MINUTES of a meeting between a protest group and a firm looking to build an incinerator were pulled from a council website after complaints that they misrepresented the group.

Rob Hepworth, chairman of Stop Newport Incinerator Campaign (SNIC), claims minutes of a meeting between the group and Veolia, produced by the firm, contained "serious omissions and errors", and were inaccurate and incomplete.

The minutes, submitted by Veolia as part of its planning application for an incinerator at Llanwern Steelworks, were available on the Newport council website.

They have now been removed by the council following a complaint by the group.

Mr Hepworth said the minutes, of a meeting which took place on October 17 at Underwood community centre, missed out several subjects and arguments discussed and had never been cleared with SNIC.

In Veolia's minutes, SNIC is claimed to "not appreciate" that the plant would off- set the use of fossil fuels by the Llanwern Steelworks, which would be supplied with electricity and heat from the incinerator.

In SNIC's version, sent to the Argus, the group said at the meeting it stated it believed carbon dioxide emissions could not be counterbalanced in such a way.

The original minutes state that SNIC turned down an invitation to visit an incinerator plant - the group claims that is inaccurate and that the invitation was noted.

Mr Hepworth added: "Minutes always have to be checked for accuracy if they are going to be more widely circulated. It is an iron rule."

A spokeswoman for Newport council said it had a legal obligation to publish documents submitted by applicants in applications.

The Argus put arguments made by SNIC to Veolia. A spokesman said the firm arranged to meet SNIC so each party could better understand the other's position. He added the notes will now not be part of the planning application process.