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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Official's Trump call 'irregular' | Official's Trump call 'irregular' |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| The boss of the council which rejected Donald Trump's golf resort plan said he later received an "irregular" call from the government's chief planner. | The boss of the council which rejected Donald Trump's golf resort plan said he later received an "irregular" call from the government's chief planner. |
| Aberdeenshire Council chief executive Alan Campbell told MSPs of his concern about the call, made on the day the proposals were called in by ministers. | Aberdeenshire Council chief executive Alan Campbell told MSPs of his concern about the call, made on the day the proposals were called in by ministers. |
| But the chief planner, Jim Mackinnon, strongly disagreed with the claim. | But the chief planner, Jim Mackinnon, strongly disagreed with the claim. |
| Holyrood's Local Government Committee is investigating the Scottish Government's handling of the plans. | Holyrood's Local Government Committee is investigating the Scottish Government's handling of the plans. |
| First Minister Alex Salmond will also be questioned by the committee. | First Minister Alex Salmond will also be questioned by the committee. |
| I was under no pressure, far less an instruction from any minister to act in a specific way Jim MackinnonScottish chief planner | I was under no pressure, far less an instruction from any minister to act in a specific way Jim MackinnonScottish chief planner |
| Ministers decided to have the final say on the £1bn proposals for the Menie Estate after the council narrowly rejected them. | Ministers decided to have the final say on the £1bn proposals for the Menie Estate after the council narrowly rejected them. |
| Mr Campbell told MSPs that, in December 2007, hours before the government decided it would have the final say on the plans, he received a phone call from Mr Mackinnon to discuss what the options were. | |
| When the council chief realised that two of Mr Trump's representatives - George Sorial and Neil Hobday - were with the chief planner, he said he was not prepared to have the discussion and asked them to leave, before it continued. | When the council chief realised that two of Mr Trump's representatives - George Sorial and Neil Hobday - were with the chief planner, he said he was not prepared to have the discussion and asked them to leave, before it continued. |
| "I would regard it as irregular to have the conversation with them there because I wanted to explore things official to official," Mr Campbell told MSPs. | "I would regard it as irregular to have the conversation with them there because I wanted to explore things official to official," Mr Campbell told MSPs. |
| The decision to call in the application was confirmed in subsequent phone calls to Mr Campbell. | The decision to call in the application was confirmed in subsequent phone calls to Mr Campbell. |
| Mr Salmond will answer questions from the committee | Mr Salmond will answer questions from the committee |
| Mr Mackinnon told the committee that, in retrospect, he understood Mr Campbell's concerns, but said he had been completely open and his actions were not irregular "in the slightest". | Mr Mackinnon told the committee that, in retrospect, he understood Mr Campbell's concerns, but said he had been completely open and his actions were not irregular "in the slightest". |
| The chief planner also told MSPs: "I was under no pressure, far less an instruction from any minister to act in a specific way. | The chief planner also told MSPs: "I was under no pressure, far less an instruction from any minister to act in a specific way. |
| "I applied my long experience and professional judgement to the handling of the case." | "I applied my long experience and professional judgement to the handling of the case." |
| Scots Lib Dem leader Nicol Stephen raised serious concerns about issues surrounding the Trump application. | Scots Lib Dem leader Nicol Stephen raised serious concerns about issues surrounding the Trump application. |
| However, Mr Salmond has denied any wrong-doing in the affair, amid concerns about the integrity of the planning process. | However, Mr Salmond has denied any wrong-doing in the affair, amid concerns about the integrity of the planning process. |
| The Holyrood committee will also question Finance Secretary John Swinney - who will now decide whether the plans for a world-class golf course, hotel and hundreds of new house get the go-ahead. | The Holyrood committee will also question Finance Secretary John Swinney - who will now decide whether the plans for a world-class golf course, hotel and hundreds of new house get the go-ahead. |
| Committee convener, Labour MSP Duncan McNeil, said it hoped to get to the heart of whether Mr Salmond was acting as first minister or a constituency MSP. | Committee convener, Labour MSP Duncan McNeil, said it hoped to get to the heart of whether Mr Salmond was acting as first minister or a constituency MSP. |