A mayor has started his month-long suspension after "improperly" trying to block a planning application near his home.

Graham Marsden, Mayor of Eastbourne, will not return to office until January 31 following last month's decision to suspend him.

It followed an official complaint from a member of the public that Coun Marsden had failed to declare a personal interest in the planning bid.

It is understood the complaint centred on him speaking out about an application to build a four-bedroom house near his home in Wish Hill, Eastbourne.

The application, in Willingdon Road, which runs close to Wish Hill, was eventually turned down.

But the council's Standards Committee ruled Coun Marsden had improperly tried to influence the decision and failed to comply with a members' code of conduct.

The Standards Committee heard that Coun Marsden formally admitted the breaches and sanctions against him were imposed.

These included censure, suspension from the council and mayoralty from January 1 until January 31.

In addition, he was ordered to submit a written apology and undergo training approved by the Standards Committee.

Coun Marsden, a retired Cavendish School teacher, said it was a "misunderstanding" for which he had apologised.