Jim Speechley: Denies the allegations

The complaint centres on land which Mr Speechley has owned for 30 years.

Opposition Labour councillors say he should have declared an interest because the land is only 50 yards from the proposed road.

However Mr Speechley, who heads the Conservative-controlled council, insists he did not need to make the declaration.

'Well-publicised concerns'

Mr Speechley says he did not consider the land to be an interest because it did not fall directly under the route of the new bypass, and no regulation said he should declare he owned land nearby.

He said: "I certainly don't see it improving the value of that particular field because, in actual fact, I myself had planning permission on there to build a few years ago and that ran out.

Lincolnshire County Council released a statement about the investigation.

It said: "Following recent well-publicised concerns and complaints made to the county council in relation to the A1073 road scheme, papers have been handed to the police for investigation and no further comments will be made by the county council."