A former Scottish Police Authority (SPA) board member who resigned in a row over transparency has accused the watchdog's chair of misleading MSPs.

Moi Ali stepped down saying she felt she had been punished for objecting to plans to hold SPA meetings in private during a public meeting in December.

SPA chair Andrew Flanagan denied that was the case when he was questioned on the matter by Holyrood's Public Audit Committee.

He told MSPs: "The issue for me is that the board members, if we're going to conduct ourselves in public, they must be clear about their intentions and communicate their positions ahead of time.

"In this case the board member did not and that's what I took issue with, not whether or not there's openness and transparency.

"Her position on the committees being held in private was a long-standing one. Her taking a dissenting position and not communicating that in advance was what the issue was about, not about openness and transparency.

"I took exception to the fact that she dissented publicly without informing me beforehand. That was a surprise. As I said that was not demonstrating openness and transparency on her part and I took issue with that."

Mr Flanagan said while it is not in the standing orders that members must inform the chair of any dissent before a meeting, he believed it is a "professional courtesy".

He said: "I think it's what I would normally expect and what most board members in my experience have always done. So that's what was a surprise.

"The issue is not that it's a punishment but it needed further clarification because she has said on many occasions prior to that that she would support the board's decision on this."

Responding to his comments on Twitter, Ms Ali said the account was "incorrect", adding: "I did tell the chair I would raise concerns in the public board.

"Collective responsibility kicks in after decisions taken, not before. I'm speaking out now following inaccurate accounts by SPA.

"I made a constructive challenge, asked for my dissent to be recorded, then accepted collective responsibility, as per 'on board' guidance."

Ms Ali said she would be writing to the committee "to correct info given by Andrew Flanagan re openness, transparency and my resignation".

She also published on her Twitter account a letter sent from Mr Flanagan to her after the public meeting in which he stated he "did not think it would be fair" for her to continue to participate in SPA committees.

Responding to the letter, committee convener Jenny Marra MSP said it was "heavy handed" and "seriously worrying".

She tweeted: "SPA chair says that recording dissent not consistent with collective responsibility.

"Which would lead to the question, what's the point in meeting in public if chair won't tolerate dissenting opinions being raised?"