Aitken leaps to defence of planning chief

Published on Monday 5 February 2007 11:50

CITY leader Ewan Aitken has leapt to the defence of controversial planning leader Trevor Davies.

Councillor Davies has decided to stand down from his role as committee convener whenever the Caltongate redevelopment is discussed.

Protesters had complained about his relationship with developers Mountgrange, and an obscene gesture he made outside a champagne reception hosted by the company.

Speaking in the City Chambers, Cllr Aitken said: "The decision to stand down at these meetings was Councillor Davies's because he believed the unwarranted publicity about him meant some people might perceive some sense of impropriety. But there is none.

"The issue is one of perception rather than actual fact, and he took the decision to step back even though it is not the case that there is impropriety.

"He believes in the planning process strongly and it is right and proper that he has come to this decision."

Cllr Davies will temporarily hand over the chairmanship of the planning committee to colleague Ian Murray when the development comes up. But he will continue to vote as an ordinary member of the committee.

The protesters have also now written to the Standards Commission about Cllr Davies attending the developers' reception in the first place, claiming that the move broke the council's code of conduct.