Two Highland councillors will be grilled by an ethics watchdog after complaints were raised about them.
Wick and East Caithness councillor Andrew Jarvie’s case concerns comments he made about former Highland Council chief executive Donna Manson.
Mr Jarvie is understood to have claimed that Mrs Manson lied to councillors.
The comments were made during a public meeting in December 2022.
Mrs Manson has since left her position at the council. She started a new role as chief executive of Devon County Council in February 2023.
How have the councillors responded to the claims?
There are two allegations against Cromarty Firth councillor Maxine Smith.
The first is that she failed to declare an interest in two companies, Thistle Excursions and Venus Beauty Salon, until five months after she was re-elected in May 2022.
Councillors are required to declare interests within one month of being elected.
The second complaint alleges that she discriminated against another councillor, Tamala Collier, because she was pregnant.
Councillor Smith disputes both of the claims against her.
Her case will be heard at Highland Council’s Glenurquhart Road headquarters on February 6.
Councillor Jarvie said he was not in a position to comment on his case.
His hearing will take place online on March 1.
It will be streamed on the Standards Commission’s website.
Both councillors are members of the Highland Alliance political group.
Councillor Smith was formerly the leader of the council’s SNP group while councillor Jarvie was formerly the leader of its Conservative group.
What is the Standards Commission?
The Standards Commission is an independent body whose purpose is to encourage high ethical standards in public life.
It does this through the enforcement of a code of conduct for councillors.
Complaints are investigated by the Ethical Standards Commissioner, Ian Bruce.
Three types of sanctions are available to the commission if a councillor is found to have breached the code of conduct.
It has the power to disqualify someone from serving or suspend them temporarily.
It could also simply censure them, which is effectively just a formal recording of public disapproval of their actions.
If no breach of the code is found, then no action is taken.
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