Fife councillor in probe for alleged sharing of confidential info on social media
Cllr Andy Heer (Scottish Conservative, Howe of Fife and Tay Coast) is accused of sharing details of a special meeting of Fife Resource Solutions (FRS) in a post on Facebook on May 20.
A complaint referred to the Ethical Standards Commissioner, Caroline Anderson, alleges that Cllr Heer breached the FRS Members Agreement in disclosing the information.
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Hide AdRule 3.19 of the Councillors' Code of Conduct requires elected members to follow the rules of any organisations they are part of in their role as a councillor.
FRS is an arms-length body run by Fife Council which handles waste management on the local authority's behalf.
The Standards Commission for Scotland will consider the allegation at a hearing on December 16, which will be livestreamed online.
Cllr Heer said it was his intention to contest the "surprising" allegations next week.
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Hide Ad"It seems very unfair that they (the Ethical Standards Commissioner) have a taxpayer-funded QC to prosecute me whereas I have no legal representation," he said.
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"I could get some but I would have to pay for it out of my own pocket. There's no Legal Aid for this kind of thing.
"I believe I have a very good defence and people will be surprised at what will come out at the hearing."
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Hide AdHis hearing comes shortly after a fellow Conservative Fife councillor, Tony Miklinski, was suspended for two full meetings of the council by the Standards Commission after being found to have behaved in a manner "amounting to harassment" towards the owners of a local business.