Walsall councillor refuses special committee positions until ex-leader's bullying claims investigated
A Conservative councillor has refused any special committee positions at Walsall Council until an investigation is carried out into bullying allegations.
Councillor Waheed Rasab made the move in response to serious claims made by former leader Councillor Garry Perry as he resigned from the post last month.
In a scathing statement announcing his departure, Councillor Perry said he had been subjected to a ‘campaign of political attrition, deliberate undermining, and personal hostility’.
Last week, Councillor Mike Bird was voted in as leader of the authority for the sixth time.
Now, Councillor Rasab has written to the chief executive of the authority, Emma Bennett, calling for an investigation into the allegations, and to be removed from all committee or chair positions that he may have been nominated for.
Councillor Rasab said: “The allegations made by Councillor Perry are serious and it should be investigated and the outcome should be published. Councillor Bird has taken over, he might face the same challenges.
“The council needs to expose individuals who were engaged in such incidents and the residents of Walsall have the right to know.
“This shouldn’t happen to any leader. What I don’t want to see in 12 months’ time, six months’ time, is another leader resigning.”
Walsall Council has declined to comment on the issue, stating it is a matter for the national Conservative Party. The Conservative Party has not responded to the Local Democracy Reporting Service's requests for comment.
Councillor Rasab added: “From my eight years as a councillor, when there are issues, you go to the party and they say the council is responsible. Then you go to the council and they say you need to complain to the party. The process is not very clear.
“It’s the local authority that actually runs the council. We, as councillors, are a voice for our residents.
“We hold the council accountable for their actions and the work which needs to be done to improve it for our residents. The council has the legislative power to investigate.
“The problem with Walsall Council is that the system is really broken. Somebody needs to put it right and I hope Councillor Bird is now going to pull all his efforts into uniting the Conservative Group for the betterment of the residents of Walsall.”
