Mr Roberts, who represents Worthing's Pier division on the county council, was found guilty of breaching the official code of conduct after a complaint from a female staff member, following an incident at a training event in June.

Although a county standards sub-committee decided that he should be suspended from his cabinet post for one month, the council subsequently decided to replace him.

Mr Roberts, aged 52, who is also a Worthing borough councillor for Central ward, had held his county cabinet position for only four months.

He was responsible for strategic planning and transport for the whole of West Sussex.

Peck on the cheek

In an exclusive interview with the Herald, Mr Roberts said: "I feel the whole thing has been misrepresented.

"I congratulated a female officer on her good performance on a live TV interview and pecked her on the cheek, and said 'well done'.

"I regret what I did and will never do it again.

"My action may have been inappropriate, but it was not meant to be disrespectful, it was only to congratulate her.

"She was in her late 20s, about the same age as the eldest of my three daughters.

Not a groper

"I have heard some awful stories being bandied around about what was supposed to have happened, and I am glad of this opportunity to clear the air.

"I don't grope anybody."

No details of what exactly happened to spark the complaint were released by the county sub-committee when it issued a statement announcing the suspension.

The sub-committee found that Mr Roberts had failed to comply with the code of conduct by not treating the complainant with respect, and behaving, on an official occasion, in a way that brought his office into disrepute.

The report said Mr Roberts did not dispute the facts.

"He regretted his behaviour, was happy to apologise to the officer concerned, and had absented himself from county and cabinet duties as soon as he was told of the complaint," said the report.

What do you think?

Was Clive Roberts was harshly treated?

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