A SENIOR councillor and former mayor of Worcester faces possible suspension from the city council after an investigation found evidence he misused his position.

Newly-released documents reveal Worcester city councillor David Clark, the long-serving Conservative member for Bedwardine, stands accused of using his role to try to assist his brother-in-law’s construction firm in a dispute over building work.

Coun Clark, who was a member of the council’s ruling cabinet and chairman of its licensing committee when the matter arose last year, insists he did “nothing wrong whatsoever” by intervening in the dispute at the request of his family, and says the campaign against him is political.

However, he admits he was “unwise” to have told the ensuing investigation that one e-mail he sent in support of his brother-in-law was designed to give “more clout” to a particular request.

The council’s code of conduct tells members: “You must not use or attempt to use your position improperly, to confer on or secure for yourself or any other person, an advantage or disadvantage.”

The council’s appointed investigator has concluded there is evidence that Coun Clark breached the code by using his position. A second complaint, that Coun Clark failed to register his interest in his brother-in-law’s firm, was dismissed. The councillor declared his interest on October 30, 2008.

Coun Clark now faces a specially-convened standards hearing next week, where members will decide whether to accept the report’s findings and what, if any, disciplinary action should be taken. It will be the first time such a hearing has been held in Worcester. The maximum penalty is a six-month suspension.

Minutes from a previous hearing, held behind closed doors, reveal the issue began when two Worcester residents employed local building firm Whelan and Coll to carry out work at their home in Northwick Close. A dispute between firm and homeowners ensued, and the council’s building control department became involved – as did Coun Clark.

The couple contacted the city’s Labour MP Mike Foster for assistance, who made a formal complain.

Coun Clark said: “For the life of me I cannot see I've done anything wrong. The problem is one thing I said in the investigation – I said I wanted to give a particular request more clout. The investigator jumped on that, and it’s on that basis he thinks I abused my position.”

He accused Mr Foster of running a political campaign to “score points”. Mr Foster, says he was merely carrying out his duty to his constituents.