Coun Bickerton was suspended from the council until his term of office ends in May after a tribunal ruled he bullied a couple over the sale of their land – but he remains a Featherstone town councillor and the town's current mayor.

His appeal to Local Government Standards was refused on Thursday, but he has a further right of appeal to its upper tribunal and can then go to the High Court.

Coun Bickerton told the Express: "I'm going to the High Court now. I'm going the full distance – my lawyers now have said that we think we can pull this one off."

When asked what reasons had been given for refusal, Coun Bickerton added: "To be honest it all happened really quickly and what I couldn't understand was my appeal was returned back to me just two days after I lodged it.

"They read my documentation and sent a letter back saying there was no legal precedent or something. But we've got a legal precedent on that now."

Local Government Standards – formerly the Adjudication Panel for England – would not say why the appeal was refused.

A resolution calling for a vote of no confidence in Coun Bickerton was deferred until after his appeal at a Featherstone Town Council meeting last Wednesday.

It had been tabled by Labour councillors but was postponed after Coun Kay Binnersley said it could be "detrimental" to Coun Bickerton's appeal, with legal consequences for the council.

Coun Margaret Isherwood replied: "If Coun Bickerton has put in an appeal he would do the right and honourable thing and stand down until his appeal is heard and not carry on with this pretence, bringing this town into disrepute."

Coun Binnersley said: "We could be wrongfully jeopardising somebody's case. I have taken legal advice from Wakefield and we should exercise great caution with this and it should be deferred."

It was agreed that the resolution could be discussed and Coun Clive Tennant said: "The motion speaks for itself. He's made this town council into a circus and he's been quoted in one newspaper as saying he will not stand down as mayor and he'll be mayor next year – on whose authority?"

When councillors voted on deferring the motion, Couns Binnersley and Bob Martindale were in favour and Couns Isherwood, Bill Mulroe, Clive Tennant and Maureen Tennant-King were against.

Deputy mayor of Featherstone Pauline Guy had the casting vote and it was deferred.