A FORMER Mayor of Brent says she is “shocked and disappointed” after being suspended for six months for breaching the code of conduct.

Councillor Bertha Joseph, (Cons/Kensal Green), has been stripped of her duties by the standards committee over allegations she failed to declare gifts totaling £900 and used charity money to buy a ball gown.

She said the late declaration of the cash gifts triggered the investigation by the standards committee, and strenuously denies wrongdoing over the ball gown.

She said: “I accepted that I failed to declare the sponsorship on time. However, it was my honesty in declaring the sponsorship which resulted in the investigation. 

“I was not caught, nor was I prompted or reminded by the trigger of an investigation.  It was an honest mistake.  

“The committee also decided that I made a personal gain from the sponsorship, despite the fact that two years ago, I gave the 'material gain' - a sponsored ball gown - to charity.”

Cllr Joseph was Mayor of Brent in 2007/08 when the alleged offences occurred, and she has lodged an appeal against the suspension.

The most serious allegation relates to a ball gown purchased for her own Mayor's Charity Ball, which it is claimed was bought out of charity funds.

She added: “You can imagine my shock and disappointment at the committee's decision. However, I feel confident that as my honesty in declaring this sponsorship resulted in this dreadful decision, it will also get me out of it.”

Cllr Joseph has been stripped of all council duties and her contact detail's have been removed from the local authority's website pending the outcome of the appeal.