A WATCHDOG investigation into allegations Blaenau Gwent Council leader Des Hillman deliberately misled councillors into believing a senior officer had suffered a heart attack has found no evidence he breached the code of conduct.

Cllr Hillman, pictured, was being investigated by the Public Service Ombudsman for Wales following allegations by Cllr Steve Thomas he told councillors an officer suffered a heart attack to deliberately mislead them into supporting his £305,000 redundancy, knowing this was wrong.

The investigation found Cllr Hillman admitted talking about the heart attack, believing it to be true, but could not recall who told him.

The Ombudsman had to determine whether he brought the office or authority into disrepute or if he used his position to create an advantage.

In a letter to Cllr Thomas, the ombudsman said given the passage of time since the November 2009 incident, it would be impossible to obtain any corroborative evidence to establish whether Cllr Hillman acted deliberately or in good faith and so no breach could be established.

Cllr Thomas, who was not questioned during the investigation, hit out at councillors who he claims could have given corroborative evidence.

He said the whole episode has “brought shame on the authority”.