A damning report into a Kent council says standards of behaviour by councillors are so bad the public suspects it of secrecy and corruption.

Thanet District Council is accused of "having the appearance of a dysfunctional organisation" that adversely affects the way services are delivered.

The shock findings come in a report by the authority's standards committee, a group made up of councillors and independent lay representatives that oversees the conduct of councillors and investigates complaints.

It recommends councillors be forced to have training to improve conduct and warns a failure to act carries considerable risk.

The report's findings will be considered at a meeting tonight.

Its conclusions depict an authority where councillors are distrusted by the public - who on some occasions are treated with "outright hostility".

It states: "Recent comments made by some councillors towards members of the public in public meetings have been less than respectful, and have led on occasion, to the making of personal threats."

"Recent comments made by some councillors towards members of the public in public meetings have been less than respectful, and have led on occasion, to the making of personal threats..." - standards committee report

On the perception of the council by the public, it says "there is a local suspicion of secrecy, corruption and distance between the council as it is perceived in the offices in Cecil Square, the reality of people?s lives and the needs of the district.

"The council has the appearance of a dysfunctional organisation whose behaviour and internal squabbles adversely affect the delivery of services, capital projects etc to the residents of the local district."

It concludes behaviour is so poor it falls short of the council's stated aim of having high standards of conduct and is in urgent need of rehabilitation.

The report comes in the wake of a series of high-profile issues for the council, including

the conviction of its former leader Sandy Ezekiel in March for misconduct in public officea secret deal with the ferry company Transeuropa - which has gone into administration

.

More recently, it has been in the headlines over the way it handled

and owes the council more than £3million.

The standards committee also takes aim at the council's approach to the filming by members of the public of meetings, which it has sought to block.

In a statement, the council said: "Thanet District Council takes the governance of the authority very seriously.

"The council has a robust code of conduct which sets out the high standards of ethical conduct expected of its councillors. All councillors agree to comply with this code when they accept office.

"Many of the issues raised are as a result of potential breaches of the code which may not have occurred had the standards committee had the power to impose appropriate sanctions.

"It is still clearly disappointing when those who have signed up to this code do not adhere to it - although this would only apply to a very small minority of members."

Green councillor Ian Driver, a persistent critic of the council, said: "I welcome the proposal for compulsory training as a way to improve behaviour and relationships and I will be first in the queue to sign up.

"Sadly, I don?t think this will make a big difference. The political structures are also old fashioned and not fit purpose and contribute toward the secretive and incompetent local government we enjoy in Thanet."