A senior housing officer has been suspended over claims a councillor moved into a local authority flat ahead of a waiting list of 3,000 people.

The officer at Tamworth Borough Council in Staffordshire, who has not been named, was suspended on Tuesday as part of an investigation into queue jumping by Conservative councillor Gerald Pinner.

Coun Pinner, who is in charge of housing at Tamworth council, has been quizzed by Labour councillors and asked to clarify how he had acquired the council property.

It is believed he moved into the flat in July after being given notice to leave his privately-rented property while building work took place.

He said the local authority had an obligation to house people who had been made unintentionally homeless.

But the Labour Party claimed the councillor had known for some time that he needed to find alternative accommodation. Coun Dennis Powick (Lab Glascote) said: "There were a number of questions posed to Coun Pinner in relation to the offer of a flat.

"We asked if he could clarify how he acquired the property at short notice and if he could please explain to the members his interpretation of ' intentionally homeless.'

"There are a number of residents in Tamworth who have been waiting for a flat who are unemployed or have a number of other issues which meet the council's standards for homelessness, and they still have to wait in the queue.

"Coun Pinner is in full-time employment and also has an income of about £1,000 a month from being the portfolio holder for housing and property services. The question is how did he reach the criteria for council housing?"

"After Tuesday night, we asked this particular question and are still not satisfied. We have taken out the necessary documentation to personally take Coun Pinner to the national standards board for investigation."

Council leader Ron Cook (Con Spital) has defended his colleague.

"There is no case to pursue against Coun Pinner. The investigation is still ongoing to consider the fact that there are some questions on how some decisions were arrived at.

"Coun Pinner had been granted temporary accommodation for 28 days and he has been rigorously pursuing private accommodation," he said.

Coun Pinner (Con Trinity) said: "I put this down to pure mischief by the Labour party and the matter is closed as far as I am concerned."

David Weatherley, chief executive of Tamworth council, said: "I can confirm an officer was suspended to allow a full investigation of the circumstances surrounding an application for housing by a member of the council.

"This does not indicate any wrongdoing by that or any other officer but is a normal precautionary measure to enable an investigation to be carried out.

"The officer in question is not currently facing any disciplinary charge and will be returning to work shortly."