THE panel that investigated the former leader of Bournemouth council for having porn on his laptop has called on the government to tighten the rules for councillors.

The committee, which decided after a split vote that it could not take any further action against Cllr Stephen MacLoughlin, admitted the public would not find its decision “correct or reasonable”.

The three people on the standards sub-committee decided by two votes to one that Cllr MacLoughlin was not acting as a councillor when he viewed explicit sexual images on his council-owned laptop.

This meant the councillors’ code of conduct did not apply and no further action could be taken against him.

But in a newly published explanation of its decision, the sub-committee has asked the council to review the current code of conduct and consider whether it should be extended to cover certain unauthorised use of council equipment.

And it has recommended writing to the government to draw attention to the legal issues raised in this case and whether revised guidance needs to be issued to local councils.

The hearing minutes also reveal that member Dr Ann Hemingway did not agree with the decision that Cllr MacLoughlin was not covered by the code of conduct.

They state: “Dr Hemingway dissented from the decision for the following reasons.

“Her considered opinion was that Cllr MacLoughlin had signed up to the internet protocol and ICT policy and that he was giving the impression that he was acting as a councillor when using the council password-protected laptop.”

Dr Hemingway was out-voted by chairman Roy Wardle and Cllr Ben Grower but the minutes suggest this was not an easy decision.

“In arriving at this decision the sub-committee in no way condone the actions of Cllr MacLoughlin, which he has himself acknowledged were inappropriate,” they state.

“The sub-committee recognises that this decision will not be accepted as either correct or reasonable by all members of the public, but it is bound to apply the code of conduct as it stands at the present time.”