By PAUL KELLY
Published on Wednesday 27 June 2012 16:00
A CONTROVERSIAL South Tyneside councillor has been carpeted after a Town Hall data leak.
Coun. David Potts was investigated by the Standards Committee, having already been given a police caution for “the disclosure of highly sensitive and confidential personal information about individuals” in March.
It found he was in breach of three provisions of the Council’s Code of Conduct, which all elected members pledge to uphold.
Coun Potts’s conduct was in breach of rules which forbid the disclosure of confidential information and which requires councillors to treat people with respect.
The UKIP member for the Cleadon and East Boldon ward was also found to have brought the council, and his office as an elected member, into disrepute.
Coun Potts has been formally censured by the Standards Committee and will see the withdrawal of his facilities for six months, meaning that he will be restricted in the support services he will receive from council staff.
His computer equipment, including his Blackberry and laptop, will be retained by the council for six months, and all his contact with authority officers in the same time period will have to come through a single named contact.
He must also write a letter of apology to all members of the Council within 28 days.
Coun Potts can appeal against this decision within 21 days of receiving the decision in full.
A council spokesman said: “Our residents rightly expect the highest standards to be upheld by their elected representatives, and it is our responsibility to tackle inappropriate behaviour if it arises.
“The sub-committee received the investigator’s recommendations and considered representations submitted by Coun Potts before concluding that serious breaches of the code had taken place.
“This ruling sends a clear signal that South Tyneside Council does not tolerate inappropriate behaviour at any level.”
The Gazette was unable to contact Coun Potts for comment today.