Former leader is investigated over corruption claims
An investigation has been launched into a former Lib Dem council leader – after he called for council officers to be investigated.
Gosport councillor Dave Smith asked the Audit Commission for a probe into council officers, claiming the authority was 'corrupt'.
But the government watchdog said it was outside its remit. Now three council officers have reported Cllr Smith to the Standards Board for England, the local government watchdog.
An investigation has now been launched into whether Cllr Smith – now an independent councillor – has broken the code of conduct and brought the authority into disrepute by making his claims of corruption.
He also claimed officers were colluding with opposition councillors in an attempt to get the Lib Dems out of power and said they were trying to stop the Lib Dems getting policies through the council chamber.
Cllr Smith said: 'I'm absolutely disgusted by this.
'As leader of the council it was my duty as to ask for help from a government office if I didn't think something was right. It was my right to ask for help and I don't feel ashamed of what I have done. I had genuine grievances and I went through all the correct channels to try and sort them out.
'The fact that I've been reported because of this is just outrageous. All they want to do is shut me up, but I had a right to make my concerns known.'
Councillor Graham Burgess, deputy leader of the Tory Party which now runs the council, said: 'All councillors sign up to the code of conduct and they must abide by it.'
Joanne Sheppard, spokeswoman for the Standards Board for England, confirmed that Cllr Smith is being investigated.
She said: 'We considered the allegations and decided that an investigation was necessary to find out if there had been a breach of the Code of Conduct.
'That investigation is currently under way. There were three complainants, all of whom were council officers.'
No one from the council was available to comment.
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Friday 25 May 2012
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