Inverclyde councillor branded a 'disgrace' after ethics code breach

SNP man Innes Nelson - who has been branded a 'disgrace' by a businessman behind the project - failed to declare that he lived next door to the earmarked site before taking part in a key planning vote.

Councillor Nelson backed a move to impose a 270-home cap on the number of houses that could be built at the sprawling former IBM land at Spango Valley - resulting in a 5-4 decision that site owners Sandy and James Easdale said would make the project financially unviable.

Now the Ethical Standards Commissioner has found that ward six representative Nelson contravened multiple sections of the Councillors' Code of Conduct over his bid to put a stick in the spokes of the development - which has since been fully approved.

READ MORE: Bid to overturn cap at former Greenock IBM site development backed

Lawyers for the billionaire businessmen Easdale brothers had immediately questioned why Nelson did not disclose that his Chrisswell Farm sat opposite Spango Valley, or that he had previously vehemently opposed the development.

Sandy Easdale said: “Councillor Nelson is a disgrace to his party, his town and the people of Greenock.

“He needs to quit or be kicked off the council.

“Has he even thought about the skilled employment and apprenticeships he has cost the area over the past few years?”

In a letter shared with the Telegraph, the Ethical Standards Commissioner has outlined the reasons for its decision.

The commissioner was of the view that members of the public, with knowledge of the fact that Nelson lived opposite the site and had failed to declare it before motioning for a site visit and proposing that the number of houses be restricted, would be concerned by his ‘lack of candour’.

It was also considered that the councillor’s connection to the application would reasonably be regarded as being so significant that it would be likely to influence the discussion and the decision-making at the planning meeting which took place in March 2022.

This is not the first time Nelson has found himself in hot water.

He was reported to the procurator fiscal after assaulting an Inverclyde Council traffic warden on Cathcart Street in 2017.

He later claimed to the Telegraph that the charges had been dropped, despite accepting an offer from the fiscal to pay the warden £200 in compensation for his violence.

The convicted councillor was also rapped with a £110 fine and penalty points on his driving licence after he pleaded guilty to a road traffic offence.

The original application which Nelson voted to cap sought permission for 450 houses as part of a mixed-used development which was to include retail, leisure and commercial units.

Following the cap’s implementation, the Easdales launched a hugely time-consuming and costly appeal against the decision, which was eventually overturned earlier this year.

Sandy Easdale said: “These appalling delays have cost millions.

“Please remember when we bought the site, we were in a pre-pandemic world.

“Now we are facing increasing interest rates and labour and material costs have rocketed.

“On top of that our legal and architectural costs to get this plan through Inverclyde Council have been substantial.

“Now we await the Standards Commission to give their views of Councillor Nelson’s dereliction of duty and we trust that will not take a year like the Ethical Standards Commissioner did.

“In the meantime, we will be consulting with our advisers on the costly aftermath of this whole sorry affair.”

The Ethical Standards Commissioner will now forward their findings to The Standards Commission for Scotland.

SNP group leader on the council, Councillor Elizabeth Robertson, would not be drawn yesterday on whether Nelson would be jettisoned from the party.

Councillor Robertson said: “The matter in hand has been considered by the Ethical Standards Commissioner, who has decided that it be brought to the Standards Commission.

“Should any action be required, it will be taken upon conclusion of this process.

“It is important that the full process is allowed to reach its conclusion - we are not at this stage yet.”

An Inverclyde Council spokesperson said: “It is for individual Elected Members to ensure they comply with the Councillors’ Code of Conduct, and the Council provides training and support to Members around this.

“We note the findings of the commissioner and the decision to refer the matter to the Standards Commission and we await the outcome of that.”

The Telegraph also approached Nelson for comment, but did not receive a response.