STANDARDS COMMITTEE TACKLE COUNCILLOR’S PREJUDICED ERUV COMMENTS

In last month’s My Bushey News we revealed that a Hertsmere Borough Councillor accidently sent an email, intended for the council, out to local people. A Bushey resident said the email contained prejudiced and biased comments concerning Bushey United Synagogue’s planning application for an Eruv in the town. In the email the councillor, who neither the council nor resident have named, said they would not attend any meetings concerning the Eruv because they would be “full of Liberal Democrats and the braying public”. The council said they could not comment as the matter was being investigated by their Standards Committee. The magazine has now approached the council again to hear their side of the story. Glen Wooldrige, Director of Environment with responsibility for planning, said: “Regarding the complaint against a councillor, this has been resolved by the Standards Committee of the council.  It is not their role to excuse behaviour, rather to understand and explain what happened and then apply a sanction if that is warranted.  They investigated this complaint and as the councillor in question has apologised for what happened, they believe this is a proportionate response and the matter is now closed.” However, Bushey Residents Group, who are fighting the erection of the Eruv, which was granted planning permission by the council in August, say the issue remains “unresolved”. Gay Butler released a statement on behalf of the group, saying: “The complaint against a councillor’s unacceptable, derogatory and prejudicial comments prior to the planning meeting remains unresolved.  The residents’ group is awaiting a response to their second letter concerning this complaint with hopes that the council will now treat this with the seriousness it warrants and action accordingly.” Mr Wooldridge said the council have two complaints at stage three and these are currently being considered by a panel of councillors who will decide whether further action is needed. “A decision is likely to be made on both of these complaints by the end of the month,” he added.