A PETERSFIELD town councillor took a battering on Monday night during a heated debate over raising the cost of fishing rights.

Town councillors were discussing details of an increase in the annual charge for Petersfield Angling Club's right to fish at the Heath.

But some councillors felt they had been hampered by a lack of information from the former chairman of the grounds committee, Dr Phillip Humphries.

They claimed Dr Humphries had withheld important information during an earlier committee debate on the matter. This included a balance sheet provided by the Petersfield Angling Club.

Dr Brian Keefe told the town council: "Mr Humphries had a document that he did not make available to us. He did reveal a few facts about the accounts under cross-examination. It was rather like pulling someone's teeth out to get these things out from him.

"We are dealing with public money here and we are given edited highlights. We should have been given the full facts about this."

Dr Humphries said the matter had been under discussion for some time and a working party had been set up to meet the angling club.

He said: "The working group was set up and it has been gradually getting the ball rolling. We have worked very well together.

"We had the fish rights valued by a valuer, who came back with a figure of £1,250. The current charge is £571."

Having viewed the accounts, Dr Humphries suggested that the increase was imposed in stages over five years.

He added: "Members expressed a wish that the accounts be made available to them to view at greater lengths, giving them an opportunity to analyse them."

On inspection of the accounts, councillors revealed that the angling club, which brings in around £14,000 a year, is paying £11,844 to the Hampshire and Sussex Angling Alliance.

At a meeting of the grounds committee, Brian Dutton, Vaughan Clarke and Dr Brian Keefe were keen to find out more about this expenditure at the next meeting of the committee.

Dr Keefe was frustrated further when the issue was bought before the town council meeting on Monday instead of being sent back to the grounds committee for further discussion.

He said: "I think this really denigrates the value of the committee."

Dr Humphries said: "The recommendation to the town clerk was that the accounts be bought before all members at the town council meeting. I can only say that our recollections differ.

"Our policy in matters of such complexity has been to establish working parties. They go over the detail and someone presents a summary to the committee.

"Dr Keefe and the rest of the committee had the opportunity to ask any questions and whatever they asked I answered."

Town clerk Barbara Macken said the logical thing to do would be to send the item back to committee.

She said: "But I stand by the minutes that were taken."

Chris Jenner warned the council that the discussion was getting heated and "close to unpleasant". He advised councillors to take the issue back to the grounds committee.

Councillors eventually agreed to discuss the fee for fishing rights at the grounds committee meeting later this month.