In an email to general manager Phil Pearce and councillors, obtained by the Newcastle Herald, Cr Tate claimed he was contacted by a business leader of ‘‘impeccable nature’’.

The businessman allegedly claimed he had been called by a council officer and asked to provide a comment to the media ‘‘pointing out the detrimental effects of the Laman Street figs issue on the business image of Newcastle’’.

The Herald published a page-one report last Thursday in which business and community leaders as well as members of the public called for the figs issue to be resolved.

The report was instigated by the Herald. It was not approached to write the report by anyone.

Cr Tate said yesterday it was not his intention to imply the Herald had been prompted to publish the report.

But he believed the accused council officer was stepping into the political sphere.

He would name neither the officer nor businessman when asked yesterday, and has only given the names to general manager Phil Pearce.

One councillor pointed out that it was ‘‘a breach of the council’s code of conduct to publicly allege a breach’’.

Cr Tate has frequently claimed that council staff have too much influence over the organisation, and was last year required to apologise to senior staff for comments made about surf club funding.

He urged Mr Pearce to take action.

‘‘I expect that should my caller be required to give evidence under oath, he would be prepared to do so,’’ Cr Tate wrote in the email.

Mr Pearce sent an email to councillors late yesterday confirming he would investigate.