A councillor alleged to have tried to kiss a woman “full on the lips” has been made to apologise for his “everyday sexism”.

Batchworth community councillor Christopher Horne is said to have breached the councillors’ code of conduct by making “unwanted sexual advances” towards a woman in May this year.

It was alleged Cllr Horne had called her “darling” on many occasions before “ramping up” his inappropriate behaviour by putting his arm around her, touching her buttocks and trying to kiss her “full on the lips”.

Speaking of one allegation, Cllr Horne said: “I don’t recognise any of my contact.

“I may well have called her darling. I may have said hello and put an arm around her but certainly didn’t touch her buttocks.”

The Conservative appeared before a Three Rivers District Council standards hearing panel today at Three Rivers House in Rickmansworth.

Sitting on the panel were district councillors Keith Martin and Alex Hayward, parish councillor Chris Mitchell, an independent person, Mr Nigel Gates, and Penn and Mill End councillor Sarah Nelmes, who was nominated as panel chairman.

The woman making the allegations decided not to appear.

She had previously approached police, who compiled a report – but it was not investigated further because she decided not to pursue a case.

Panel members were asked to consider whether Cllr Horne was acting in “councillor capacity” at the time of the allegations and had therefore breached the council code of conduct.

Investigative officers at the hearing said that one alleged incident should not be seen as being covered by the code of conduct, but another should.

Responding to the claims, Cllr Horne said: “Perhaps I do belong to a different age. I do deal with a lot of young women.

“I deny the suggestion that I singled her out for this contact to chat her up.

“I am possibly a relic from another age. But I do not think this put me in breach of the code of conduct.”

One officer, Alex Oran, said: “If a breach is found, I recommend that an apology would be warranted, and training may also be appropriate.”

After more than two hours of evidence, the panel retired for 45 minutes.

Delivering the panel’s decision Cllr Nelmes, said: “In our view we should respect the view of investigative officers.”

Cllr Nelmes said the first action would not be treated as a breach of conduct and no further action would be taken, but that the second incident was.

She said: “There was a failure to treat with respect another person, which is a breach.

“Action we recommend would be censure of Cllr Horne for his behaviour; that he should make an apology, which he said he will, and we welcome that.

“We also recommend equality and diversity training for his behaviour and everyday sexism.”

Cllr Nelmes also said the panel recommended “tightening up” of the code of conduct so there would be “no dispute” in future.

In response to the decision, Cllr Horne said he would appeal the panel’s decision in the High Court. He was informed he may have to seek further action via judicial review.

He added: “We shall see what the High Court have to say, I expect the decision to be turned over. It is absurd it has reached this stage.”

Batchworth community councillors deal with decisions that affect the parish area of Eastbury, Moor Park and Rickmansworth.