Political

Councillor fined for breaking election expense limit – but keeps his seat

The Courier reports:

Perth and Kinross Council has received confirmation that no extra legal sanctions can be applied to a councillor fined in court for election fraud.

Councillor Ian Miller, leader of the council, told The Courier he now had legal clarification that no action could be taken against Councillor Alan Jack, who was fined £450 at Perth Sheriff Court for exceeding the limit of election expenses between March 22 and May 26 last year.

Mr Jack’s political future looked uncertain following the court case earlier this month but it appears he is set to carry on as one of the representatives for the Almond and Earn ward…

“If this had happened in England, he (Jack) would have been automatically disqualified as a councillor, as the law intended,” [Ian Miller] said.

“However, there is apparently no provision for this in the Scottish version of the Representation of the People Act.

The independent councillor was fined after submitting an election expense return for £2,066 despite the legal limit being £1,215.36.

UPDATE:

Councillors on Perth and Kinross Council have censured a colleague who was fined for election fraud by unanimously removing him from all the committees on which he served.

In addition, they agreed to strip all appointments to external bodies from Councillor Alan Jack.