BCP Council members make statements over conduct breaches

Former portfolio holder Cllr Mark Anderson apologised at the request of members of the standards committee.

Cabinet members Cllr Bobbie Dove and Cllr Beverley Dunlop took the opportunity at Tuesday’s full council meeting to address colleagues after complaints against them were dealt with by the committee.

By doing this, a report on non-compliance with the standards regime was not presented in the cases of Cllr Dove and Cllr Dunlop.

However, the report retained information on two code of conduct breaches in relation to former council leader Cllr Drew Mellor, who was not at the meeting.

Cllr Drew Mellor (Image: BCP Council)

As reported, an independent investigation concluded Cllr Anderson attempted to use a street cleaning initiative in certain wards for “politically advantageous” gains.

In his statement to members, Cllr Anderson: “As explained in my resignation email to all councillors at the end of last year I lost both my parents in a short space of time.

“I would like to apologise to the council, colleagues and residents for the error of judgement this caused.”

Part of the complaint against Cllr Dove relating to comments she made at a meeting in November was upheld and she was asked to apologise at full council.

Cllr Bobbie Dove said: “Just to be clear at no time was offence meant but I am really pleased that the equalities issue that I raised is being looked at.

“They say that imitation is the highest form of flattery and therefore to echo the sentiments of the very experienced colleague across the chamber who found herself in the same position in February 2021, I quote Cllr Dedman, whose response on that occasion was ‘I have nothing further to say’ and therefore I take up that position.”

Cllr Dunlop was asked to give an apology after she was found to have breached the code of conduct over posts she made on her official councillor Twitter account.

At this week’s meeting, she said: “The standards committee requested that I apologise for some rather robust responses to political attacks. It is news to me that the Nolan principles require me to be the subject of attack and not respond, nevertheless, please accept this as my formal apology for doing so.

“But I would like to say that any system which allows councillors to engineer complaints with third parties probably needs an urgent review to put some mechanisms in place to stop the standards process being used as a stick by some to beat others.”

The Nolan principles are the core of the ethical standards expected of people who hold positions of public office.

When asked during by resident Adam Sofianos whether Cllr Mellor should apologise to council for breaching the code of conduct, leader Cllr Philip Broadhead said it is up to the member in question and them alone as to whether they comply with the decisions of the standards committee.