A DISABLED Wellington woman claims she is being discriminated against by the Town Council's clerk.

Pearl Buttle, 56, volunteered to join the Community Speed Watch initiative when the idea came up six months ago.

She was angry when she received a letter from council clerk Tony Brown telling her training for the scheme had been booked for the council chamber in Fore Street, in an upstairs room inaccessible to wheelchair users.

Mr Brown denies he is discriminating against her, arguing the venue was the only one available at short notice.

But he added he was concerned Mrs Buttle may not be suitable to take part in the scheme because of her disability.

Following a police request, the second of next week's sessions has been moved to the Citizens' Advice Bureau offices downstairs.

But Mrs Buttle is still angry at Mr Brown's attitude. She said Mr Brown told her he did not think she was capable of taking part in the Speed Watch scheme, which involves members of the public using portable cameras, supplied by the police, to record drivers' speeds.

Wellington police Sgt Richard Caburn volunteered to train her personally when he heard about the inaccessible venue.

"I wouldn't accept because I will not allow Tony Brown to discriminate against me doing something I believe in," Mrs Buttle said.

Mr Brown said the Speedwatch training had been a long time coming and the main aim was to get the scheme off the ground as quickly as possible.

But responding to Mrs Buttle's claims of discrimination he said: "I think somebody in a wheelchair might not be suitable but that's up to the police. I don't think she's being discriminated against. There are limits on some people."