A deputy mayor who offered to resign after admitting lobbying for the top job at the town council has been cleared of any wrongdoing.

Cllr Veronica Liote admitted in an explosive private email to colleagues, leaked to the East Kent Mercury, that she had been lobbying to become mayor, despite knowing it was against the council's own regulations.

Her breach of the council's Standing Orders occurred with Mayor Paul Graeme's knowledge, according to the email sent in January, with Cllr Liote stating he was aware that lobbying was done "unofficially" and even urging her to continue.

Cllr Loite was further advised by the mayor to state that she was stepping down for "personal reasons" the email details, as the mayor did not want "the news to become public".

But the breach in rules came to the attention of South Thanet Labour party who contacted the Mercury to complain about the Tory-led Sandwich Town Council (STC).

The party alleged: "A terrible abuse of power by the Conservatives who have by all accounts buried and covered up a complaint to the council in which Mrs Liote has fully admitted to in her correspondence to other councilors."

But in an emphatic denial, Cllr John Bragg, the Conservative leader of STC, said Cllr Liote had mistakenly thought the complaint was about her and had resigned prematurely. He insisted: "At no point has there been a cover up."

STC said it had received an anonymous complaint prompting it to seek legal advice from the Kent Associations of Local Councils (KALC), after which it established a committee comprising of three town councillors, who investigated and reviewed the claims made. The committee concluded there was no case to answer.

Cllr Bragg issued a statement on the investigation: "In response to an anonymous complaint received by Sandwich Town Council concerning an allegation against an unnamed person, legal advice was sought from the Kent Associations of Local Councils (KALC) through the town clerk.

"Following KALC's advice, a committee of three town councillors investigated and reviewed the complaint, concluding there was no case to answer.

"Councillor Liote was very upset, assumed the allegation referred to her, and in advance of the investigative committee meeting, sent an email offering to resign. This reaction proved premature because the investigative committee concluded there was no case to answer.

"At no point has there been a cover up."

Cllr Liote is mayor elect and remains in office. It is understood she will be standing for mayor next Thursday (24) at STC's annual meeting and mayor-making ceremony.