Leicestershire CC's reprieved leader, Cllr David Parsons, could have been suspended from his post had fresh government regulations – withdrawing town hall standards committees' ability to impose strong sanctions – not come into force, The MJ understands.

According to legal experts, the inability of Leicestershire's standards (hearing) sub-committee to impose on Cllr Parsons tougher sanctions for breaches of the authority's code of conduct – beyond strong censure, code of conduct training and a written apology – have raised question marks over the adequacy of disciplinary procedures for ‘unregulated councillors' under local government's new standards regime.