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Sunday, 5th September 2010You are in: Home > News > TRUMP OPPONENT IN 'SWEETNER' CLAIM CLEARED
TRUMP OPPONENT IN 'SWEETNER' CLAIM CLEARED
Aberdeenshire Councillor Paul Johnston has been cleared by the Standards Commission after he highlighted in a newspaper article his concerns about a land deal between Donald Trump and the local authority as part of the tycoon's planning application to build a housing and golf course development at Menie Estate.
Today Councillor Johnston received confirmation from the Chief Investigating Officer of the Standards Commission that he had been exonerated following an investigation.
Councillor Johnston indicated in the newspaper article that he felt that the land deal between Aberdeenshire Council and Donald Trump was too generous to the developer and would involve breaches of council policy.
Councillor Johnston said:
"I feel relieved and very happy that the judgement as to my conduct has been found to be in my favour. I have been cleared.
"The verdict is also a vindication of my decision to refer the matter myself to the Standards Commission. It is clear that the council was wrong to say that I had committed a serious breach of the code when clearly I had not.
"My constituents can now be assured that I have been cleared of any improper conduct and that my actions were in fact part of me doing my job properly which includes raising questions that need to be be raised in relation to issues of major public concern.
"The verdict has been a great weight lifted from me as such allegations, now shown as unfounded, were deeply distressing.
"The judgement raises questions on the Council's process of dealing with planning agreements where they involve the granting of permissions as a condition. This was a matter I raised with Jim McKinnon, the Scottish Government's chief Planner and will raise again with officials to seek a revised procedure."
Following Cllr Johnston's public statement of concern in the newspaper article about the planning gain package, he was condemned for his comments by Aberdeenshire Council leader Anne Robertson and threatened with being suspended from council meetings.
At the full council meeting on 2 October 2008, Aberdeenshire Council were asked by the leadership to vote in favour of a plan to discipline Councillor Johnston before the Standards Commission had completed its investigation. However, Councillor, Debra Storr asked the council to adhere to the principle of 'innocent until proven otherwise'. She was then expelled by the Liberal Democrat Group for taking this approach.
The verdict of the Standards Commission raises the possibility that Council Leader, Anne Robertson may now face defamation action against her following her comments clearly stating that Councillor Johnston was guilty of a serious breach of the standards of conduct expected by councillors. Her comments may in themselves have been a breach of the Councillors' Code of Conduct.
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