Moray Council’s convener has been censured after failing to declare her links with NHS Grampian.
Shona Morrison was chairwoman of a meeting of the authority’s full council in October last year when councillors were due to discuss a response to an NHS Grampian consultation about Dr Gray’s Hospital.
However, her register of interests at the time failed to disclose she was a member of the health board and she did not raise it at the start of the meeting.
She stood down as chairwoman while the item was being discussed, but did not leave the chamber.
A complaint was made that Mrs Morrison should have declared her interest, which was considered by the Standards Commission for Scotland (SCS) yesterday.
Paul Walker, Standards Commission Member and Chair of the Hearing Panel told the hearing the councillor had apologised unreservedly for breaching the code of conduct.
He said their inquiry found that Mrs Morrison’s failure to comply with the Code was “inadvertent and an oversight”.
Mr Walker said their report had concluded Mrs Morrison had failed to register her interest and was in breach of the Councillor’s Code of Conduct.
The panel determined she did not warrant a more severe sanction due to no evidence that she had attempted to conceal her interest or any personal gain.
Mrs Morrison said: “I am happy and relieved that the Standards Commission accepted my position, as the process has taken nearly a year.”
