Willie Young warned over 'accidental' Aberdeen council leak

Willie Young admitted that he emailed confidential legal advice to a campaigner

An Aberdeen Labour councillor has been formally warned for breaching the code of conduct over an "accidental" leak.

Willie Young admitted he emailed confidential legal advice to one of the campaigners against the controversial £107m Marischal Square project.

Offices and a hotel are being built on the site of the former council headquarters.

Mr Young, who referred himself to the Standards Commission, was formally censured.

He is Aberdeen City Council's finance convenor.

'Memo on bus'

The incident happened before protestors failed in their bid to get the development halted last March.

Councillors voted by 22-21 to continue with the project.

Commissioner for Ethical Standards in Public Life in Scotland, Bill Thomson, told the hearing: "The circumstances are relatively straightforward and are not in dispute."

Roddy Dunlop QC, who represented Mr Young, said: "This is the electronic equivalent of leaving a confidential memo on a bus."

'Significant contribution'

Mr Dunlop said: "He is demonstrably of good character and a man devoted to his work as a councillor who is extremely distressed to have found himself in the circumstances that he does."

Panel member Julie Ward said the panel had decided to censure the councillor because he was sincerely apologetic and had reported himself.

She said: "The panel would remind all councillors of the importance of due care and consideration in handling information that is of a confidential nature.

"The panel do recognise councillor Young's significant contribution to public life."