Debate on good behaviour descends into allegations of abuse at Dudley Council meeting

A Dudley Council debate encouraging good behaviour ended in accusations of verbal abuse during bad-tempered exchanges between councillors.

A meeting of the authority on Monday (November 2) included an item recommending councillors sign a pledge to uphold principles of integrity, accountability, mutual respect and effective leadership.

The pledge was introduced by Councillor Hilary Bills, chair of the council’s standards committee, in response to a rise in complaints against councillors about their behaviour.

Councillor Bills told the meeting: “In an average year you would have about five complaints but since May to this September there have been 10 complaints - and seven have been member to member.

“Something has got to change. The committee decided we could have a set of pledges where it is itemised for you to understand what you should be doing.”

Former mayor Councillor Andrea Goddard said she agreed with the principle and believed derogatory comments on social media were very damaging, but questioned the need for a pledge.

Councillor Goddard said: “I’m not five years old and I can’t sign something like this because I already feel I have integrity and that I have got respect for people.”

Liberal Democrat Councillor Ryan Priest criticised the selection of Reform UK councillor Caley Ashman for the council’s health and adult social care scrutiny committee following social media posts he called “ableist”.

Reform’s deputy leader Councillor Shaun Keasey hit back, telling Councillor Priest: “Don’t make me list every Liberal Democrat that has said things more or less the same and, before Labour members start clapping, I personally witnessed a Labour member being homophobically screamed at in this very council building by a member of their own party.

“I suspect the complaints formally recorded represent only a fraction of the unacceptable behaviour that has taken place.

“I have served on this council for nine years and I can say I have never witnessed the level of personal disrespect that appears increasingly to have become the norm in this chamber.”

Councillor Keasey went on to describe being the subject of a video mocking his appearance, which he said was made by another political group, plus being subjected to insults about his appearance at a local election count by a member of the same political party.

Councillor Keasey said despite finding the insults embarrassing he did not make a complaint.

Councillor Alex Dale (Conservative) accused Councillor Keasey of hypocrisy and later accused him of telling his councillors that Councillor Dale was behind the anti-Reform UK social media group Reform Watch, an allegation Councillor Dale denied.

Councillor Dale then attacked Reform Councillor Caley Ashman for laughing during the debate and Councillor Samuel Hussey for talking about people acting in good faith when he “forgot the way he spoke about council officers online”.

Councillor Keasey immediately called for the council’s monitoring officer, who polices councillors’ behaviour, to ask Councillor Dale to produce evidence to support his allegations against Reform councillors.

Councillor Dale attempted to make further comments but mayor Councillor Pete Lowe, who chairs council meetings, said he would not allow further discussion on the matter.

In closing the debate, Councillor Bills said: “Thank you colleagues for demonstrating why the standards committee decided to do what it did.”

Councillors voted to accept the pledge document, which Councillor Bills said would be the standard by which anyone reported to her committee would be judged regardless of whether they signed it or not.