THE leader of Wokingham Borough Council has been called before the borough's standards authority after a letter he sent to the electorate caused a stir.

Cllr Baker wrote to electors in Emmbrook taking issue with claims in a Liberal Democrat campaign letter.

However, he signed the letter as 'Leader of the Borough Council' instead of Leader of the Conservative party and the letter was headed 'A Message from the Leader of the Council'.

Joanna Belcher, an Emmbrook woman, whose partner is standing for election for the Liberal Democrats, received the letter.

She said: "A letter has been sent round Emmbrook by the Conservative party but it's been made to look like it's from the borough council.

"I heard my neighbour say, 'I got that letter from the council saying how the Liberal Democrats made mistakes.

"If she thinks that, everybody will."

Prue Bray, leader of the Liberal Democrats said the letter made it seem like the council were intervening rather than the Conservatives challenging their political rivals.

Cllr Baker's letter, which carried the Conservative party watermark rather than borough council marked paper, challenged four points in the focus magazine.

It said the opposition were incorrect in claims Carnival Pool and the station car park would shut at the same time, Wokingham and Emmbrook FC played in the Hellenic Premier League, extra money had been put into the Station Link Road and the location of acoustic barriers on the M4.

Cllr Baker said: "The key thing here, and the reason they are creating the noise is they have been caught out and their rebuttal is absolute nonsense.

"I'm the leader of the council so when I send a letter or an email the signature says 'leader of the council, the same way Prue Bray signs herself leader of the opposition."

A Wokingham Borough Council spokesman said: "The Council has very recently received a complaint from a member of the public about Cllr Baker’s letter to Emmbrook residents.

"The matter is being looked into and we hope to be able to respond to the complainant shortly."