South Lanarkshire Council chief Joe Fagan suspended for leaking confidential data

The chief of South Lanarkshire Council has been suspended for 2 months for disclosing confidential data to the media.

Labour’s Joe Fagan was discovered to have leaked an inventory of services that have been reported to be susceptible to closure underneath the earlier SNP council administration.

He was discovered to have breached the councillors’ code of conduct shortly earlier than the 2021 Holyrood election.

The Standards Commission stated the disclosure to the press would have led to hypothesis about services being closed – earlier than any last choice had been taken – which may have triggered “undue and unnecessary concern”.

The panel added that Mr Fagan was motivated “at least in part” for political acquire.

In response to the ruling on Tuesday, Mr Fagan stated: “I regret what has happened but my conscience is clear.

“I did what I believed to be proper and that is why I received into native authorities within the first place.

“My accusers said I leaked information and yet I openly disclosed it in good faith.

“I imagine the Standards framework in Scotland ought to go after actual wrongdoing in native authorities, it shouldn’t tie the palms of these working to show it.”

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‘A failure to respect confidentiality’

The Standards Commission stated it was “disappointed” Mr Fagan had disclosed the knowledge.

Suzanne Vestri, Standards Commission member and chair of the listening to panel, stated: “The obligation on councillors to refrain from disclosing confidential information is a key requirement of the councillors’ code of conduct.

“A failure to respect confidentiality can harm the repute and integrity of a council, and may also impede discussions and decision-making.

“The panel agreed that, in this case, it was legitimate for the council to have decided that the information be kept confidential until such a time as the proposals discussed had been finalised and officers had sufficient time to prepare and manage external communications.

“This would make sure the council’s place and response have been communicated clearly and absolutely.”

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Mr Fagan was stated to have cooperated absolutely with the investigation.

The panel additionally discovered “no evidence of repeated behaviour over a long period of time, of dishonesty and/or concealment, or of any previous contraventions of the code” by the councillor.

A South Lanarkshire Council spokesperson stated: “We note the outcome of the hearing of the Ethical Standards Commission for Scotland and we await the written judgement, which we expect to receive within 14 days.”