A Dover town councillor has expressed her anger at being called to a grievance meeting after trying to table a motion to abolish the local authority.

Cllr Lesley Ann Burke told the Mercury on Tuesday that she had been invited to the meeting by letter.

She said the invitation followed her previous claim that the people of Dover had been “gagged” over the authority’s future.

Town clerk Alison Burton declined The Mercury’s offer to comment on the meeting.

Cllr Burke’s remarks were made amid a political row in February, when the town council objected to the Harbour Revision Order (HRO) – specifically because there was a delay in the appointed community directors starting work.

The HRO was later approved by the government, and community directors Neil Wiggins and Samantha Parker, were finally appointed to Dover Harbour Board. Their role is to be the public’s voice on the port’s board, relaying the concerns of the people of Dover.

Cllr Burke claimed the council was “standing in the way of the progress of Dover”.

She said: “The council refused to put the motion on the table and they are taking me to this meeting. They think I am a bad councillor because I wanted to abolish the town council.

“I was doing it for the 90% of Dover people who want to get rid of the town council. I feel quite angry about it and think the people of Dover ought to know.”

Cllr Burke was co-opted on to the town council. She said that since going to its meetings, she realised that the councillors “weren’t achieving anything”.

She has confirmed she is not stepping down.