A TORFAEN councillor who asked a woman colleage: "How would you like to mess about with me?" was yesterday removed from all his positions on council committees.

Torfaen council's ethics and standards committee concluded that Councillor Mike Davies had breached the authority's code of conduct on May 2 when he asked the council worker: "How would you like to mess about with me?"

She replied: "Pardon?" and he repeated the question. She then said: "No thank you," to which he responded, "That's the wrong answer, you should have said, 'no thanks, but thanks for the compliment'."

Councillor Davies admitted making the remarks, but said that they were a "joke that went wrong".

He told the committee: "I can't see where I have breached the code. I believe I am innocent of any intent. I would have apologised there and then, but there was no sign of her being upset."

During the meeting the St Cadocs and Penygarn councillor said: "The public exposure of myself by the Press has made it very difficult for me.

"I think that the amount of harassment my family and myself have received and the interference with my life would be enough recompense for this committee."

After deliberating for over an hour, committee chairman John Harrhy told Councillor Davies: "We have very carefully considered your conduct and taken into account your statement.

"We have concluded that your conduct was in breach of paragraph four (of the code of conduct), and we recommend that you should be removed from your position on council committees for three months."

Mr Harrhy added that he would write to the National Assembly, asking that similar future inquiries be held in private.

Councillor Davies said afterwards: "I think the committee, on what was presented before them, made the only decision they could.

"On reflection I wish I had never made the joke, and I will be very, very careful about addressing staff in a formal manner after this.

"It's the first time something like this has come before the ethics and standards committee, which is why it was so high profile, and it's been blown out of all proportion."

He added that he would "definitely" stand at the next election.

Committees The decision means that Councillor Davies will no longer sit on the following committees until November: contract services working party; education leisure and young people overview and scrutiny committee; resources and overview improvement overview and scrutiny committee; social services and health overview and scrutiny committee; voluntary sector contract group.