One of Warwickshire's most senior councillors revealed he had been investigated by police over complaints brought by Warwickshire Pride.

In an explosive interjection during a debate on standards at last week's full council meeting, Warwickshire County Council's portfolio holder for resources and internal affairs Cllr Mike Bannister said he had been subjected to a three-month probe with "no evidence whatsoever" found.

It follows allegations that a discriminatory remark was directed at some of the 30 protestors that gathered outside Shire Hall, Warwick, in May.

The protest was held ahead of a meeting on the future of council funding for Warwickshire's Equality and Inclusion Partnership (EQuIP), a meeting chaired by Cllr Bannister.

The allegation, made during open session in that meeting, was aimed at two people with a complaint to police resulting in a hate crime investigation being launched.

Warwickshire Police confirmed in mid-September that one suspect had been "voluntarily interviewed under caution" with a second providing a written statement ahead of the case being 'filed'. It means the investigation will remain on hold unless and until sufficient fresh information or evidence comes forward to warrant consideration.

Complainant Daniel Browne, who attended the protest as chair of the county's primary LGBTQ+ group Warwickshire Pride, declared that outcome "disappointing but not surprising" and claimed: "The suspect was never interviewed, witness statements were disregarded and this is yet another example of Warwickshire Police failing LGBTQ+ communities."

Cllr Bannister rose to make a point of explanation and confirmed he had been investigated without the matter being referenced by anyone else in the chamber.

He said two formal complaints had been filed against him during his time with Warwickshire County Council, stating that the first had resulted in an apology from the complainant – he wasn't named but that was Cllr David Curtis – before lifting the lid on the one that remains open.

"The second is ongoing following a three-month police investigation, costing an awful lot of taxpayers' money and time, by a member of a group called Pride Warwickshire," shouted Cllr Bannister.

"The police have found, after three months of putting me through that process, that there was no evidence whatsoever – which there never was – to substantiate that complaint.

"Following the dismissal of that complaint by the police, he then brought a complaint against me to this council.

"We have to be very, very careful where we go with this, councillors. It is a two-way street."

The May protest was in response to plans to withdraw entirely a £135,000-per-year county council contribution to EQuIP.

The charity, known as the Warwickshire Race Equality Partnership before expanding to tackle all forms of discrimination in 2017, provides discrimination and hate crime support, equalities training and guidance and aids engagement and community cohesion through services to community groups, faith groups, businesses, schools and public sector organisations.

The protest was largely visual with attendees, including serving county and district councillors from Warwickshire, decked out in bright colours matching those seen on the Pride flag.

Some waved Pride flags while others held up placards with messages such as 'Love equality' and 'Equality and inclusion benefits everyone'. No counter protest was seen either outside Shire Hall or at May's meeting.