A Lichfield councillor who breached the code of conduct says he never intended to mislead anyone.
Cllr David Leytham’s case went before a hearing at local authority earlier this week.
The committee heard that the Conservative representative for the Whittington and Streethay ward had not declared his wife’s business on his register of interests – and had not disclosed that it had supplied and been paid for services to Lichfield City Council.
Cllr Leytham had previously been Mayor of Lichfield City Council before losing his seat in May. He was elected unopposed to Lichfield District Council in the Whittington and Streethay ward.
A Lichfield District Council investigator found that claims the business was no more of a hobby were incorrect, stating that social media pages relating to the company made it “clear that there is an active business”.
But Cllr Leytham said it had not been his intention to mislead people.
“I’m grateful that my version of events has been understood by the panel,” he said. “And I fully accept their findings.
“While there was never any intention to mislead, I understand that as an elected councillor I should have been more rigorous in highlighting the business dealings of my wife, regardless of whether any profit was made.”
“Had not understood the Code of Conduct”
Cllr Leytham has been told he must undertake training on the council’s Code of Conduct as a result of the breach.
The report from the hearing on Monday said: “The committee agreed that a breach of the Code of Conduct for Lichfield District Council had occurred, in that Cllr Leytham had failed to register the business of his spouse and also failed to register the existence of a contractual relationship between the City Council and Pretty Little Parlour.
“The committee found that Cllr Leytham had not understood the letter and spirit of the Code of Conduct and resolved to censure Cllr Leytham and requested that he undertake Code of Conduct training.”
