David McKay
Seven senior councillors in Aberdeen are today facing a public hearing following complaints about “pro-union” letters that were issued to citizens with council tax bills.
Five Labour, one Conservative and one independent member are appearing before a Standards Commission for Scotland panel at the town house, chaired by Ian Gordon.
The elected members have to answer claims they breached section three of the Councillors Code of Conduct for the use of council facilities for political ends.
The case relates to correspondence sent to all council tax payers in the city prior to September’s independence referendum.
The letter, signed by then leader Barney Crockett, said Aberdeen is “stronger now and will be stronger in the future – economically, politically and socially – as a partner within the United Kingdom”.
The mass mailing, which went out with 110,000 council tax and 6,500 business rate demands, prompted a string of complaints from members of the public, as well as opposition SNP councillors and local MSPs.
The matter was first raised with the Commissioner for Ethical Standards in Public Life in Scotland, who referred it to the Standards Commission.
The alleged breach has been considered serious enough to warrant a hearing, which indicates that the commissioner believes the code of conduct may have been contravened.
Mr Crockett has been named, alongside current leader Jenny Laing, finance convener Willie Young, communities housing and infrastructure convener Neil Cooney and Labour councillor Ross Grant.
Conservative Ross Thomson and former Tory councillor Fraser Forsyth, who resigned from the party last year, are also present.
As the hearing was getting underway, Frances Randle, a solicitor from Steel and Shamash representing the five Labour councillors, objected to plans to allow a witness to give evidence via Skype.
Former chief executive Valerie Watts, who is now head of the health and social care board in Northern Ireland, refused to attend. The hearing adjourned to allow the panel time to consider how to proceed.
Panel chairman and convener of the Standards Commission, Ian Gordon, said: “I find it disappointing in terms of public service, that a senior public servant has declined to come in person.”
All seven councillors were formerly on the urgent business committee, which agreed for the letters to be issued. SNP members of the committee walked out in protest before the decision was taken to proceed with the mailing.
Audit Scotland was previously asked to investigate the matter, but found no rules had been broken.
The watchdog said the council did not incur any additional costs by including the statement in a message about the budget.