The leader of Medway Council has been accused of bringing the authority “into disrepute” after ignoring cross-party recommendations on how to punish a councillor in breach of the code of conduct.

Cllr David Carr (Con) has been suspended from the planning committee for three months after voting on an application despite being friends with the occupant of a neighbouring property – who is also a councillor.

Planning permission for the extension to a property in Nore Close in Darland, Gillingham, was rejected, bringing about a complaint from the applicant.

The censure published by the councillor conduct committee reads: “As a very experienced councillor and after clear legal advice… he should have known to leave the committee room when he clearly stated that Cllr Wendy Purdy (Con) was his friend, knowing that her home was next door to the applicant’s property.

“The committee (is disappointed) Cllr Carr, rather than accepting his error, had been critical of the complainant and the council’s legal officers.”

The penalty is lighter than the suggestion put forward by the panel, which called for leader Cllr Alan Jarrett (Con) to remove the Rainham North representative from both the planning committee and the licensing and safety committee until next May.

Cllr Julie Shaw (Lab) said: “The leader of the council disregarding the recommendation of an all-party committee has brought the entire council into disrepute.

“This action has revealed Cllr Jarrett’s bias and shows he considers members of his party to be above proper scrutiny. This also sets a dangerous precedent for future breaches of conduct.”

Cllr Carr will have to write a letter of apology to the complainant and the head of legal services, as well as undergo training on the code of conduct.

He told the Local Democracy Reporting Service he was on a “short break” from the planning committee when asked about his absence earlier this month.

Cllr Jarrett has defended the punishment, insisting removing his colleague as vice chairman of the licensing and safety committee would not be appropriate.