An Aberdeen councillor has claimed that he and his colleagues have been inundated with “abusive” e-mails over the controversial Marischal Square development.
Conservative member Alan Donnelly spoke out after 20 city councillors were cleared by the standards watchdog following an inquiry into their handling of the scheme.
All but three members of the local authority’s ruling Labour-led administration were under investigation by the Commissioner for Ethical Standards in Public Life in Scotland after a complaint from a member of the public.
They had been accused of failing to respond to communications relating to the Broad Street offices scheme, but the watchdog has now cleared the group of any wrong-doing.
In a written ruling, the commissioner said that the decisions taken by the council “were all undertaken in compliance with the democratic process and in accordance with the council’s scheme of administration”.
He added that they had not failed to take account of different points of view, because members of the public addressed meetings where the Marischal Square project was considered.
The decision paves the way for the resignation of Fraser Forsyth, a former Conservative member who is currently not aligned to a party, who told the Press and Journal last week that he would quit when the probe was concluded, because he was moving his family to England.
Mr Donnelly criticised the opponents of the scheme.
“It’s excellent news. They were claiming that councillors weren’t replying to e-mails, but in my experience with Union Terrace Gardens and the now Marischal Square, we’re getting inundated with vicious and malicious e-mails,” he said.
“People won’t listen to reason. They have their minds set.
“Councillors shouldn’t have to put up with e-mails that are of an abusive nature and have no understanding of how the council works.”
It is understood that separate complaints about Marischal Square relating specifically to finance convener Willie Young and deputy council leader Marie Boulton are still being considered by the commissioner.
Mr Young said: “The reason he has found in our favour is because a democratic debate took place at all times in the council chamber.
“The position of those for and against development was debated, with the majority view taken forward at all times. That’s democracy for you.”