Suspended councillor's comments could go public
FRASERBURGH councillor Ian Tait has welcomed the news that information regarding details his suspension from Aberdeenshire Council last year now looks set to be made public.
Aberdeenshire Council have been ordered to reveal details of the remarks which led to the Broch councillor's suspension for six months last year, following a ruling by the Scottish Information Commissioner Kevin Dunion.
The Independent councillor had been found guilty by the council's conduct committee of bringing the council into disrepute.
Welcoming the news, Councillor Tait described the ruling as "good news for democracy".
"I am absolutely delighted. This is fantastically good news," he said.
Councillor Tait added that he had always wanted all the details to be made public, stating: "I wanted the council to release every single bit of information connected with this affair. I said that right from the start. I was prevented from sending off material to the local Government Ombudsman.
"Now I want every single scrap of information to be made available and I welcome the Information Commissioner's decision," he said.
In effect, he added, his suspension had lasted longer than six months.
"Officially, I was suspended for six months, but the way it was worked out, because of including holidays, it was around eight months in total," he explained.
"During that period, I was permitted to attend community council meetings and full council meetings, but not the Banff and Buchan Area Committee," he said.
He was keen to see the ruling in full, admitting: "I have not seen the actual judgement yet, but I think the decision is a triumph for common sense and for democracy.
"The council's stance has not been good for democracy."
An Aberdeenshire Council spokesman said: "We are disappointed at the outcome of the investigation and are currently considering our options."
The local authority has been ordered to comply with the ruling by July 2, however, they have 42 days in which to lodge an appeal with the Court of Session.
The ruling followed a request by Inverurie man Ellis Thorpe, who took the matter to the Scottish Information Commissioner.
"I am a great advocate of democracy, especially local democracy and the freedom of the Press. What bothered me about this was that Councillor Tait did not have the chance to reply in public," he told the Herald.
Mr Thorpe, who has never met Councillor Tait, said he was acting in the interests of democracy.
He also added that he had also put in a request to the Scottish Information Commissioner that all the information and documents be released. He added that an edited version would not suffice.
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Weather for Fraserburgh
Saturday 11 February 2012
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