DUP councillor is suspended by watchdog

A DUP councillor has been suspended from his role over conflict of interest breaches.

The three-month ban on George Duddy, a member of Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council, was imposed by Local Government Commissioner for Standards Marie Anderson following a hearing on Thursday.

It follows an investigation into allegations that Mr Duddy breached the rules of the Local Government Code of Conduct relating to general conduct and the disclosure and declaration of interests.

The hearing was told the councillor had a significant non-financial interest in Terrace Row Presbyterian Church, Coleraine.

Causeway Coast and Glens Council was considering a proposal to rationalise car parking in the town, and the council had been renting a car park from Terrace Row Church for a number of years.

Part of the rationalisation programme involved considering the termination of this lease, the hearing was told.

At a committee meeting on September 6, 2016, Mr Duddy de- clared his interest in respect of the item relating to the church. He then left the room, in compliance with the code.

However, immediately prior to the meeting and at the pre-group party meeting, he had asked another councillor to raise issues and ask questions relating to the car park lease.

The commissioner found the action of asking another councillor to ask questions “on his behalf ” was a deliberate attempt to circumvent the rules on disclosure and declaration of interest and represented a serious breach of the code.

At a full council meeting on September 27 Mr Duddy did not declare an interest in the church, yet commented on the council’s plans and voted in favour of a proposal to try and extend the car park’s lease.

This was in breach of paragraphs 6.3 and 6.4 of the code.

Although the motion was defeated, Ms Anderson noted that there would have been a significant financial benefit to the church if it had been agreed.

Having refused to attend a second interview with investigators, and not co-operated fully with the investigations into his actions, the commissioner also found there had been a breach of rule 4.6 of the code. With the commissioner’s permission, the deputy commissioner withdrew allegations of Mr Duddy’s failure to register his interest in the church.

The commissioner noted his previous good conduct and exemplary public service record — he is a former mayor of Coleraine — as well as his willingness to learn from the events.

However, she stated that these were outweighed by the deliberate nature of the breaches.

The DUP said: “The party have been made aware and it will be considered by the party officers.”

Conflict of interest: George Duddy