Councillor resigns over porn inquiry

A senior councillor has resigned from a series of top jobs after allegedly being found with pornography on his council computer.

Philip Portwood, 46, a former mayor of Ealing who held key posts with the London fire authority and Association of London Government (ALG), quit after being referred to the local government watchdog charged with disrepute.

He also faces a charge of misusing public resources after allegedly using an Ealing council computer to download images at his Acton home. He has left London, vowing to keep a "low profile" until the probe into his conduct is completed later this year.

A governor of Acton High School and John Perryn Primary School and a Labour councillor since 1984, Mr Portwood, was allegedly caught after asking a council technician to repair the computer in February.

It has been claimed that the machine was so overloaded with pornographic images it had slowed down.

Ealing council referred the matter to police who decided to take no action as only adult images were found. However, the council referred Mr Portwood, who lives alone, to the Standards Board for England, which has the power to ban him from public office for up to five years.

He has been suspended by the council's Labour group.

Mr Portwood apologised this week saying: "Whatever the result of the investigation, the very fact of being investigated will clearly make me an embarrassment to my friends and colleagues."

Ian Potts, the mayor, said: "He was a very responsible and respected member of the council."

An Ealing council spokesman said it took "immediate and appropriate action".