A SENIOR councillor is being investigated for failing to declare property he owned in the borough.

David Dadds, former deputy cabinet member for resources, failed to declare a connection to three business premises in Basildon Council’s register of interests.

The Echo revealed the story in July. This prompted a complaint which said the solicitor breached the code of conduct.

The standards sub committee referred the matter to Dawn French, council monitoring officer, for investigation.

Minutes of the meeting said: “The complaint related to the alleged behaviour of councillor Dadds in failing to declare property in the register of interests. The complaint related to an article in the Echo.

“Having regard to the evidence before it, the assessment sub-committee considered the code of conduct was likely to have been breached.”

All property owned in the borough must be updated within 28 days.

Mr Dadds’ properties were not declared for between four years and six months, until July.

Mr Dadds said: “I have not been given the full details of what are only allegations at this stage. Until the investigation has been completed I will not comment further.”

Meanwhile, the chairman of Basildon Council’s planning committee has been cleared of failing to declare a prejudicial interest before a vote over an application involving Mr Dadds.

Stephen Hillier stepped out of a vote over a new teaching room at Barleylands Farm, in Billericay, at a development control meeting on July 19, after saying he had a prejudicial interest because his computer firm, Hillier Consultants, had done work for its owner Peter Philpott.

However, at an earlier vote over plans to turn a kiosk owned by Mr Dadds at Market Pavement, Basildon, into a taxi rank, he only declared a personal interest.

He failed to declare his firm had also fitted computers at the offices of Mr Dadds’ solicitor firm and had been involved in a dispute with the fellow councillor over an alleged unpaid bill.

Mr Hillier took part in the vote and used his casting vote to get the application through.

A complaint was made that he had breached the code of conduct by failing to declare a prejudicial interest and still taking part.

However, minutes of the assessment sub-committee said: “The assessment sub-committee felt the actions of councillor Hillier in not declaring a prejudicial interest did not appear to breach the code of conduct.”