Coal councillor in Celtic junket

Jul 13 2008 By Billy Paterson

A COUNCILLOR who voted through a mining firm's controversial plans has admitted they gave him a s3000 VIP trip to a Champions League tie in Barcelona.

Jimmy Kelly was on the East Ayrshire Council planning committee which gave the green light to expand Scottish Coal's open cast mining in Cumnock - despite objections by green campaigners.

His register of interests states: "Flights, hotels and tickets for football match: Barcelona v Celtic from Scottish Coal (2-5 March, 2008)".

Celtic fan Kelly defended the junket. He said: "There has been no bigger supporter in Cumnock and Doon Valley of the opencast.

That is for one reason and one reason only - the jobs. There are 600 opencast jobs in East Ayrshire and if those went it would be devastating."

Independent councillor Jim Sutherland said: "I would not accept any gifts from developers."

Scottish Coal said: "This is a matter for councillor Kelly and the chief executive of East Ayrshire Council."

They would not say why Kelly had been singled out for the jaunt.

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