DISAPPOINTMENT AT STANDARDS RULING

15 Apr 2013

SNP MSP, John Mason, has expressed his disappointment at the Standards Commission’s recent decision not to pursue former Glasgow City Councillor, Catherine McMaster and current Councillors George Redmond and Jim Coleman for their part in financial misconduct.

The Shettleston MSP referred a complaint to the Standards Commission, following the trio’s handling of the £500,000 pay-off for Ronnie Saez, former Chief Executive of Glasgow East Regeneration Agency – which the charity regulator, OSCR, slammed as “misconduct” and “wholly inappropriate”.

Commenting on the Standard’s Commission’s decision not to pursue the issue further, John Mason MSP said:

“People have rightly been infuriated by the actions of these Labour Councillors and they will no doubt be further incensed by the Standards Commission’s toothless action.

“The idea that these Councillors are going to get away with this scot-free is totally infuriating.  These Councillors squandered hundreds of thousands of pounds of public money and this does not reflect well on the Labour Party, our City and our communities here in the East End.

“Back in 2007 I was given a nine month suspension from the Standards Commission for sitting in the Lord Provost’s Chair in Glasgow.  Years later we see three experienced Labour Councillors told they merely need training after being found guilty of financial misconduct.  I mean, seriously, come on!

“The bottom line here is that these were three experienced Councillors, two of whom are still in Office, and they should have known better.  They’ve failed the Labour Party, Glasgow, and above all, the tax payer – their constituents.”