ESSEX: Councillor bailed after corruption probe

By sclow

ESSEX Police have seized £30,000 cash discovered at an office used by a former Tendring District Council chairman.

District Judge David Cooper, presiding at Chelmsford Magistrates Court granted police permission to detain the money found in a floor safe until September 11, saying the cash had been in offices used by 64-year-old councillor Peter De-Vaux Balbirnie.

Detective Constable John Vickers, of the Fraud and Financial Unit, had applied to detain the money under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.

Judge Cooper said that according to the information placed before him Cllr Balbirnie had allegedly been soliciting bribes.

He said the cash, which was divided into £1,000 note bundles, was placed inside a number of envelopes marked 'Peter'.

The Tendring First councillor was bailed by police until October 2 following his arrest yesterday.

Cllr Balbirnie, who sits on Great Bentley, Weeley and Little Clacton parish councils, was questioned with regard to finances at Tendring District Council.

A police spokesman said: "A man has been arrested in connection with an allegation of financial irregularities at his home address in the Clacton area on suspicion of soliciting a gift as a member of a public body in accordance with the Public Bodies Corrupt Practices Act 1889."