A former council leader who was convicted of fraud and tax evasion has been appointed to Ashfield District Council's planning committee.

Jason Zadrozny was accused of setting up a fake heritage group to defraud Nottinghamshire County Council out of thousands of pounds, and was found guilty last month.

He resigned as district council leader the following day, but was given a seat on the authority's planning committee at an extraordinary full council meeting on Monday evening.

A council spokesperson said committee appointments "are matters for elected councillors and are made through the council's established democratic processes, including formal votes where required".

"Council officers provide professional advice, guidance and administrative support to support these processes," they said.

"While councillors will consider officer advice as part of their decision-making, they are not required to follow it.

"The responsibility for making these decisions rests solely with elected councillors, who may reach a different conclusion having considered all relevant information."

Planning committees make decisions on contentious planning applications and developments in their local area.

Any council's committees are required to reflect the political balance of the authority.

After Zadrozny's resignation from the ruling Ashfield Independent group, the district council is now made up of 28 Ashfield Independents, three Reform UK councillors, one Conservative and three non-aligned Independents.

Council documents state this entitles the three non-aligned members, which now includes Zadrozny, to one seat on the planning committee.

Zadrozny, 46, of Stanton Hill, has been approached for comment.

He will not receive any extra allowance for his role on the committee.

Labour MP Michelle Welsh, whose Sherwood Forest constituency covers part of the Ashfield district, called the appointment a "serious failure of judgement by those who supported it".

In a statement posted on X, she said: "Public office is a position of trust, and residents are entitled to expect integrity, accountability and high standards from those making decisions on their behalf.

"At a time when the council should be rebuilding public trust, this appointment risks undermining it further."

Reform UK councillor Cathy Mason said she was "shocked" at the appointment.

"The Ashfield Independents voted to put him on a committee making decisions about development across our district," she said.

"Is this really their idea of restoring public confidence?"

Non-aligned independent councillor Kier Barsby also said Zadrozny should not have been given the role.

"It's one of the most high-profile committees, it makes a lot of decisions on projects worth a lot of money," he said.

"The authority and the Ashfield Independents are so low at this moment in time with the public and residents of Ashfield that it just goes to show they haven't listened."

Zadrozny is due to be sentenced on 27 November and has been warned he faces prison.

He was replaced as council leader by Samantha Deakin last month.

Deakin has refused the BBC's request for an interview.

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