those living in Kennington and South Willesborough/Newtown would welcome a community council, while those in the other three areas would not.

Residents were informed that the results were not binding however, but would simply help councillors make a considered decision when they met last night to decide what to do.

However, Cllr Sims claimed “devious practices” had been used ahead of the consultation to manipulate residents into voting in favour of the new community councils.

He said the “underhand” tactics had been an attempt to “skew the ballot” and said the literature promoting the ‘yes’ vote was “unbalanced” and “biased”.

He pointed an accusing finger at the Kennington News, a leaflet published by the Kennington Community Forum, for printing “malicious untruths” which suggested that ABC had been in favour of setting up smaller parishes councils all along.

Cllr Sims also said that the literature on the consultation had not been delivered to all homes, therefore residents could not read it and “come to a decision of their own”.

He added: “I for one do not believe it is government policy to have mischievous electioneering, biased, ethically flawed ballots where only part of the truth is told, and only part of the electorate are even given the promotional material, where malicious untruths are published and disseminated in attempts to make people vote in a certain way. “

Cllr Sims was not alone in voting against the recommendation of the Selection and Constitutional Review Committee, which met earlier this month and discussed the forming of community councils in urban Ashford.

In total, 11 councillors voted against, 26 voted for and one councillor abstained during the recorded vote last night.

Although the meeting was a full council meeting, councillors voted to turn it into a committee to allow for a debate.

Ward member for Godinton, Cllr Bernard Heyes (Con) agreed with Cllr Sims and said he was “totally opposed” to community councils.

He said they had “no more rights than an individual”, that seats are never contested, and said the Kennington News had used propaganda to suggest ABC was in favour of forming the mini councils.

He added: “Do the residents in Kennington and South Willesborough want to pay for another level of government which is basically powerless?”

On the other side of the spectrum, and in support, was leader of Ashford’s Labour party, Cllr Brendan Chilton; Deputy Mayor Cllr George Koowaree and Cllr Graham Galpin.

Cllr Koowaree said: “I believe in looking at the results of a consultation.

“The people in Kennington said yes, as did the people in South Willesborough. The others said no. We should respect both.”

Cllr Chilton, ward member for Stanhope, said: “We believe decisions are best left to people closest to them.

“We support the idea of community councils. If they work for rural areas, why not urban areas?

“It can’t be one rule for one and one for another and parishes do tremendous work in the community."

He also supported ABC leader Cllr Gerry Clarkson for giving a “free vote to members”.

He added, in a reference to Cllr Sims: “It is astonishing that some members are standing against the people in their own area.”