A formal complaint has been lodged over allegations an Aberdeen councillor used taxpayers’ money to send out “promotional” letters.
Ashley, Hazlehead and Queens Cross Liberal Democrat Jennifer Stewart has been accused of posting out literature using the city council’s franking machine.
Finance convener Willie Young said that the incident had come to light after one of the leaflets was returned to Marischal College care of Aberdeen City Council.
But Mrs Stewart said she has “every right” to send out informative letters, adding that the correspondence does not mention her party or ask anyone to vote for her.
The councillor’s code of conduct states: “The council will normally provide facilities to assist councillors in carrying out their duties as councillors or as holders of a particular office within the council.
“Such facilities must only be used in carrying out council duties in accordance with your relevant council’s information technology, communications and member support policies or for incidental personal use as authorised by your council and not related in any way to party political or campaigning activities.”
Mrs Stewart says around 87 letters were posted regarding an access bridge between Eday Road and Queens Den which she insists was purely to inform residents of progress.
But Mr Young said it was “clear as day” the code had been breached.
He said: “This letter does not say it is from Aberdeen City Council but rather that it is from Jennifer Stewart.
“I have just spoken with our officers this correspondence has clearly been sent by Aberdeen City Council through our franking machine. It is a misuse of public money.
“I am writing to the chief executive and monitoring officer asking them to investigate and to get Councillor Stewart to pay the money back if not I will report the matter to the police and the Standards Commission.”
But Mrs Stewart said Mr Young’s intervention was “shameful” and “politicking”.
She said: “This is not a political letter it is to inform residents about something that directly affects them.
“It doesn’t anywhere say that I’m a Liberal Democrat, or urge people to vote for me.
“This is absolutely shameful.
“If Willie Young wants to report me to the chief executive and the Standards Commission then I’d just say bring it on. Bring it on with cream on top.”
