CONSERVATIVES on South Derbyshire District Council have been told they cannot vote on a decision which could have led to a Tory party donor making money.

The authority's independent standards committee made the decision last night after Labour members raised concerns there may be a conflict of interest.

The issue relates to two pieces of land, both of which have connections to Tory donor Richard Perkins who, either personally or through his company, has given £23,000 to South Derbyshire Conservative Association since 2005.

One plot at Church Gresley, is owned by the council, which wants to sell it to a housing developer.

But Mr Perkins owns mineral rights to the plot, meaning he has a legal entitlement to open a mine there. If the council sale is to proceed, it must first buy Mr Perkins' mineral rights, deciding by a vote how much to pay him.

The second piece of land in Swadlincote is owned by Mr Perkins but needed by the council for parking at another development.

The land has a covenant which restricts what it can be used for and can only be annulled through negotiations with Mr Perkins.

The standards committee voted by a majority of seven to one for the 20 affected Tory councillors to be allowed to speak at the planning meeting, but not to vote.

At last night's meeting, Tory councillor John Harrison spoke out against the decision because it would lead to a lack of political balance.

He said that the decision, though accepted by the Tories, meant "the vote was now going to be taken by the opposition and not by the controlling group that was democratically elected".

Labour councillor John Wilkins said the issue should never have got to standards committee level.

"The Conservatives should have just declared an interest in the first place," he said.