A COUNCILLOR who allegedly used charity cash to buy a new ball gown is appealing against her six month suspension from the council.
Brent Council's Standards Committee suspended Bertha Joseph last month over allegations that she failed to register two gifts worth £900 within 28 days, that she brought her office into disrepute by seeking and obtaining cash for the Mayor's Ball which she used to buy clothes, and that she used her position as mayor to obtain cash.
However, last Tuesday (Nov 10) the former mayor, who was a member of the Labour group when the incidents happened, was reinstated and is allowed to continue carrying out her full duties. It is believed the appeal will be heard in January.
The now Tory councillor, who was also told to pay £900 to the current mayor's charity, blamed her failure to declare the items on time as a genuine mistake.
In a previous interview the former mayor told the Observer: "There was nothing dishonest on my behalf. I did email the council and asked for a form to declare the items but I didn't hear anything back.
"There was no justification for the suspension. I really believe this is harsh. I have not committed a criminal offence. It was a genuine mistake and I approached the council to fill out the forms."
Ms Joseph, who is originally from Dominica and lives in Kensal Green, was elected as a Labour councillor for Church End in 1986. In 1998 she became Brent's first Afro-Caribbean mayor and was elected mayor again in 2006.
However, in 2007 she controversially defected from the Labour group to join the Tories.
