COUNCILLORS have been banned from asking any questions about the former cabinet member for the economy getting a £70,000 job at Spaceport Cornwall – which is run by Corserv, a company owned by the council – at today’s final full council meeting (Tuesday, April 15) before the May 1 election.

Cllr Louis Gardner, from Newquay, is the subject of an investigation by Devon and Cornwall Police following a complaint about “misconduct in public office” after £200,000 of government funding was approved for the Spaceport at a meeting attended by the councillor on February 27. He didn’t declare a pecuniary interest and just days later was given the head of future air and space job.

Paul Grant, the council’s new monitoring officer, emailed all councillors on Monday (April 14) asking that they don’t ask any questions about the matter during today’s meeting.

He wrote: “There have been a number of enquiries from members in recent weeks regarding the proceedings of the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Economic Prosperity Board meeting on February 27. I am mindful of how questions for the cabinet might be dealt with at the council meeting.

“Members are reminded that the council has a code of conduct that members agree to follow and this forms part of our constitution. This includes reference to members’ interests and responsibilities in relation to these interests. We also have procedures to deal with complaints where it is alleged that a member has breached the code of conduct.

“For certain cases in which we receive a formal and valid complaint, we require that an investigation into the matter takes place and this is conducted by an independent person. Such procedures would be confidential and no comments should be made in a public meeting that speculate on the outcome of any actual or potential code of conduct complaint before or during an investigation.

“I am mindful of press reports regarding a police investigation. Such an investigation would take precedence over any council investigation, which would not commence or would be suspended pending the conclusion of the police inquiry.

“We would not do anything to prejudice any police inquiry and therefore any corporate view on this would have to be ‘no comment’. The Localism Act sets out that a decision of the council and is not unlawful just because of a breach of the code of conduct, which in this case remains untested and unproven in accordance with our rules.

“Finally, members are reminded of the pre-election period that we are currently in and any questions that draw attention to any of the above as a potential election issue could breach the rules on publicity during the pre-election period.”

Despite Mr Grant’s directive, there will be two questions asked in relation to the situation during the public questions part of today’s meeting:

“Regarding the appointment of Cllr Gardner to head of air and space, does the Corserv shareholder agree with the North Cornwall MP Ben Maguire who has ‘deep concerns about transparency, integrity, and public trust’ – and if the shareholder does not agree, then why not?”

“Does the leader of Cornwall Council believe that the Nolan Principles of honesty and objectivity and accountability and selflessness and openness and leadership must apply to all members of Cornwall Council cabinet at all times?”

Despite still sitting as a councillor, Cllr Gardner has not listed his Spaceport position on his register of interests. Cllr Gardner resigned as cabinet member for the economy on accepting the Spaceport job at the beginning of March. He will retire as a councillor on election day.