ALLEGATIONS of misconduct may have destroyed the political career of a councillor after an official report found that he had secured a council house for the mother of a friend through ''extraordinary'', ''unsatisfactory'', and ''potentially damaging'' political manoeuvring.
David Brown was stripped of his positions as convener of Edinburgh's licensing committee and vice chair of the recreation committee. When the report is presented to the full council today, it is expected that the Labour group will remove the whip from Mr Brown, effectively placing him outside the group and potentially ending his political career.
He faces accusations that he interfered in the allocation of a house in Newcraighall by depriving Christina Farquhar, 59, who is disabled, of the house near her family in favour of a family friend, known as Mrs M.
The report by Dr Ralph Musgrave, monitoring officer for City of Edinburgh Council, found that actions of Mr Brown raised ''serious questions''. He recorded surprise that minutes of the allocation meeting appeared not to have been taken.
''I believe that the particular circumstances of the case raise issues of maladministration and possible injustice to some, if not all, of the eight applicants who were unsuccessful in applying for transfer to the Newcraighall house,'' Dr Musgrave reported. Mr Brown was also criticised for failing to tell any member of the sub-committee that he had a personal connection with Mrs M, and for placing Mrs M's application higher than eight prior applicants although she had 112 points compared with Mrs Farquhar's 268.
The sub-committee decided unanimously to allocate the house to Mrs M.
Mrs Farquhar is expected to be offered another house in the Newcraighall area, although she has now lost her place at the head of the list.
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