The DUP has failed to comment after a councillor who is subject of two separate watchdog investigations was given an honorary title by her party.
Linda Clarke has been made an alderman at Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council and will also take up a new role as vice chair of the council’s Community Planning and Regeneration Committee after being nominated by the DUP.
Council positions and titles are allocated to each party grouping using the d’Hondt system.
Details emerged days after DUP councillor and alderman Thomas Hogg, a former mayor of the borough, resigned from the party and council after he was charged with child sex offences.
The honour of alderman is traditionally given to elected representatives with long service or held in high esteem.
It has now emerged that Ms Clarke will pick up £2,653 “special responsibility allowance” for taking on the new vice chair role.
She is currently facing two separate probes by the Local Government Commissioner for Standards following revelations by The Irish News.
One complaint relates to alleged conflicts of interest in the planning process while a second investigation was launched last month after it was revealed she was involved in awarding more than £4,500 in council contracts to her son's printing firm.
Mrs Clarke had involvement in her MLA husband Trevor Clarke's planning business Versatile Consultancy, which has acted as the planning agent for several applications in the Antrim area in recent years.
It later emerged that she did not declare her links to the business to Antrim and Newtownabbey council.
The couple have insisted they "made all the relevant declarations and adhered to all rules".
Alliance councillor Glenn Finlay last night questioned the DUP's approach.
“It’s an internal DUP issue and not really for me to comment on,” he said.
“But if that’s the image they want to portray it’s up to them.
“They are going to leave themselves open to criticism.”
