Councillor to appear before disciplinary panel

A FIFE councillor has been called before a disciplinary panel to answer an accusation that he prejudiced a taxi driver’s licence application by making inappropriate remarks about his past.

Councillor David MacDiarmid allegedly referred to the applicant having previous convictions, saying: “I think this man is a bully and I don’t want bullies driving people round in taxis in Fife.”

The SNP councillor, who represents the Howe of Fife and Tay Coast ward, is said to have made the remark, and other disrespectful comments, during a meeting of Fife Council’s regulation and licensing committee in December 2015.

Mr MacDiarmid will appear before a panel at Fife House on April 25. He faces being sanctioned by the Standards Commission for Scotland (SCS) if he is found to have breached the councillors’ code of conduct.

An investigation has already been carried out by the Commissioner for Ethical Standards i n Public Life i n Scotland, who will outline the case against Mr MacDiarmid. The councillor, or his representatives, will then be given a chance to respond.

The taxi driver had his licence refused by the licensing committee at the time but that decision was later overturned after appeal.

Professor Kevin Dunion, convener of the SCS, said: “A failure to behave properly and to be seen to be behaving properly in council meetings risks a councillor’s decision, or those of the council, being legally challenged.”

Mr MacDiarmid declined to comment ahead of the hearing.

David MacDiarmid