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Ewan Aitken

Defending the indefensible

By The Basa ⋅ February 5, 2007 ⋅

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Council Leader Ewan ‘Rasputin’ Aitken comes into today’s newspaper defending the indefensible, namely, Trevor ‘the finger’ Davies’ acceptance of free champagne from the people who will be coming to his committee for carte blance permission to go against a community’s wishes in the rush for the mighty dollar.

City leader Ewan Aitken has leapt to the defence of controversial planning leader Trevor Davies.

Councillor Davies has decided to stand down from his role as committee convener whenever the Caltongate redevelopment is discussed.

However, Davies, by accepting this hospitality may, or may already have, exerted influence in favour of a particular organization and that, further, in accepting an offer of hospitality from an organization which is an applicant awaiting a decision from the Council, he has contravened the specific prohibition of such under Sections 3.8 and 3.9 of the Code of Conduct for Councillors, made under The Ethical Standards in Public Life etc. (Scotland) Act 2000. His subsequent, ameliorative actions are, wholly inadequate to allay public concern and reasonable suspicion.

Further, Davies lists the following in his ‘Register of Interests’ under ‘Gifts and Hospitality’.

BL Developmet - Btle of Wine (sic)- £8 - 19 December 2006
Boots the Chemist - Dinner - £50 - 16 November 2006
ARUP - Dinner and Book - £70 - 6 December 2006.

All these entries were made on 20 December 2006 and relate to events both before and after the Mountgrange Champagne Reception which, despite the controversy, is not recorded. This gives rise to the reasonable suspicion that Davies has no intention of registering his attendance; contrary to Section 3.13 You must record with the appropriate officer the details of any gifts or hospitality received.

Truly amazing that a Council Leader would defend one of his buddies for this one.

As Thomas the Tank says:

And, with the greatest respect to His Reverence, Davies is now subject of several official complaints to the Standards Commissioner -Aitken should know better than to make public comment on a matter that’s effectively Sub-Judice - surely he’s not trying to exert improper influence on the outcome?

More Info: Aitken leaps to defence of planning chief

Hat tip to the Whisky dude.