Police drop Gordon Matheson probe over George Square

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-22854175

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Police have dropped a probe into how Glasgow City Council's leader handled the controversial George Square revamp.

A complaint about Gordon Matheson was made to Police Scotland by a member of the public in April.

The force has now confirmed no evidence of criminality has been found.

In January, Mr Matheson announced that plans for a redevelopment of the square would not go ahead, just after an expert committee, which he had chaired, chose the winning design.

The process surrounding the revamp is still being looked at by the public standards commissioner and the public spending watchdog.

No contract

Six visions for the square went forward to a panel chaired by Mr Matheson following a Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS) competition.

The design competition was won by John McAslan and Partners, but Mr Matheson subsequently announced that the council would not be proceeding with the £15m contract.

Instead, a scaled-back facelift of the square will now be carried out in time for the 2014 Commonwealth Games at a cost of about £500,000.

The RIAS has since lodged a complaint against Mr Matheson with the public standards commissioner, accusing him of misconduct which violated the councillors' code of conduct.