Youngest ever Highland councillor quits ahead of court appearance

The youngest ever Highland councillor – who is set to appear in court next month in connection with alleged election expenses fraud – has quit.

Alex MacLeod, who was elected at the age of 19 and previously worked for the First Minister Alex Salmond, is scheduled to attend Inverness Sheriff Court on Thursday 10th October.

The 21-year-old won his Caithness seat as an SNP councillor in May 2012 and has been the subject of an investigation into his campaign expenses for more than a year.

Strict rules are in place on spending limits for candidates.

Councillor MacLeod has now informed Highland Council’s chief executive Steve Barron today (Tuesday) that he intends to resign.

He blamed the "arrogance and hot-headedness" of youth for the situation and apologised to his family, friends and supporters.

"Today I have notified the chief executive of my intention to resign from the Highland Council, effective from 30th September 2013," he said.

"I have received notice of a charge of electoral misconduct, and I intend to step aside from my council role so that I can work with my solicitor to reach an acceptable solution.

"I need to be honest about any mistakes that I have made, and face the consequences of my actions. I got into this situation when I was very young, with all the arrogance and hot-headedness that entails.

"I feel a redoubtable sense of sorrow and regret for the events which have unfolded. I understand that this news will hurt a great many of my friends, colleagues, and supporters. I am truly, very genuinely sorry about that.

"My biggest apology is to the people who voted for me. It is right that they now have the opportunity to elect a new councillor in a by-election. Following legal advice, I cannot offer any further comment at this time."

A council spokesman said it had received notice via e-mail of Councillor MacLeod’s intention to tender his resignation with immediate effect and its focus would now be on organising a by-election, which must be held within three months.

The authority’s SNP group leader, Councillor Drew Hendry, did not want to comment because of the ongoing legal proceedings.

Police confirmed in August last year that officers were investigating allegations of inappropriate election conduct into a councillor after it received an anonymous complaint.

In December 2012, Northern Constabulary reported Councillor MacLeod over alleged discrepancies in his campaign expenditure under the Representation of the People Act 1983.

Councillor MacLeod, who is originally from Delny, near Tain, then quit the SNP and has since stood as an "Independent Nationalist."

Despite his youth, Councillor MacLeod played a role in developing the council’s SNP-Liberal Democrat-Labour administration’s five-year programme.

He had served on several committees and was the SNP group’s Gaelic spokesman.

Councillor MacLeod worked for the First Minister for 10 months in Edinburgh and Aberdeen handling parliamentary and constituency work after he left school.

Prior to last year’s elections, Mr Salmond had urged voters to back the teenager and described him as a "grafter."

Councillor MacLeod also worked as a campaign manger for the Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross SNP MSP Rob Gibson who won the Holyrood seat in 2011.

The teenager pledged on his election victory that Highland Council "won’t know what’s hit it" once he started.

Do you want to respond to this article? If so, click here to submit your thoughts and they may be published in print.