Research for my previous post (Oxter Award) exposed some pretty dubious council fauna in dark corners, especially in and around wur Dear Green Place. The broad range of accusations makes some form of ranking necessary and so I have awarded ‘black marks’. NOTE: those exonerated by either the courts or Audit Scotland (an astonishing 15 each in Glasgow and South Lanarkshire by the latter) are zero-rated.
- ☁ Apparent lack of judgement or momentary lapse deserving admonition only
- ☁☁ Abusive behaviour or systemic incompetence but little moral turpitude
- ☁☁☁ Dishonesty for minor personal gain or non-moral conviction (e.g DUI)
- ☁☁☁☁ Substantial or systemic abuse of position or dishonesty conviction
- ☁☁☁☁☁ Wholesale corruption or court conviction involving jury trial
Within our present system, 1-3 black marks do not result in automatic disqualification from holding office as a councillor; 4 or 5 do. As these ‘grades’ are all my own invention, I deducted a black mark for those with the grace to admit their error publicly and resign altogether. Few did. I do subscribe to the principle that there is no moral latitude when it comes to representing the public. Nonetheless, just as punishment should fit the crime, the scale of moral turpitude does have a place in considering the seriousness of any lapse of judgement leading to betrayal of public trust. Those inducted and their classes are:
More reading: Herald, 29th August 2010
More reading: Scotsman, 15th February 2010; Herald, 17th February 2010
More reading: Standards Commission, 31st March 2009; Lennox Herald, April 10th 2009
More reading: Standards Commission 25th Feb 2009; Stirling Observer, 6th March 2009
More reading: Paisley Daily Express Oct 20th 2010
p.s. Not to be confused, despite appearances, with Dinsdale Pirana.
