“IT’S war.” Those are the defiant words of UKIP chiefs after Conservatives branded one of their councillors a hypocrite.

As reported in last week’s Advertiser, Test Valley Borough councillor Phil North accused UKIP county councillor Tim Rolt of “pulling the wool over voters’ eyes” after it was revealed that he received his full entitlement of allowances during the last financial year – despite pledging to slash the authority’s allowance bill by 50 per cent.

But UKIP chiefs have now hit back by declaring “war” on the Tories – and have promised to “bring in the big guns” in a bid to win the constituency seat in next year’s general election.

Cllr Rolt’s UKIP county councillor colleague, Tony Hooke, told the Advertiser: “It’s war. The battle is on and Nigel Farage will ensure that the biggest UKIP guns are sent to Andover.

“Me and my colleagues are prepared to fight street by street for every single vote.

“The first shots have been fired. We wanted to play the Tories on policy but now we are going to play the man as well.”

Cllr Hooke’s defiant message came as a direct result of last week’s “hypocrite”

accusations by Cllr North.

He made the claim after it was revealed that Cllr Rolt had received almost £15,000 in allowances, despite pledging to reduce all allowances at Hampshire County Council by 50 per cent.

The promise featured as a major part of his election campaign back in May when he narrowly beat former Conservative councillor Pam Mutton by just 10 votes.

But Cllr Rolt has now hit back at Cllr North and accused him of “not providing value for money” after it was revealed that he has attended just 38 per cent of official meetings since May this year.

Cllr Rolt said: “It’s a bit rich from Cllr.North, who is happy to take his full allowances to complain about me when his attendance at official meetings and committees is down at 38 per cent and mine at Hampshire County Council is 94.6 per cent.

“I can’t help but wonder whether he would have got elected if he’d put this 38 per cent figure in his election literature.

“My various county council, select committee duties, large number of parish council meetings plus many other duties impossible to list here are compensated for by an allowance, which all county councillors get.

“I feel that I am more than value for money for the allowances that are paid to me.”

Cllr North’s attendance between May 14 and September 3 shows he has been present in just 38 per cent of meetings – the third lowest total of all 48 councillors.

However, according to official records his attendance over his seven years as a councillor at Test Valley is over 70 per cent.

Cllr North said: “Since I first became a councillor in 2007 I have attended literally hundreds of meetings in the council chamber and more importantly out in the community, getting things done for Alamein residents.

“Clearly being caught out over their false allowance promise has hurt.

“Instead of declaring ‘war’, they might more sensibly set about working for Andover.”