A veteran councillor has been removed as convener of Falkirk Council’s planning committee after a watchdog found an email written by him “amounted to bullying”.

In June, a hearing of the Standards Commission found an email sent by Baillie Billy Buchanan, regarding a member of Falkirk Council’s planning staff, had broken the councillors’ code of conduct.

Baillie Buchanan, who represents Larbert & Bonnybridge, was suspended as a councillor for three months and the commission’s findings were presented formally to members of Falkirk Council at a meeting this week.

In the email, sent to senior council staff, Baillie Buchanan said he wanted to “get advice on the suspension of an officer” and threatened to involve the police and a solicitor.

At this week’s meeting, the leader of the council,

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