A LAWYER who threatened to "put the council through the mincer" should be boycotted, says a leading councillor.

Anthony Crean QC, of Kings Chambers, represented Rolton Kilbride as part of a planning application to build a waste plant in South Marston, and made the controversial comments in a public planning meeting two weeks ago. He has previously represented the council on planning issues on several occasions.

Labour councillor Jim Robbins said: “The Labour group are calling on the administration to not use the QC Anthony Crean again for our own legal cases.

“He has represented the borough on a number of occasions, but we don’t think it’s acceptable any more, after the way that he threatened us on the planning committee, that we use him to represent us on any of our cases going forward.

“It may well be the case that there will be an appeal on the incinerator application, and he may well make some money if he is representing the applicant in that case. But we are not prepared to see him take any money off Swindon taxpayers after he threatened so many of them at the planning meeting.”

The well-attended planning meeting at the Steam museum saw hundreds of residents turn up to voice their opposition to Rolton Kilbride’s proposals to build a gasification plant. Many who took to the stand to voice their objections said it amounted to no more than an incinerator.

Prior to the delivery of councillors’ rejection of the plans, Mr Crean had said to them: “The last thing I want to do is return with an appeal, and come back and put the council through a mincer, but I will do.

“I invite the committee to take an opinion which is plainly right, if not popular.

“I have no doubt that the secretary of state will back the appeal, and make the council pay the costs of the appeal.”

Coun Robbins said: “If and when we take control of the council next year, the Labour group are happy to make that pledge and say we won’t employ him, and we are looking for the Conservatives to say the same in the meantime.”

Mr Crean’s chambers declined to comment on Coun Robbins’ comments.