THE leader of Glasgow City Council is facing an inquiry into claims he was wrongly cleared over the George Square redesign fiasco, the country's "super watchdog" has indicated.

The Scottish Public Services Ombudsman has launched an inquiry into whether the ethics body for Scotland's councillors was correct to exonerate Gordon Matheson last year.

It is to investigate whether the Public Standards Commission acted "unreasonably" in clearing Mr Matheson, warning that any "irrationality or illogicality" in its decision could amount to maladministration.

The Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland, which ran the design competition for a £15 million revamp of the square, lodged a complaint after the contest was scrapped by Mr Matheson immediately after a winner had been chosen.