Rutland County Council has published a full news report / statement relating to last nights special council meeting.
The local press said the Anti Corruption Party will be issuing a statement today.
I spoke to a member a few moments ago and they confirmed they are currently writing it.
Hopefully that will be available to publish later today.
Report from Full Council 10 January 2013
Updated Friday 11 January 2013
Councillors
at Rutland County Council have taken the decision to seek an injunction
to “prevent harassment of the Chief Executive and other officers by the
Rutland Anti-Corruption Group and its members”.
The option of taking legal action for defamation is not being pursued at this time.
The
special meeting of Full Council (10 January 2013) also voted 23 (for) –
0 (against) – 3 (abstained) to support the Chief Executive or council
officers who wish to bring legal action for harassment against members
of the Rutland Anti-Corruption Group.
The
decision by Councillors was taken against the backdrop of a detailed
legal report, produced by local government law specialists Bevan
Brittan, requested by Members at the October meeting of Full Council.The
report said the actions of the Anti-Corruption Group are damaging the
ability of the council to recruit outstanding officers, hampering
efforts to secure external funding for education and recreation, and
distracting senior officers from doing their job.
The
report included a number of examples of email correspondence from
Councillors Gale, Richardson and Wainwright which led legal experts to
conclude that “the nature and extent” of emails sent to the Chief
Executive “are very likely to amount to harassment”.
The
report also featured examples of email correspondence from the group
which [falsely] claim the council is manipulating land deals, flouting
financial rules and regulations, as well as trying to manipulate the
award of contracts.
Speaking after the meeting,
Council Leader Roger Begy commented “We have a Chief Executive and staff
team who are simply doing their jobs to the very best of their ability.
Of course they should be subject to scrutiny and challenge as that is
the basis of local democracy. However, they should not have to put up
with false allegations about their conduct and regular questioning of
their integrity and honesty. As Councillors we have to protect our
staff, and this decision sends out a strong message.”
Councillor
Begy added: “We totally support open and transparent debate and
argument in meetings that are held in public so everyone is aware of
issues and all able to answer and account.
The full decision of 10 January Special Council was as follows:
·
Authorise the authority to take legal action to seek an injunction to
prevent harassment of the Chief Executive and other officers by the
Anti-Corruption Group and its members;
·
Resolve to grant an indemnity to, and support the Chief Executive and/or
other officers, to take legal action in her/their own name(s) for
harassment by the Anti-Corruption Group and its members;
·
Resolve that all communications to any part of the Council from the
Anti-Corruption Group and its members be subject to a Single Point of
Contact, subject to periodic report back from the Chief Executive.
Also, that members of the Rutland Anti-Corruption Group use the secure
GCSX council email system.
· Authorise sufficient council funds be made available for these purposes
A
number of options that were available were not agreed at the meeting,
but deferred to be potentially considered at some point in the future.
These included taking action in respect of defamation, asking the Chief
Executive to make a complaint to the police, and carrying out a wider
review into the impact of the group.
