A village councillor has been cleared of using his political clout to stop a caravan park opening all year round.

It follows a row which threatened to disturb the peace of a sleepy Sussex parish.

Barry Weir, 54, owner of the Houghton Bridge Caravan Park, near Amberley, lodged a complaint against James Tolson, chairman of Amberley Parish Council, last April.

For decades, visitors have flocked to the hamlet of Houghton Bridge to stay in the pretty riverside caravan park.

Many sip tea on its manicured lawns, gaze at the peaceful South Downs or walk between the thatched cottages of the nearby village of Amberley.

But when businessman Mr Weir bought the caravan park, his plans to modernise the site angered some of his neighbours.

Caravans were hooked up to mains electricity and put on stilts to protect them from flooding.

The changes sparked a row between Mr Weir and Mr Tolson.

Mr Weir wanted Horsham District Council to lift a planning restriction barring people from using the caravans outside the summer but the plan was turned down in 2001. The restrictions meant owners could stay at the site only between April and October.

Mr Tolson acted on behalf of his parish council by objecting to the application but Mr Weir accused him of breaking corruption rules by taking part in meetings during which decisions were being made that would affect him personally because he lived near the £1 million site.

The Standards Board for England, an independent body that examines cases of misconduct in councils, launched an investigation into Mr Tolson's conduct after he was accused of having a "prejudicial interest".

It has ruled Mr Tolson, 64, had done nothing wrong. It said he lived too far away from the caravan park to be affected by what happened there.

Mr Tolson said: "Throughout the process I knew I had done nothing wrong. The parish council was representing the wishes of the majority of people in the village."

He said it was a relief to finally put the complaint behind him and thanked villagers for their support. He said: "The way that the legislation over complaints against councillors is set up, it is too easy for people to make a complaint, and that will not help encourage people to stand for parish councils.

"It is totally voluntary work, there is no pay, the council is just a group of people trying to do our best for the community but you get this sort of thing happening.

"The best we can hope for is the site will continue to only be used during the summer months and over time nature will soften the look of the place as the trees and hedges grow up. Right now it is a very stark site in a beautiful place."

Mark Basson, landlord at the Bridge Inn in Houghton Bridge, said: "I don't think he did anything wrong, he's a parish councillor and that is his job. He's a likable chap and he does work for the good of the community. There was quite a group of people against the changes at the caravan park. I can't see it opening all year now, not after what's happened."

Mr Weir refused to comment on the Standards Board's decision.