A YORK councillor is being investigated after securing public money to stage an eco-home event – while earning £200 a time from a solar panel firm.

Labour’s Anna Semlyen was elected last month to represent Dringhouses and Woodthorpe on City of York Council. She emailed her fellow councillors to invite them to visit her Fishergate home to see how she has cut her CO2 emissions by 50 per cent.

The event is being funded through the local Fishergate ward committee, but Coun Semlyen’s register of interests, which requires a councillor to declare gifts or hospitality over £25, shows she receives “£200 per referral of customer of solar panels”.

The payments are from a firm in West Yorkshire.

The matter is now being looked into by the monitoring officer for the Labour group which controls the council.

In a statement, Coun Semlyen said: “Having now spoken to the Labour group chief whip, I realise I have possibly broken the code of conduct, for which I apologise unreservedly.

“I am a new councillor and I had been unaware my new position affected my other work interests in this manner. I have referred myself to the monitoring officer and I will co-operate fully with their proceedings.”

Council leader James Alexander said: “Anna is passionate about energy conservation campaigns and I am sure her intentions were good, but clarity is required.

“We have acted swiftly and decisively through the chief whip, following party procedures, to bring this matter to a conclusion. I have high expectations of the conduct of our councillors and I take any issues which may compromise these seriously.”

Labour chief whip Dafydd Williams said: “As soon as the group became aware of this issue, we have acted quickly.

“Coun Semlyen has been instructed to refer herself to the monitoring officer and the Labour group will co-operate fully with any investigation.”

In the email sent to councillors on the council’s own system, Coun Semlyen said the July 17 event would be her fifth “eco-solar open house”.

She said: “Householders can alleviate the increasing cost of home energy like gas and electricity by using less and investing in efficiency measures and green technology, such as solar panels.”

Conservative group leader Ian Gillies said: “Elected representatives are not there for personal gain, and anybody who does this should consider their position very carefully.”