Agenda and draft minutes

Councillor Barnes was nominated as Chair by Councillor Harman and seconded by Councillor Tailford.

There were none.

There were none.

Complaint against Councillor Cathy Hunt

The Monitoring Officer explained the process that the committee would follow.

The Investigation Officer

The Investigating officer then gave a precis of her report and drew the committees attention to the following points:

·         The matter was a difficult one to investigate as it was based on emotions and personal feelings.

·         The allegations from the complainant and witnesses are with regards to a pattern of behaviour not just her behaviour at the 3^rd March meeting.

·         The subject member seemed to have an issue with one of the new Members of Prestbury Parish Council being in the Green Party.

·         There has been some animosity towards new councillors from the subject member, she has indicated in the past that new councillors are wrong and more established councillors are right due to seniority.

·         The March meeting was never going to be particularly agreeable due to the subject members negativity.

·         One of the witnesses stated to the investigating officer that the subject member was domineering and unwilling to accept new members.

·         The complaint against the subject member doesn’t relate to just the 3^rd March meeting, it relates to an extended pattern of behaviour.

·         The subject member failed to show respect to colleagues who don’t share the same opinions as her and is disrespectful to her colleagues, which is why the matter has been bought to the committee.

The Complainant

The complainant made the following points:

·         The report that was presented by the investigating officer captured everything that she hoped.  However, the complainant wished it to be known that she had reached out to the subject prior to the meeting on the 3^rd March to try and mend their relationship and was ignored.

·         At the meeting on the 3^rd of March the complainant had invited a CBC officer to come and speak to the group, the subject was extremely rude to the officer and the complainant believes that is because she was the person who invited the officer to attend.  This occurred prior to the meeting starting on that day.

Witnesses

·         One of the witnesses went on to say that the subject had been hostile to him on several occasions, he feels mostly due to his party politics.  The first time was when he attended a Parish Council meeting as a member of the public.  The second time was when he attended the meeting on 3^rd March.  He found the fact that a chair had to be elected demeaning and it was all made very difficult by the atmosphere created by the subject.

·         The complainant also explained that she had warned the subject that if her behaviour did not improve then she would ask her to leave the meeting.

·         The second witness stated that she was shocked by the meeting and it was difficult for everyone in the room.  The behaviour was not correct and not how you conduct a meeting or speak to colleagues.

In response to a Member of the committees question the complainant stated that had the subject  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.