A leading councillor is claiming a powerful quango is trying to gag him because of his outspoken views on development.

Bill Sharp, Castle Point planning committee chairman, said the Audit Commission intended to take away powers from his committee because he had railed against Government planning guidelines.

Mr Sharp has called for fewer flats and more terraced houses with gardens to be built for families, but says the guidelines have made it difficult for local councils to turn away applications for large flat developments.

The Audit Commission inspected the council's planning procedures last month, recommending the process should be streamlined to make it more accessible to the public.

Mr Sharp fears the council will interpret this by removing responsibility for planning policy from his committee, and giving it to the policy and resources committee, chaired by Jeffrey Stanley.

Mr Sharp, Tory councillor for St James ward, said: "I am sure they are not comfortable hearing things that don't comply with government dictum.

"But I am not elected by them. I am elected by the people I represent. It is only right and proper that I voice my opinion."

Mr Sharp said he was convinced the proposed changes to procedure were intended to take power away from him and the planning committee.

He added: "Unfortunately for (the commission), it is not for officers or the audit panel to decide.

"The policy and resources committee may be in the hands of Jeffrey Stanley at the moment, but it may be my role in the future.

"That's a political decision and the leader of the council will make that.

"It is very disappointing. We have improved beyond measure and a lot of that is down to the input of myself and the vice chairman.

"Some people may not like my chairmanship but I think it has achieved an end."

The council hopes a range of changes already made will result in the Audit Commission relieving it of its current overall "poor" rating.

Chief executive David Marchant said he did not believe Mr Sharp had been singled out in the report.

He said: "We have agreed an action plan on a range of things the council needs to put in place in order to demonstrate it is improving planning services.

"There is a review and we have agreed to look at the responsibility of committees in general. This will be discussed by council."

A spokesman for the commission said: "The report makes a number of recommendations. None of these identifies any individual.

"It is for the council to decide how to implement them."