In his correspondence to the paper (April 24), Mr West accused the community council of being 'against the skate park' and asked for an explanation as to why they received the thanks of objectors, as recorded in the community council's own minutes, following a presentation.

His letter went on to say: "I thought I was past being surprised by the antics of Montrose Community Council, but this really takes the biscuit."

But the correspondence prompted a furious response from community councillors, whose accusations towards Mr West resulted in the early departure of his SNP colleague, Paul Valentine, who said the argument had become 'too political'.

Chair of the community council, Joan Stott, said she was shocked by the content of Mr West's letter.

She said: "We've never been against the skate park. That's been well minuted right from the beginning. The people in question came along and gave us a good presentation and we listened to them – that's what the thanks was for."

Mr West disputed that, saying: "In your minutes you are thanked for your support. Is that what your minutes say?"

Mrs Stott said: "I think they said thanks for the support – but that's for listening to them."

Bill Gibson clarified the community council's position, saying: "The minutes don't say how much support. As far as we were concerned, we saw the plans for the first time."

Mr Gibson said the community council had only asked for a review of the location in light of the presentation by objectors – but said at no time did the community council become an objector.

He continued: "This is a deliberate piece of din makin' on your part. You're trying to dig the community council into this. At no time did we say we were against the skate park."

Mrs Stott added: "In the letter we wrote (proposing a review of the Marine Avenue site] we said we were in support of the skate park."

The chair then went on to ask what Mr West meant by 'the antics of Montrose Community Council'.

Mr West replied: "There's two issues here – if you're willing to answer the question. I have every right to write a letter and if I was adhering to what you're saying and explaining my acts then the next thing you'd be preparing tough measures saying I would have to ask if I could write a letter."

Mr Gibson reacted angrily to that claim, saying: "This is sheer arrogance. I would have thought it would have been courtesy to say this to the community council. You chose to go to the Press."

Mrs Stott again asked Mr West to explain his 'antics' comment, saying the community council couldn't answer the question until they knew what he was talking about.

But Mr West refused to budge. He said: "That's why I wrote it. If you wish to give me an answer to the question I raised? You're almost denying your own minutes."

Mr Gibson said: "That's just havers. Ask Mrs Williamson (one of the skate park objectors] why she thanked us – not us."

Member Graham Stephen continued: "If you wished to comment on this you should have been at the meeting. You have no right to say anything. To me, you're taking a political swing. This is what the SNP tend to do."

Mr Valentine then left the meeting, saying 'this is too political for me'.

Mr Gibson said to Mr West: "You're behaving like a child. We're not going to be blackwashed by you or anyone else about this skate park. They are looking for a scapegoat for the failure of the skatepark being sited there."

Mr West said: "As a councillor, we can only go by what the minutes say. The minutes are quite clear."

Mrs Stott said: "So what's the big deal about someone thanking the community council?"

Mr West said:"For their support against the skate park."

Mr Gibson said: "That is not true."

Mrs Stott concluded the discussion, cutting off Mr West: "We know what happened and we have not said that."