Aberdeenshire Councillor Paul Johnston has been cleared by the Standards Commission after he highlighted in a newspaper article his concerns about a land deal between Donald Trump and the local authority as part of the tycoon's planning application to build a housing and golf course development at Menie Estate.

Councillor Johnston has received confirmation from the Chief Investigating Officer of the Standards Commission that he has been exonerated following an investigation.

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Councillor Johnston indicated in the newspaper article that he felt that the land deal between Aberdeenshire Council and Donald Trump was too generous to the developer and would involve breaches of council policy.

Councillor Johnston said: "I feel relieved and very happy that the judgment as to my conduct has been found to be in my favour. I have been cleared.

"The verdict is also a vindication of my decision to refer the matter myself to the Standards Commission. It is clear that the council was wrong to say that I had committed a serious breach of the code when clearly I had not."

"The judgment raises questions on the Council's process of dealing with planning agreements where they involve the granting of permissions as a condition. This was a matter I raised with Jim McKinnon, the Scottish Government's chief Planner and will raise again with officials to seek a revised procedure," he said.

(GK/JM)