A disgraced Aberdeen councillor is facing calls to donate his salary to charity amid claims it’s an “insult to his victim and our city” for him to continue to collect a wage.
Councillor Alan Donnelly has been paid more than £8,000 since being convicted of sexual assault last December.
More than half of that was received while he was barred from the Town House, pending an investigation by the ethics watchdog.
Figures obtained by The Press And Journal show the Torry And Ferryhill member was paid £8,316.33 between the day of his conviction, December 13, and the end of last month.
Liberal Democrat group leader Ian Yuill has called on him to refuse to accept the sum and put the money to an alternative use.
Following a trial at Aberdeen Sheriff Court, Donnelly was found guilty of committing a sexual assault at a city function,
The former deputy lord provost had denied touching his victim’s face, hair and body and kissing him on the face.
He was sentenced to eight-months’ court-ordered supervision, placed on the sex offenders register and ordered to pay £800 compensation to his victim.
Donnelly resigned from the Scottish Conservative party and was stripped of his council committee positions by colleagues – but resisted calls from all quarters to stand down.
He continued as an active participant in council business as an unaligned independent until the Standards Commission ordered his suspension on March 4.
Between then and the end of May, Donnelly was paid £4,327.14.
Last night Liberal Democrat group leader Ian Yuill told The P&J: “Alan Donnelly should have resigned as a councillor the day he was convicted of sexual assault – he should resign today.
“Mr Donnelly’s refusal to resign is an insult to his victim and our city and it adds insult to injury that he continues to receive a councillor’s salary.
“If he had any shame he would refuse to accept it and if he had any decency he would donate the salary he has already received since his conviction to a charity supporting survivors of sexual assault.”
While banned from taking part in council decision-making during his exile, Donnelly can still deal with issues raised by constituents.
Last week a date in October was set for the Standards Commission to hold a hearing at the Town House following a months of investigations by the ethical standards commissioner.
Since the 65-year-old has refused to resign, the commission could impose a number of sanctions – including removing him from office.
But by then, Donnelly is expected to have been paid more than £10,000.
Aberdeen SNP depute leader Jackie Dunbar said: “My view has always been that Mr Donnelly should have done the decent thing and resigned following his conviction.
“We now have the situation where he is being paid by the public purse while having only attending two council meetings since his conviction.”
The shamed councillor said only: “I’m still a councillor and anything I get paid is fully in the public domain,” when contacted.
His former Conservative group leader has previously called on Donnelly to resign but said the local authority’s hands were tied as far as paying him.
Council co-leader Douglas Lumsden said: “Pay bands are set and managed by the Scottish Government. Local authorities have no control over the matter.”
A council spokesman added: “While a councillor is subject to an interim suspension, they are still paid but they aren’t entitled to expenses.
“This is a legal requirement and not a decision of the council.”