Councillor faces possible sanctions
Secret report on ‘£5m sweetener for Trump’ claim could lead to disqualification
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A councillor who claimed that Aberdeenshire Council offered Donald Trump a £5million “sweetener” could face disqualification.
A secret council report seen by the Press and Journal reveals that is one of a range of possible sanctions facing Paul Johnston after he claimed the council was handing over land worth £5million to the Trump Organisation.
Mid-Formartine councillor Mr Johnston said the “sweetener” was being made so Mr Trump could fulfil his commitment to build 98 affordable homes as part of the Balmedie golf resort.
He would also be allowed to build 52 homes on the land for sale on the open market.
Mr Johnston said the US tycoon was “effectively being subsidised” by the council and therefore the taxpayer.
Immediate denials were issued by the council’s chief executive, Alan Campbell, the authority’s leader, Anne Robertson, and Mr Trump’s aide, George Sorial.
But the internal report, prepared by the council’s director of law and administration, Neil McDowall, says the damage done to the authority’s reputation and professional standing of staff involved in the planning gain process was “severe”.
The report says the circumstances do not fall squarely within the complaints process but Mr Johnston’s comments could be regarded as a breach of the councillors’ code of conduct.
And it asks councillors at Thursday’s closed vacation committee meeting to decide between two options – to deal with the matter internally or refer Mr Johnston to the Standards Commission.
Mr Johnston should be given the opportunity to present his views before any action is taken in the “interests of natural justice”, it said.
The report added: “It is suggested that a small all-party group of members should consider the issues raised in this report and invite councillor Johnston to address them. This group should then make a recommendation to the council meeting on October 2, 2008, as to any action they consider appropriate.”
If the matter is reported to the Standards Commission and it finds Mr Johnston in breach of the code of conduct, a number of sanctions could be employed, according to the report. They include:
Censuring Mr Johnston.
Suspending his entitlement for no longer than a year to attend one or more, but not all of the following – all meetings of the council; all meetings of one or more committees or sub-committees, or all meetings of any body on which he is a representative or nominee of the council.
Suspending his entitlement for no longer than a year from attending all meetings of the council, and any committee or subcommittee, and of any other body for which he is a representative or nominee of the council.
Disqualifying him for a period of no longer than five years from being a councillor, being nominated to become one, or from being elected.
Councillors at Thursday’s closed vacation committee meeting will be asked to decide whether to refer the matter to the Standards Commission or to establish a small group of members to hear submissions from officers, the council leader and Mr Johnston and report with recommendations to the full council in October.
A spokesman for the council said it would not com- ment on the document as the item was exempt to the public.
Mr Johnston said he was not on the committee and had not seen the papers so he could not comment.
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