A councillor has been made to apologise to two former colleagues more than a year after "disrespecting" them in a public battle.

Independent member Andy Stamp (pictured) had a long-running spat with two Liberal Democrat councillors after he left the party in 2010.

He triggered an investigation when he alleged Cathy Sutton, aided by Maureen Ruparel, used her position to get special treatment from Medway Council’s housing department when she needed a new home after a break-up.

The probe found the pair, who lost their council seats amid the row last year, had not committed any of the three code of conduct breaches they were accused of.

But now a similar probe has found Cllr Stamp, who was re-elected for Gillingham North, did commit a breach when he sent a damning leaflet to voters before the election.

It said he was "shocked and disgusted by the actions of two Liberal Democrat councillors" and accused party bosses of a "cover up".

A standards hearing has concluded the leaflet was "disrespectful" because it was written before a committee cleared them of the accusations.

An official censure against Cllr Stamp, who stood for Parliament for the Liberal Democrats in 2010, will be read at a full council meeting and he will have to write personal apologies to his two former colleagues.

In submissions to the standards committee, Cllr Stamp said issuing his leaflet was "an entirely reasonable thing to do".

Former councillor Ian Burt told the two-hour hearing that Cllr Stamp was under pressure from the media to explain why he defected from the party, and had to be "honest and transparent".

However, the hearing also noted: "Cllr Stamp understood his choice of words was unfortunate."

Separate complaints that Cllr Stamp had bullied his colleagues and abused his position were dismissed.

The process was overseen by the council’s standards committee, which may soon be abolished.

Critics say it is too easy for councillors to launch expensive investigations into each others’ behaviour over minor issues.

Cllr Stamp said he would appeal against the decision, and added he didn’t want to comment "until that process has taken its course".