A “misleading” leaflet has come under fire as campaigning gets underway ahead of parish council elections.

The material, circulated by a group of candidates in Downswood in Maidstone, has been reported to the Returning Officer after claims it had the appearance of an official council release.

It contained the words: “The Downswood Parish Council operates as a non-partisan body. All election nominations reside within Downswood except for two who are affiliated to political parties and reside outside Downswood. Below are the Downswood councillors seeking re-election …

The leaflet contained a photo and profile of eight of the candidates, though there are 13 standing. It did, however, contain a list of all 13 names.

The leaflet led to criticism of the parish on the Downswood Independent Residents Facebook page by villagers who thought that the council had breached impartiality rules by supporting some candidates and not others,

Even Kent County Councillor Paul Cooper (Con) stepped into the row, posting that someone should report the matter to the monitoring officer.

However, the Downswood parish clerk, Teresa Irving, has confirmed: “The existing parish councillors organised the leaflet and the council has not been involved in its publication or in paying for it to be printed.”

All election literature must by law have the imprint of both the printer and the publisher of the material.

The small print at the bottom identifies the promoter as Roz Cheesman, one of the candidates, and not the parish council.

However, Cllr Cheesman is the current council chairman.

Cllr Cheesman said: “As far as I am aware, the logo is not under copyright.

“Use of it in this instance was specifically to draw attention to Downswood Parish elections.”

“The actual stone (featured in the logo) is sited near the Willington Street entrance to Downswood.”

Cllr Cheesman pointed out the leaflet did contain a full list of the candidates.

Candidates are not obliged to list all the candidates standing in the election on their own promotional literature.

But the answer has not satisfied everyone.

Villager Sue Haigh posted: “It clearly displays the Downswood Parish Council logo, I find that misleading.”

And another resident Patrick Morgan said: “The heading of the leaflet is in the same, font, colour and type as used by the parish. It is clearly misleading.”

He said he had reported the matter to the borough council’s monitoring officer, who in return had passed the matter to the elections Returning Officer.

The full list of candidates in the Downswood Parish Council election on May 2, is as follows:

Anne-Marie Butler

Gary Butler

Roz Cheesman

Nicky Clifford

Barbara Cottis

John Cottis

Di Everett

John Everett

Peter Fincham

Gordon Newton

Lawrence Rustem

Jen Tournay

Richard Wingett

You must take an official form of photo ID with you to the polling booth to vote on Thursday, May 2.

The Downswood election is one of multiple poll being held that day. All the seats on Maidstone Borough Council and the post of Kent’s Police and Crime Commissioner are also being contested.