THE councillor who resigned as deputy mayor of Bolton after admitting deliberately scratching her neighbour's car, is to face a Standards Board hearing.

Cllr Prentice Howarth is to appear before a committee of her fellow councillors who will decide whether she brought her office into disrepute after she was caught on CCTV dragging her key against Jason Morrison's black Citroen Picasso.

The Great Lever councillor, who is intending to stand down at May's council election to devote more time to her family, could be banned from her post as a councillor for up to three months if the hearing finds against her.

The hearing, which may be open to the public, will be presided over by a council committee which could refer the matter back to the Standards Board if it feels she deserves a more severe sanction.

The Standards Board is a Government agency set up to monitor ethical standards of local authorities and adjudicate in disputes.

It is not yet known who will chair the committee or sit on it, but it will be made up of her fellow councillors and possibly co-opted members of the public.

Witnesses could be called to give evidence.

The issue was referred to Bolton Council by an ethical officer who has investigated complaints made to the Standards Board by Mr Morrison.

When contacted by the Bolton Evening News, Cllr Howarth declioned to comment on the hearing. A former chairman of the planning committee, the 69-year-old councillor has served on the council for more than 20 years and was chosen as the Mayor of Bolton in 2004/5.

She apologised after the car-scratching incident in June last year, describing it as a momentary lapse and claiming that she had been under a great deal of personal strain.

A Bolton Council spokesman said: "A case involving Cllr Howarth has been referred by the ethical standards officer for determination by the council's standards committee. In accordance with the council's agreed procedure, the matter will be heard by a sub-committee of the standards committee and Cllr Howarth will have the opportunity to attend or be represented. It is possible that witnesses will be invited to attend and give evidence."

The provisional time, date and location for the meeting is 9.30am on February 21 at Bolton Town Hall. A spokesman for the Standards Board said: "An investigation was conducted and the ethical standards officer issued a finding that this matter should be referred to the standards committee to determine whether a breach of conduct has taken place and whether a sanction is necessary."