A mix-up over voting means a group of Oxfordshire parish councillors are going to have to make up their minds again over a housing development in their village.

Chinnor Parish Council planning committee originally voted 6-5 against the plan for 20 detached houses and 30 low-cost homes.

Members had pointed out that the development was outside the village envelope and would lead to too many traffic problems. But committee chairman Pat Haywood, who did not vote in the original round, decided to vote for the development. Then she used her casting vote to make the voting 7-6 in favour.

Parish council chairman Lynn Mumford told the meeting that there had been protest letters about the way the vote was done.

Mrs Mumford said: "We took advice and found that, although it was not the most satisfactory way to vote, it was still legal."

Mrs Haywood said she did not realise she had a vote as chairman and apologised for the mix-up.

"I am perfectly willing for the vote to be taken again - or to have my two votes withdrawn to leave the original score," she told the council.

The full council decided the vote would be taken again at the next planning committee meeting, to get a clear opinion on the development.