A CASTLE Point councillor has been suspended by the council’s Standards Committee.
Bill Sharp, a councillor for St James’ ward, admitted involving himself in two planning applications despite a friendship with the applicants and also of using abusive language to a council officer.
At a local hearing on Monday the Standards Committee ruled that Mr Sharp should be suspended for eight weeks.
The suspension will run until September 8, and in this time he cannot act as councillor, deal with ward enquiries, attend council meetings, use councillor facilities and is banned from entering the Council Offices. He will receive no councillor allowances during this period.
Mr Sharp has also been ordered to take part in Code of Conduct training within three months.
Chief Executive David Marchant said: “The public expects and deserves high standards from councillors, so the Standards Committee has an important role in ensuring those high standards are met.
“All councillors have a Code of Conduct to observe, so it is right and proper that we take action when a councillor is found to act in contravention of the code.”