Bill Etheridge: I'll hold my own meeting in protest at potential council ban

The UKIP councillor says the authority wants to bar him from council meetings over allegations that he used threatening behaviour towards other elected members.

Mr Etheridge, who represents Sedgley and is UKIP's group leader on the council, is the subject of a formal complaint lodged by Councillor Pete Lowe, leader of the Labour opposition in the town.

Mr Lowe has accused him of a series of behavioural breaches, including that he intimidated other councillors in a Facebook video following a meeting in December.

In the video, Mr Etheridge launches a scathing attack on the Labour group and suggests he would like to knock down Dudley Council House and 'bury' Labour councillors underneath it.

Independent investigator John Austin is due to complete his probe this week, with a decision due before the end of the month.

Mr Etheridge, who is also a West Midlands MEP, said: "We have responded formally to the complaint, which is, quite frankly, a load of absolute nonsense.

"Hiring an outside investigator has no doubt come at no small cost to the taxpayer. This is a clear attempt to block me from attending the council chamber and I simply will not stand for it.

"My response will be to hold my own meeting on the steps of the council house.

"Labour is playing a political game with taxpayers money."

The complaint relates to a council meeting at the end of last year, in which UKIP councillor Paul Brothwood lodged a point of order claiming the wording of a Labour motion had been plagiarised from a national newspaper.

The resulting kerfuffle led to Mayor Councillor Dave Tyler asking Mr Brothwood to leave the chamber.

Mr Etheridge subsequently posted a video of himself reacting to the events, claiming that the council house should be knocked down with the councillors inside it.

The complaint against Mr Etheridge alleges that he has failed to uphold the Nolan principles – seven standards of behaviour that holders of public office should adhere to.

Mr Brothwood has also been investigated over claims regarding his behaviour at the meeting.

He has strenuously denied any wrongdoing and demanded a full retraction of his name from the complaint.