Councillor's 'serious error'

Gordon Terry was a Conservative councillor

A councillor was disqualified because he made a "serious error" of judgement in taking part in a meeting where he had a prejudicial interest.

Ipswich Borough councillor Gordon Terry should not have taken part in a meeting discussing the local plan, the Adjudication Panel said on Monday

Planning consultant Mr Terry had been advised by officers not to take part in the meeting.

Officers were concerned about his links to property developers.

In February an allegation that Mr Terry had improperly used his position to gain advantage for himself and others was rejected.

On Monday, the local government watchdog the Adjudication Panel for England published the reasons for disqualifying Mr Terry in February.

Gordon Terry was disqualified from Ipswich Borough Council for a year

In the decision, Malcolm Gilbert, who chaired the panel, said the evidence showed Mr Terry "made a serious error of misjudgement in deciding that he did not have a prejudicial interest in the business" before the committee.

Mr Gilbert added that as Mr Terry had been a councillor since 1999 and "should be expected to act with appropriate judgement in an area as sensitive as planning".

Mr Terry told the BBC the decision to disqualify him would stop people becoming councillors and "giving their expertise and time to help run a local authority".

In the beginning of February, the Adjudication Panel hearing was told that Paul Turner, a principal solicitor with Ipswich council, had been concerned about Mr Terry's participation in the meeting because he worked as a planning consultant in planning applications to the council.

'In touch with firm'

At the hearing, Mr Turner said Mr Terry had told him he still kept in contact with property firm Samuel Beadie, a company which the panel was told had a financial interest in an east link road in Ipswich being brought into the local plan.

Mr Terry had been a consultant for Hertfordshire-based Samuel Beadie, but had severed his links the with company in 2001, the panel heard.

Mr Terry said he could not remember the conversation taking place, but said that he did occasionally meet representatives of Samuel Beadie, but was not a paid or unpaid consultant for them.

Questioned by Standard's Board solicitor Chris Boothman, Mr Terry said he was not aware that a representative of Samuel Beadie had come to the hearing.

He added: "We are in touch. They know about the proceedings."

At an earlier hearing, Mr Terry and another councillor Stephen Barker, leader of the Tory group on the council, were both suspended for a year for writing a letter which criticised an officer's professionalism and impartiality.

Conservative councillor Mr Terry represented Bixley Ward on Ipswich Borough Council.

The complaint about Mr Terry was first revealed by BBC News Online in October 2002.