THREE Christchurch councillors kissed and cuddled by an overjoyed owner after approving a controversial planning application for the Avonmouth Hotel at Mudeford have been cleared of acting improperly.

Government watchdogs have dismissed claims that long-time Mudeford ward councillor Eric Spreadbury, the then deputy mayor Cllr Susan Spittle, and hotelier Lillian Jefferis failed to declare personal and prejudicial interest in the Avonmouth application when it came before the council's planning committee last year.

The anonymous complaint to the Standards Board for England, thought to be from one of several local residents angered by the decision to allow high rise flats and other buildings on the harbourside, arose after the three councillors were seen to embrace and shake hands with Avonmouth director Dennis Roach after the meeting in November.

But, in his report published on the board's website, the investigating ethical standards officer ruled there was no evidence of any personal or financial link between the hotel owners and any of the councillors and no evidence of failure to comply with the code of conduct.

And he said the councillors would have appeared rude if they had tried to rebuff the hotel owner's emotional and overly enthusiastic approach in the crowded lobby of the civic offices as members, officers, applicants and public left the meeting.

Meanwhile, council officers are still waiting to hear if the ombudsman will pursue a similar complaint made to his office about the Avonmouth decision.

The scheme to build a four-storey crescent block of 10 apartments and two modern houses and a new waterfront bistro was approved by a majority vote at the committee.

But neighbours who claimed that the proposals breached the council's own policies to safeguard the harbourside conservation area and would create traffic and parking chaos in the area have queried the way the decision was reached.