Aberdeen councillor censured over confidential budget information

Protests were held about the budget last year

A member of Aberdeen City Council's ruling administration has been censured for disclosing confidential budget information at a public meeting.

Independent Alliance group leader Marie Boulton shared authority budget information at a community council meeting in January last year.

The Standards Commission held a hearing into her conduct.

It was satisfied she had not disclosed the figures for "personal or party-political gain".

She disclosed the confidential information concerning the council's budget at a public meeting of Cults, Bieldside and Milltimber Community Council.

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Mike McCormick, chairman of the hearing panel, said: "The requirement for councillors to maintain confidentiality is a fundamental requirement of the code."

The panel found that Councillor Boulton advised members of the community council that the council was looking at having to save £45m.

The panel accepted that she had not intended to disclose the information and had only done so under scrutiny at the meeting.

Aberdeen City Council is run by a coalition of Conservative, Labour and Independent councillors.