The leader of Perth and Kinross Council has stepped down after being charged with embezzlement.
Cllr Grant Laing, who has also left the SNP, has been accused of committing the crime over a period of years between 2017 and 2025.
A statement from the council said he had stepped down for ‘personal reasons’, adding that he will continue to sit as an independent councillor.
It also said his resignation was not connected to Perth and Kinross Council funds, operations or activities.
A Police Scotland spokesperson said a report has been sent to the Procurator Fiscal.
