Aberdeen’s controversial finance chief is to face his third standards commission grilling after leaking legal advice on the city’s £107million Marischal Square project to a prominent critic of the development.
Councillor Willie Young referred himself to the body after he e-mailed the confidential planning advice to protestor Fraser Garrow.
He had meant to send it to councillor Fraser Forsyth during the run up to a crucial debate on the complex in March.
Mr Young now faces being suspended from his position.
The Bridge of Don member has previously faced the commission after being accused of lying about a claim that suspending the Marischal Square development would cost the city £100million in fines.
He and six other prominent councillors were also called on to explain the distribution of pro-Union letters with council tax bills during the run up to last year’s independence referendum.
But Mr Young was cleared of any wrongdoing on both counts.
His latest grilling – set for January 12 – comes in the wake of the revelation that council bosses, including chief executive Angela Scott and leader Jenny Laing, are being hauled before a Holyrood committee after the authority was accused of snubbing a meeting with MSPs.
The council had their knuckles wrapped by Aberdeen MSP Kevin Stewart over the “unacceptable” lack of attendance at a local government committee meeting.
Judith Proctor, chief officer of the health and social care integration department, had also been due to attend the meeting, but pulled out citing “work commitments”.
SNP member Mr Stewart said attendance was “not discretionary” and demanded the prominent council figures go to Holyrood to explain themselves.
Pressure is also mounting on the Marischal Square development – repeatedly defended by Mr Young – with a motion by Mr Stewart noting the concerns of the Reject Marischal Square group gaining cross-party support at Holyrood.
He will now try and secure a members’ debate slot which he hopes can push the issue further.
Last night, the objector at the centre of Mr Young’s most recent storm, Mr Garrow, said that the accidental sending of the e-mail to him showed the senior councillor’s “reckless” attitude.
“I thought it was quite a ridiculous position that during the special meeting in March I had a copy of confidential legal advice that members outwith the ruling administration had not yet been privy to,” he said.
“If councillor Young can show such a reckless attitude in sending a confidential e-mail – with highly important information at the time – it surely brings in to question his attitude in the wider aspect of the position he holds.”
Aberdeen Donside MSP Mark McDonald said the number of times Mr Young has now been before the commission raises questions.
He said: “I think that people will be alarmed at the number of times that this member and prominent members of the administration have been referred to the commission.
“It has not been politicians referring him but members of the public. I think this shows the regard that people in Aberdeen have for the administration.”
Last night, an unabashed Mr Young said: “I can happily look at myself in the mirror and know that I’ve acted with complete integrity.
“I said that I would report myself following my human error regarding that legal advice.
“As soon as I realised, and it was only when a Press and Journal reporter phoned me, I held my hands up and admitted it.
“I could have hidden it, I could have kept quiet, but as far as I’m concerned I’m guilty of nothing more than something anyone could do.”
He added that following previous appearances he had “never been found guilty” of anything, and the number of referrals did not indicate guilt.
Marischal Square backlash
Councillor Young has faced much backlash from critics of the controversial Marischal Square project since plans were unveiled in 2013.
Protestors held up signs declaring him ‘Wanted: for crimes against Aberdeen’ when a mass rally was organised outside Marischal College to fight the development in January.
Criticism of the project has often focused on the design of the multi-million pound mixed-use site, with fears that the building will block out the view of the historic college.
Mr Young has also been repeatedly grilled on the complex monetary arrangements, with accusations that if enough businesses are not interested then the taxpayer will have to pick up the slack.
The council sold the former St Nicholas House site to Aviva investors for £10million.
It will lease Marischal Square for £5million per year for 35 years when it is completed in 2017. It can then buy the site back for £1.
Two office buildings, a hotel, and seven restaurants and bars are to be part of the project.
Critics have bombarded the council with freedom of information requests demanding to know what the business case for the development was.
They were answered “there is no business case at this time”, and are continuing to push for a full public inquiry into how the deal emerged.
But Mr Young has always insisted the new development will be “good news for the city” and compared it with other previously unpopular developments like the glass addition to His Majesty’s Theatre.