Basildon Council must reopen an investigation into conduct of the de facto leader of the council, the Conservative chief has insisted.

Phil Turner, leader of the Basildon Tory party, reported Gavin Callaghan, leader of the Basildon Labour party, to the monitoring officer at Basildon Council over a tweet he claims is clearly defamatory. The tweet concerns a third party.

Mr Turner said he made the complaint to the monitoring officer only so as to force Mr Callaghan to apologise to the third party.

However, Mr Turner has since received a report from Basildon Council’s monitoring officer Lorraine Browne stating that the council will not be taking any further action.

In the report, seen by the Echo, she states that the issue has been “resolved informally”.

This is heavily disputed by both Mr Turner and the third party, neither of whom have received an apology from Mr Callaghan regarding the tweet and who do not feel the issue has been properly investigated by the council.

The report claims that Mr Callaghan “chose as a matter of personal choice not to respond or make representation in relation to the complaint”. After discussing the evidence with an “independent person” the monitoring officer chose not to proceed with the investigation.

Mr Turner has said he is not satisfied with that response and wants them to re-examine the case.

In an email sent to the council, seen by the Echo, in which he asked them to look again at the tweet he wrote: “In your letter you appear to suggest that this matter has been dealt with through a third party.

“However the third party in question has commented that this is absolute rubbish, but in any case a complaint cannot be discharged unless it is in agreement with the first party.

“As you letter acknowledges that there has in fact been a breach by councillor Callaghan I would be grateful if you can now confirm that this complain is to be referred to the standards board.”

The Echo made repeated attempts to reach Mr Callaghan, but was unable to do so before the paper went to press.

Basildon Council would not comment on whether the investigation into his conduct had been re-opened or if it would be.

A spokesman from Basildon Council said: “In line with council policy made in conjunction with the Joint Standards Committee we are unable to comment on any standards matters within the remit of the monitoring officer.”