A Brighton and Hove councillor has claimed that an investigation into her conduct is politically motivated.

Lynda Hyde, pictured below, will appear before the city council’s standards board on Thursday charged with failing to “treat others with respect”.

It is alleged that Coun Hyde told members of the Saltdean Community Association that they “were only in it for themselves”.

Coun Hyde, a Conservative councillor for Rottingdean Coastal, claims her accusers have made a “terrible mistake” in misconstruing a conversation she had with fellow councillor Mary Mears.

Association chairman Elizabeth Lee, who stood as a Liberal Democrat candidate for the Telscombe Town Council elections in 2011, said her group was apolitical and political allegiances were not a factor in raising the complaint.

The councillors on the panel who will make a final decision on Thursday have no authority to suspend or disqualify Coun Hyde but could recommend to her group leader to have her removed from any or all committees or sub committees of the council.

Council officers, who have investigated the complaint, have recommended that the allegation has not been proven.

The allegation dates back to a Saltdean Community Association meeting on May 31 when Coun Hyde, her fellow ward councillors and members of the public were asked to leave the meeting while the association’s financial report was discussed.

On leaving the meeting, association members say they heard Coun Hyde say they “are only in it for themselves”.

Ms Lee said that committee members took “great objection” to the comment having lived under the threat of personal bankruptcy in their bid to save Saltdean Lido.

She said: “Community associations operate within the community on trust and if people question that trust, it can potentially be very damaging.

“This has got nothing to do politics at all. In all the time of the association we have never sought to make political capital.

“I have never stood against Lynda Hyde in any election.”

Coun Hyde said that allegation was raised just weeks before the council adopted a new code of conduct under the Localism Act 2011.

She said: “Under the new regime this would never be coming to the standards board. This has been brought under the former regime and would be thrown out under the new system.

“I feel the complaint is petty and I think that there may be a political motivation to the complaint.”