A FORMER Mayor of Brent has lost her appeal against a six-month suspension for using charity funds to buy clothes.

Councillor Bertha Joseph was hit with the punishment in October last year after a Standards panel ruled she had had failed to declare gifts totalling £900 and had used charity money to buy a ball gown.

It has now been announced a First Tier Tribunal has dismissed the Kensal Green Tory's appeal and she will be suspended until the council elections in May.

The ban prevents her from carrying out her role as a councillor, but she is free to campaign for re-election.

The offences relate back to her tenure as mayor in 2007/08 when she used money donated for the mayor's ball to buy a ball gown.

At the time of her suspension she admitted buying the gown but said she the gown was sponsored and that she gave it to charity after the event.

She also admitted declaring the cash gifts late, but said this had prompted the investigation rather than any complaint into her behaviour.