CONFIDENTIAL papers about a councillor conduct row will “shock” the four senior officials who brought the case, it is claimed.
Argyll and Bute councillor Michael Breslin was reported to the Commissioner for Ethical Standards in Public Life in Scotland (CESPLS) by senior members of staff at the local authority 18 months ago.
The specifics of the case are not known due to confidentiality rules surrounding live investigations, but Breslin, who represents the Dunoon ward, denies breaching the councillors’ code of conduct.
The independent councillor claims the complaint was made to silence opposition to the Tory-LibDem-Independent coalition at the head of the local authority.
CEPSLS officials will travel to Kilmory to stage the hearing today, and also publish case documents that run to 1,000 pages.
Last week Breslin wrote to fellow councillors to warn the publication may lead to “bad press” for the local authority as a result of the disclosures he has made, stating: “I have made every effort to find a compromise solution here, so any consequential bad press cannot be laid at me door.”
Yesterday he told The National: “When the case papers are published on the commissioner’s website, they will come as a shock to the four complainants. I have had to provide the commissioner with information that otherwise I would not have disclosed.”
The complaint was lodged by chief executive Sally Loudon; executive director of community services Cleland Sneddon; executive customer services director Douglas Hendry; and Pippa Milne, executive director of development and infrastructure services.
The matter is understood to relate to comments made by Breslin over controversies surrounding the use of Rothesay harbour, the sale of Castle Toward and pay for home care workers.
Breslin, who has been backed by a number of councillors, MSPs and MPs, has submitted a “no case to answer” legal argument, which will be debated in the public session.
He believes his comments are protected under Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which protects free speech, with case law backing this up.
A crowdfunder launched to help cover legal costs had raised around £2,000 last night and, if the commission rules against him, he intends to challenge the matter through the courts.
He told The National: “My life has been on hold for 18 months over this. It has directly affected my ability to work as a councillor because of the huge amount of time, effort and expense I have had to put in to defend my reputation.”
Argyll and Bute MSP Michael Russell, who supports Breslin, said: “Michael is a good councillor trying to do his job. I find it completely unacceptable that he should be tried in this way. I don’t believe he has done anything other than attempt to represent the people.”
The CESPLS does not comment on ongoing investigations due to confidentiality rules.
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