RUMOURS that senior councillors are being flown to Abu Dhabi for Wasps' ground-breaking overseas game by owner Steve Hayes have been rubbished.

Wycombe District Council Deputy Leader Cllr Tony Green has moved to quash suggestions he or Leader Cllr Lesley Clarke will be attending the match in the Middle East on Sunday.

And he also hit back at the “random comments” of Buckinghamshire County Councillor Bob Woollard, who attacked stadium plans for Wycombe Air Park, claiming he lacked “understanding”.

The Terriers and Amersham Hill representative also brushed off talk of a split in Conservative ranks and said anti-stadium protests were “low key” compared to his council experiences in London.

He said internet rumours that Cllr Clarke or any other senior WDC members were being flown to Abu Dhabi for the Wasps game with Harlequins were “totally untrue”.

“We'd like to have the time to get out there,” he joked.

“Certainly as far as I'm concerned and my colleagues I'm yet to hear of anyone going.”

He blasted allegations levelled at WDC, saying: “The comments that do annoy me are the ones that suggest senior councillors and officers are taking money from Steve Hayes - which are totally untrue.

“I can assure you I have never had any gifts or favours from Steve Hayes and I'm not aware of any one who has.”

Last week senior Tory Cllr Woollard attacked plans for a new ground for Wasps and Wycombe Wanderers in Booker. See related articles below.

But Cllr Green said: “I don't know what he's basing his comments on.

"I don't believe he has much of an understanding of what the project would involve.

“I think they're entitled to their views (county councillors) but it would help if they actually understood what they're talking about rather than making random comments.”

He said BCC was involved in discussions over the stadium.

Asked if the recent protests made this his most difficult spell in council life, he said: “As far as I'm concerned personally, no, I used to be a councillor in Lambeth, London, in the 1980s when we regularly had demonstrations.

“What we're getting in Wycombe is quite low key compared to what I experienced in the past.”

Addressing talk of a split among the Tory-controlled council, he said: “No, there's a solid majority in the group in favour of this project and there are a few members, whose wards are affected who understandably have some concerns."

Cllr Green sees a “similarity” with controversy which originally surrounded the Swan Theatre and Eden shopping centre projects.

“I think if everything goes smoothly with the stadium and it does go ahead, I suspect people will say the stadium will be an integral part of Wycombe and people will wonder what the fuss was about,” he said.

He accepted there were “serious concerns” and confirmed GASP will be among groups the council meets with.

Cllr Green said the party is unconcerned about the stadium hitting the Tories at the ballot box in May.

He added: “I think it's an exciting project and many people will see it as that.”

Wycombe Sports Development Limited also told the Free Press today there is no truth in rumours Mr Hayes has recently purchased land along the B482 close to the air park.