CASTLE Point's only Labour councillor says he feels like an "asylum seeker", after being locked out of the ruling party's meeting room and unwelcome in the opposition's.

After a long break from local politics, Brian Wilson became a councillor once more in December after winning one of the two seats in the St Mary's ward by-election.

But at his first council meeting, he was ejected from what was, until recently, a communal meeting room for councillors. The humiliating episode followed a decision to designate the former communal room for the exclusive use of the ruling Conservative group. The Tories have now changed the combination on the door's keypad lock.

Mr Wilson said: "Nothing was mentioned about this in Conservative group. The Tories have now changed the combination on the door's keypad lock.

Mr Wilson said: "I vwas really cheesed off."

With no love lost between the opposition groups, Mr Wilson said he would rather share a room with the Conservatives than the Canvey Independents.

But he added: "The members' room used to be for all members and was a room meant for association. It is ridiculous. How can we communicate with each other?

"I have come to feel like an asylum seeker in the council offices."

The Tories claim the change has been brought about by a request from the Canvey Independents for a room of their own.

But party leader Dave Blackwell said he hadn't intended a request for a private meeting area to be taken so far.

He said: "All I asked for was somewhere private to go if people wanted to talk in confidence. The next thing I knew it was total segregation.

"I was told I couldn't go in the members' room. But I said while the coffee machine and a pigeon hole for councillors' letters were still there, I would carry on using it.

"Now they have changed the number on the entry keypad."

Council leader Pam Challis defended the move, saying it was in line with other councils. She said: "There are now two members' rooms, one for the majority group and a room for the opposition groups." Mrs Challis said a suitable place would be found for Mr Wilson to pick up his letters.