No expenses payment to councillors living in own property

Orkney Islands Council has approved guidance on councillor allowances in a move to “put to bed” the recent expenses row at School Place.

At today’s meeting of the OIC policy and resources committee members agreed that “no new payments be made of the friends or family allowance where the councillor owns the property or owns a share in the property.”

The committee also recommended that the council’s chief executive should write to the minister for local government and planning to highlight the challenges for elected members in the remoter isles, and also to request a review of councillor remuneration, expenses and allowances.

The decision was welcomed by the councillor at the centre of the controversy, Stephen Hagan, who said he agreed with the recommendations before committee members.