THREE Blackburn with Darwen councillors have been reported to the Standards Board for England over alleged conflicts of interests regarding plans for a mosque.

Suleman Khonat, Yusuf Sidat, and Salim Mulla, members of the planning committee, today denied any wrong doing and two said they did not vote on the application or attend the meeting at which it was decided.

An Asian man living near the proposed site of the Noorul Islam Mosque, Audley Range, has made the complaint to the Standards Board, a watchdog on councillors' behaviour.

He is concerned about the councillors having a potential conflict of interest or predetermining their decision on the application something prohibited by planning rules.

The planning application was approved, despite having been recommended for refusal by officers. It is understood the complaint was made two days before the meeting at which the decision was made.

Today, both Coun Sidat and Coun Mulla said they did not attend the meeting.

Coun Mulla, who is also secretary of the Lancashire Council of Mosques, said he ruled himself out of the meeting because he thought he would have had a personal and prejudicial interest in the application because of his high level of involvement with the mosque.

Coun Sidat said he would not have had a conflict of interest but was unable to attend because of an appendicitis.

Coun Khonat, member for Shear Brow, did vote in favour of the application but said: "I have nothing to fear whatsoever.

"I did not take a decision prior to the meeting, I listened to all the speakers because it was important that both sides had to offer a lot of arguments."

He thought the complaint had been made after he visited the mosque's existing building in Walter Street, Audley, for Friday prayers the week before the meeting.

He usually worships at the Bicknell Street mosque.

Coun Khonat added: "I wanted to see for myself what the parking was like, as it was one of the issues in the application.

"I said I would go and pray there and I will have a look for myself."

When asked about the allegation that he may have pre-determined his view and told people he would vote in favour of the application before the previous meeting, he said: "That's not true, at no time did I say that to anybody."

The application came before the committee again, for conditions to be applied, on Thursday.

Neither Coun Mulla nor Coun Sidat attended. Coun Khonat did and voted to approve the conditions.