Crawley Council is to consider sacking one of its executive members following allegations he lied to a housing officer.

The borough council's standards committee found unanimously that Labour councillor Dennis Wallis had breached the National Code of Local Government Conduct.

He declared afterwards: "I am amazed by the decision. I am innocent of the allegations against me and nothing was proved."

At the end of a two-day hearing yesterday, the committee told Councillor Wallis it regarded the breaches as so serious it was recommending the council remove him as executive member for continuous improvement and development.

The committee was told Coun Wallis, 46, of Caroline Court, Southgate, Crawley, had failed to declare he owned four London properties, which were let to tenants, when he applied to the council for temporary housing accommodation after becoming homeless.

After the meeting, Coun Wallis denied any wrongdoing and said he had made a mistake filling out the application form, which asked if he had any interests in properties.

He said: "I read the question to mean if I had anywhere to live and said no. I should have said yes.

"I have legal title to four properties but they were bought by my father to supplement his pension. He put the properties in my name to get round death duties.

"I think my case has been dealt with in a disgusting fashion. I never got anything to which I was not entitled."

The standards committee also investigated Coun Wallis's conduct towards a member of staff and comments to the Press in the run-up to the committee's meeting and found his standards of behaviour were below those expected from a council member.

Council head of communications Mark Robinson said: "Questions of probity must be dealt with fairly and properly. The council thought it essential the standards committee heard the matter."

The council will consider the committee's recommendation on April 10.