A Tory councillor facing disciplinary action for refusing to hand over a laptop computer looks set to escape punishment.

Andrew Garrett has been reported to the Standards Board of England, a national watchdog set-up by Parliament, for keeping the portable computer, which he should have given back when his party lost power.

But because he intends to quit next year, he could well have left Worthing Borough Council before an investigation into the affair is completed.

Coun Garrett - who only attended one council meeting in almost six months - lost his seat as executive for community development when the Liberal Democrats took control of the council in May.

Executive-level members are given laptops to help with their workload.

Coun Garrett says opposition members and backbenchers cannot have a strong influence on council meetings and plans to stand down in the next year's local election.

Simon Aley, the council's head of legal services, said: "We produced, at the executive's request in September 2001, a report where we said we'd get laptops for executive members who might need them to carry out their duties.

"When the Conservatives lost the election, all the laptops were returned with the exception of Andrew Garrett's.

"We have written and asked for it back but we got a letter saying he is not returning it.

"If he says he is still using it in his role as a member, even Brian Lynn, the leader of the opposition, does not have one.

"A complaint was lodged in July this year and the standards board are investigating."

But Mr Aley said the standards board could take more than five months to deal with a complaint - and Coun Garrett may have quit by then.

He said: "It would be a travesty of justice if it gets to the next election before the board resolves the complaint. It would not put the standards board in a favourable light.

"I have nothing personally against Coun Garrett, who may have a strong and valid case that all members should have laptops, but he should make that case by putting a motion into the council.

"Whether it is a good use of taxpayer's money to buy laptops costing the best part of £2,000 a time for 36 members should be a matter for the council to decide."

Coun Garrett said: "The laptops were bought out of money for councillor IT support. I am a councillor. When I am no longer one I will give it back."

Although he has not attended many meetings, the high-profile Tory intends to claim his £3,000 annual councillor allowance because of his work in the community.

He said: "Councillors' roles are predominantly focused around representing their constituents, working with residents and dealing with their problems. A very small part of it is attending meetings.

"A councillor's expenses are a set fee. They are not based on the number of council meetings they attend whether it's one or 1,000 - it's the same if you deal with one resident or a thousand.

"Being a councillor is about community support and not about sitting in the council chamber."

Liberal Democrat James Doyle said: "None of the backbenchers have laptops. They are for executive members because of the amount of work they have to do."

He added: "I feel Coun Garrett is not giving the constituents of his ward value for money. It's not just council meetings, it's committee meetings where he is not there to put across his constituents' point of view."