COUNTY council leader Nick Clarke compared being attacked by a Lib Dem councillor to being “savaged by a cotton bud”.

His comments came just hours after Lib Dems on a scrutiny committee at Shire Hall had forced the council to reconsider proposals about allowing wind turbines on county council owned farms.

Opposition councillors ‘called in’ the decision on wind turbines after challenging the reasoning behind abandoning renewable energy and the potential �1 million a year a profit it could make the council.

Cllr Clarke described the referral back to Cabinet as “a good example of local democracy at work” but on his blog he wrote that he was “ astonished to hear ex Liberal Democrat County Councillor Nichola Harrison tell the committee she would support a wind turbine on Parkers Piece in Cambridge!

“This was not a passing comment but made with gusto and supported by Councillor Kevin Wilkins, also a Lib Dem county councillor from the city, if vigorous nodding can be seen that way.

“Finally, Councillor Kevin Wilkins then insulted me in front of the public. I think respect is important. Clearly if some one gives a different view to Cllr Wilkins he feels the need to resort to name calling. I was pleased that the chairman made him apologise.

“I think he may need to look into what the words liberal and democratic mean. As it happens this is the second time he has shouted out insults recently. Not good for democracy or preserving respect in our institutions.

“On a personal level it felt like being savaged by a cotton bud, weak, pointless and totally without impact.

Up until recently the council looked likely to allow wind turbines on farms at Farcet, Littleport, Coveney and Warboys.

But once he became leader Cllr Clarke said it was clear “that the people of Cambridgeshire do not want wind farms, and we should be listening to those views.”