A DORSET councillor whose remarks about police targeted stop and search operations led to criticism has been removed from the county’s police and crime panel.

Purbeck councillor Bill Pipe found colleagues on the panel disassociating themselves from his comments during a discussion on why black people were more likely to be the subject of stop and search in the county.

Dorset Council leader Spencer Flower has now confirmed that the Lytchett and Upton Conservative councillor has been removed from the panel and will, at his own request, will be taking an equality and diversity training course.

Cllr Flower said Cllr Pipe’s comments at the September panel meeting were “unacceptable and disappointing.”

“As councillors, we have a responsibility to educate ourselves about the issues and injustices faced by all members of our communities so we can properly represent them,” he said.

The council leader said that Cllr Pipe had apologised unreservedly for his remarks.

He urged all councillors to undertake the equality and diversity training course which he said was classed as being ‘required.’

“This area of training is given high importance. Councillors were invited to an equalities session as part of their induction last year and further discussion events were held in May and June of this year for councillors to discuss the Covid-19 Vulnerable Groups Equality Impact assessment. The next training session will be delivered this autumn.”

He was responding at Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting to a question from the main opposition group leader Cllr Nick Ireland (Lib Dem).

The leaders of the three opposition groups on the council had earlier this week sent a letter to Cllr Flower calling on him to take action, saying that the views Cllr Pipe expressed were “incompatible with his status as an elected representative.”

“As community leaders we must set an example and decry the discrimination and injustice that still exists for Black, Asian and all minority ethnic communities.

“If one of our own group members had displayed such objectionable behaviour, we would have asked them to resign immediately.

“We call on you to act appropriately and demonstrate Dorset Council is no place for councillors with such views,” said the concluding remarks of the letter signed by Lib Dem leader Cllr Nick Ireland, Green group leader Clare Sutton and Cllr Les Fry, leader of the Alliance for Local Living Group (independent councillors).