A LEADING councillor and former Worcester mayor is considering reporting the city’s MP following an investigation.

We reported in Wednesday’s Worcester News how Coun David Clark was found to have abused his position, albeit only on a technicality, by the city’s standards committee.

That was for sending an e-mail to solicitors representing a couple in dispute with building firm Whelan and Coll, of which Coun Clark’s brother-in-law is a partner, to add more “clout” to proceedings and he signed off using his official title.

The members’ code of conduct states that councillors must not use their position to secure an advantage, or disadvantage, for themselves or another person.

Coun Clark’s e-mail was brought to the attention of Worcester MP Mike Foster by a couple living in Northwick Close and he then reported the matter to the city council’s standards committee.

An independent investigation, which lasted more than a year, followed at a cost of more than £3,000 to local taxpayers, according to Coun Clark.

The city council would not comment on that figure as it said it could not quantify the cost of officer and staff time.

Conservative Coun Clark, who has now been made to undertake training on the members’ code of conduct, is now con-templating referring Mr Foster to his own standards committee as he believes the city’s Labour MP used the situation for his own political gain.

In a statement issued after the hearing, Coun Clark said: “His unprincipled opportunism has cost the city several thousands of pounds in the cost of an independent investigation; officer, staff and standards board time and councillor time.”

Mr Foster said for Coun Clark to contemplate referring him to the standards committee was “madness”.

“He just needs to take a step back and accept the findings of his peers, fellow councillors and the committee,” he said.

“To say it’s wrong for the MP, acting on the concerns of his constituents, to report it to the council is just a farce.

“The standards committee would probably send a rude notice to councillor Clark for wasting their time as much as any- thing else.

“For a man of his age and experience he really should know better. It’s just silly.”