A COUNCIL leader embroiled in a love triangle has threatened to block the Daily Echo for contacting him on stories on the situation.

Councillor Keith House, the leader of Eastleigh Borough Council, has told the Daily Echo that if it attempts to contact him again regarding what he described as his “private life” he would in future refuse to answer our questions on any issues at all.

This comes after the Daily Echo reported how Cllr House, 49, had struck up a relationship with fellow councillor Tonia Craig, 43, a Cabinet member, having ended his relationship with Cllr Louise Bloom, who is also a member of the Cabinet.

Cllr Bloom, 50, his partner of 14 years, has not attended the last seven Cabinet meetings.

Deputy leader of Eastleigh Borough Council Cllr Anne Winstanley has previously said that Cllr Bloom had been suffering from “serious health problems”

which had limited her ability to attend meetings.

In an email to the Daily Echo when asked for a comment in relation to a story on Cllr Bloom’s resignation from Hedge End Town Council, Cllr House sent a reply.

It read: “Just to be clear: if I receive any further emails about my private life, or that of my colleagues, I will permanently block your email address (or that of any of your co-workers) and delete any phone messages on any issues unheard.

“The personal harassment from you and some of your colleagues is simply not acceptable.”

Cllr House earns more than £70,000 of public money a year from his roles, including as the leader of the opposition on Hampshire County Council.

He has been leader of Eastleigh Borough Council for more than 20 years.

Cllr House, who is also a councillor for Hedge End Wildern ward and a Hedge End Town councillor, has so far refused to make any comment on the love triangle.

Andy Silvester, campaign director for the Taxpayers’ Alliance, said: “Transparency has to be the watchword.

“The council leader is entitled to guard his private life – despite the deserved questions from taxpayers – but he shouldn’t attempt to threaten or cut off access to the free press.

“The power Cllr House holds, his democratic mandate, and the amount of taxpayers’ money he takes home means that he must be held accountable by the public and the press.

“Attempting to avoid those questions is unbecoming of a democra tic leader.”

UKIP Hampshire County Councillor for Eastleigh East Andy Moore said: “He’s a public servant and the public have got the right to speak to their elected councillors.

“I think this is the public’s way of keeping their eye on public servants.

“We’re in an elected position and if the media want to interview us we should allow it to happen.

“This is public money.

“I think he has a duty to listen to any civil debate or any questions that the paper should ask.

“It’s unacceptable.”

Leader of Hampshire County Council, Rory Perry, said: “As far as Cllr House’s position as a Hampshire county councillor is concerned this situation does not impact on his role as a county councillor so really I have no comment to make on his private circumstances.

“As a council leader I certainly recognise I have a responsibility in a democracy with a free press, to answer questions from the press about my role as a councillor and as council leader.

“We have seen in France this last week just how important the freedom of the press is. It is a crucial part of the democratic process and I certainly seek to be open to the press.

“I can understand as far as Cllr House’s private life is concerned, about which I know very little, he will want to protect any children and young people in the f a milies involved.”

Daily Echo response

DAILY Echo Editor-in-Chief Ian Murray commented: “It is a terrible pity that Councillor House has chosen to hide behind a wall of silence. While I appreciate a person’s right to a private life, even elected councillors, there are times when there are genuine questions to be asked on behalf of the public as to how far an elected person’s public and private lives have become intertwined.

“The refusal of Cabinet members to attend meetings, resignations from elected bodies, appointments of partners to high office, these are issues I would say are legitimate areas of concern and we would be derelict in our role as guardians of local democracy not to ask questions on behalf of the electorate.

“Despite Councillor House’s wish to remain silent on these issues we will still attempt to seek answers.”