A row between councillors broke out during a 'Debate Not Hate' campaign discussion at Tuesday's North West Leicestershire District Council meeting.

The full council agenda in Coalville featured the Local Government Association's report on abuse of councillors in their public role.

As a result, a cross-party group is being set up to work through the Debate not Hate toolkit and put in place measures to support councillors to carry out their role without fear of abuse.

But the meeting became heated when councillors gave their views on the issue.

Measham North's Conservative councillor, Paul Lees, angered some councillors when he referenced actions by the current Labour government.

Independent councillor, Russell Johnson, said Cllr Lees was 'out of order' for his comments. Labour councillor John Legrys also called a point of order.

But Cllr Lees also voiced his concerns about Labour councillors describing political rivals as 'a demented granny' after last year's local elections - saying that his grandmother died of dementia.

Measham councillor Paul Lees. Photo: Supplied

Cllr Lees told the meeting: "Gandhi's most famous sentiment echoes in my ears, Be the change you want to see.

"In my view, we should not enter into this process with a presumption that we, the members, are blameless victims. 

"We must understand that in so many instances that we are, in fact, a huge part of the problem and an active, inflammatory accessory to the build up. 

"When I stood for election to represent the brilliant people of Measham North, I told people I would not participate in the type of Westminster style, churlish nonsense which residents just despair at, the type of behaviour that ended up costing my party so dearly at the last General Election.

"We need to believe we need to behave in a way which generates a revival of respect. This working group offers the opportunity for us to achieve that. 

"So what is it that I think we as members should be looking at as part of this process? Let me give you some examples from this council in the premature euphoria after the district council elections, when Labour thought they had control of the council.

"One senior Labour member took to social media and noted conservatives being like a demented granny. 

"When I tell you that my grandma died of dementia, you'll realise why I took it personally and lost so much respect for the opposition in this room that day.

"When I heard Cllr Legrys on the topic of the winter fuel payments, I know we could all feel the discomfort he clearly felt on the topic as a Labour Party member. 

"We welcomed his signal of hope that it wasn't done yet. And then he proceeded to abstain on a simple motion on a publicity exercise by this council regarding the UK's most underclaimed benefit pension credit, the means test for the winter fuel payment. 

"Realistically, we must realize that people don't like being misled. These types of behaviour have to stop. And I haven't even got started on the shower of shame in Westminster at the moment."

Cllr Lees then focused on national matters and was told by the Chair he had to stick to the agenda.

Coalville councillor John Legrys. Photo: Supplied

The Measham councillor concluded: "Lies matter, incompetence matters. And if you want respect from people, you must give respect to people. Let's put an end to the lies and end to the gaslighting. And as well as giving this agenda item you support, can I ask the working group established to include a recorded statement of the build up of the incident and whether the member can receive feedback on whether their behaviour not only meets the code of conduct, but the member also receives forthright feedback."

Cllr Johnson responded by saying: "Sorry Cllr Lees, you started up great, and then you went off the cliff. 

"The big thing for everybody in this chamber is respect, and you were disrespectful, not bothered what's in front of you. 

"The chairman's right. You went off it, you should stick to what's in the agenda, not what's happening in La-La Land. Sorry, you're out of order."

Earlier in the meeting, Cllr Legrys said: "One of the issues that I desperately want examining with this working group is that, when does the social media hate start bringing this council into disrepute?

"This institution that we all represent, we will disagree, or we will disagree vehemently on policy - but it's a political institution. 

"One of the things that I'm picking up on the doorstep very recently is this weekend in Donisthorpe, was that 'Can't you not ever agree on anything?'

"The amount of hate that appears to be coming out of people that are discrediting this council is to the point that they are laughing at us. I am ashamed of that, and I want that changing."