44.The Chief Investigating Officer may, and if so directed by the Commission, shall, submit an interim report on an investigation to the Commission.
45.On receipt of an interim report, the Commission, if it considers that the CIO’s investigation is likely to be prejudiced by not suspending the councillor or member or that it is in the public interest to impose interim suspension, may suspend the councillor or member of a devolved public body for a period not exceeding three months, from attending all meetings of the council or body of which he or she is a member, and of any committee or sub-committee of that council or body, and of any other body on which that councillor or member is a representative or nominee of the council or body.
46.The Commission is not required to hold a hearing before imposing interim suspension but it is required to give the councillor or member of a devolved public body an opportunity to make representations on the alleged contravention and on the interim report.
47.The Commission’s decision will be sent in writing and copies given to the councillor or member whose alleged contravention of the respective code is the subject of the interim report, the local authority or devolved public body of which that person is a member, and any other person who has paid the Commission’s reasonable charge.
48.The period of interim suspension shall come to an end when the Commission finds under section 18 that there has been no contravention of the councillors’ or members’ code, when a sanction has been imposed on a councillor or a member of a devolved public body under section 19, or when it is concluded no hearing is required.
49.If a period of suspension has not been brought to an end by one of the occurrences set out in the paragraph above then it may be renewed by the Commission for a period not exceeding three months.
50.A period of interim suspension imposed on a councillor shall continue until any local government election. If that councillor is re-elected then the Commission may re-impose that interim suspension.
51.Where interim suspension is imposed on a councillor or a member of a devolved public body, it will have no effect on either the basic allowance or special responsibility allowance payable to the councillor or any salary, daily or periodic allowance, remuneration or honorarium normally payable to the member of the devolved public body.
Explanatory Notes The Act Part 2 .Enforcement Section 21 Interim reports on investigations and action thereon