Details of a financial dispute between former Belfast City councillor Jolene Bunting and Britain First emerge at an adjudication hearing of NI's local government watchdog
By Lyndsey TelfordDetails of a financial dispute between a former Belfast City councillor and Britain First have emerged during an adjudication hearing of NI's local government watchdog.It follows a complaint from Paul Golding, the leader of Britain First.
Mr Golding alleges Ms Bunting asked him to cover the cost of a £545 penalty she received from the council in 2018.However, the adjudication heard that while Ms Bunting did have £545 deducted from her monthly council allowance, the deduction was because she had exceeded the contracted data usage on her council mobile phone - not because of Britain First.
Ms Bunting, a former independent unionist councillor who declined to participate in the hearing, denies that she asked Mr Golding for money because of the stunt in City Hall. The adjudication heard that Ms Bunting previously told investigators that she believed Mr Golding was sending her money because she had agreed to let Britain First use her home address as a PO box.He told the hearing that Ms Bunting had phoned him in June 2018 informing him that she had been fined by the council "as a punishment for when Jayda Fransen sat in the lord mayor's chair in January".
Mr Golding told the hearing that he informed Ms Bunting that he would need proof of the penalty for his records and that she sent him a copy of her payslip.It was later, following a falling out with Ms Bunting, that he had been prompted to look again at the payslip.Mr Golding said the slip that he was sent appeared to have been "tampered with" to omit the reason for the deduction, which was stated on the original payslip as "member's phone repayments".
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