Labour’s Keith Martin, who was elected to Westport Town Council in June, has been suspended from office as he failed to submit details of his election expenditure on time.
Councillor Martin received a letter this week from both Westport town clerk Ann Moore and county secretary John Condon as regards his failure to furnish his election expenses by September 3.
As Cllr Martin was elected to Westport Town Council he could avail of a seven-day grace period to submit these expenses, however as he was unsuccessful at county level he failed to meet the deadline as Cllr Martin handed in both expenses to the local authorities at the beginning of the week.
Cllr Martin is now barred from holding public office for five years, until the next election, due to this administration regulation.
On the councillor’s website which he updates on Wednesday he said: “It seems very unfair that there is one law for successful candidates and one for unsuccessful candidates and that the rules are such that Mayo County Council can bar me from holding my democratically elected office on Westport Town Council. I am taking advice and have submitted a medical certificate to explain why I was late with my disclosure”.
At time of going to press Cllr Martin was not contactable for comment.
