A COMMUNITY councillor suspended last year can return to the group’s monthly meetings.

David Barrett, who is a member of Haddington and District Community Council, was banned from attending the group’s meetings in February last year.

At that time, he was suspended for unspecified breaches of the community council’s code of conduct.

Later in the year, Mr Barrett, who stood as an independent candidate for the Haddington and Lammermuir ward during last year’s East Lothian Council elections, had another two meetings added to his suspension.

Mr Barrett attended a meeting while suspended in May last year and was told that if he wished to attend as a member of the public, he had to resign from his role as a community councillor.

When he refused to do so, the decision was taken to end the meeting.