Councillor in the clear over controversial poultry farm remark.

INVESTIGATION: Watchdog dismisses accusations after four-month probe

A councillor who sparked anger over “aggressive” remarks about a controversial Perthshire poultry farm has been cleared of wrongdoing by Scotland’s ethical standards watchdog.

Tom Gray was reported to Public Standards commission after he dismissed a row about a £6m chicken breeding site at Bankfoot as a “nonevent”.

The development is being built by German firm Lohmann Tierzurcht.

But the scheme faced opposition from, amongst others, Sir David Carter, who was the Queen’s surgeon in Scotland and regularly advised the government on public health issues.

He expressed concerns that people living within 400 metres of the site were at risk of developing “potential fatal” lung conditions.

At a meeting of Perth and Kinross Council’s development management committee in November, then-convener Mr Gray dismissed the row as a “waste of time and a non-event”. He said he had no complaints about a similar farm which was set up near his home.

Objectors complained to the ethical standards watchdog, claiming Mr Gray had breached the councillors’ code of conduct.

They accused the SNP member of speaking in an aggressive manner, demonstrating a bias and having an interest in the project.

After an investigation which lasted more than four months, Mr Gray was cleared on all counts.

It is the second time in recent years the councillor has been probed by the ethical standards commission.

In 2015, he was cleared of an alleged contravention over “offensive” remarks about ospreys at T in the Park.

Speaking in support of the music festival’s Strathallan Castle relocation, he said: “I don’t know a single osprey to have topped itself because it had to move its nest.”

In his latest findings, commissioner Bill Thomson said Mr Gray had not broken the councillors’ code.

He said: “The crux of the complaint was the allegedly aggressive outburst: ‘This is a waste of time and a non-event’.

“In my view, such words were not offensive, nor were they directed at any particular person at the meeting.”

Mr Thomson added: “According to the committee legal adviser, on this occasion he was a bit more animated, although he considered Mr Gray’s actions to be passionate rather than aggressive.”

Picture: Steven Brown. Councillor Tom Gray.