Ethical Standards in Public Life etc. (Scotland) Act 2000

18 Findings of hearings

(1) The members of the Commission conducting a hearing shall state their findings in writing and give a copy to—

(a) the councillor or member of a devolved public body whose contravention, or possible or alleged contravention, of the councillors' or, as the case may be, the members' code was the subject of the hearing;

(b) the council or the devolved public body;

(c) any person the Commission considers should, under this paragraph, receive a copy; and

(d) any other person seeking a copy who has paid the Commission’s reasonable charge for providing it.

(2) A council or devolved public body receiving a copy of findings under subsection (1) above shall consider those findings within three months of receiving them or within such longer period as the Commission may specify in writing.

(3) The duty imposed on a council or devolved public body by subsection (2) above shall be discharged only by that council or body and not by a committee or sub-committee or an officer.