FORMER council leader Charles Adje has been suspended after being found guilty of misconduct over the attempted lease of Alexandra Palace.

At a specially convened two-day standards hearing into Councillor Adje's role in the saga at Wood Green Civic Centre, a five-member panel decided he had brought the council into disrepute and suspended him for four months.

Cllr Adje failed to share an important briefing note from the general manager of the palace, Keith Holder, that advised against the license for the historic building being given to Firoka, a property developer.

By failing to share this information with other trustees of the palace, the panel ruled that Cllr Adje had acted in a way that brought the council into disrepute by breaking the council's code of conduct.

Council leader Claire Kober said: “Charles Adje has been suspended from the Haringey Labour Group.

“He can no longer participate in our decision-making or policy development, nor will he be eligible to attend any Haringey Labour Group meetings.

“I am very disappointed by Charles and his actions. His conduct fell well below the standards expected of any Councillor but he has particularly failed to meet the high expectations that the Labour Party places on its members who hold elected office.”

An independent report into the dispute estimated that losses to the charitable trust that runs the palace were in the region of £1.5 million.