Deputy leader cleared at conduct hearing

1:49pm Monday 29th October 2012 in News

Cleared: Peter Halliday Cleared: Peter Halliday

THE deputy leader of Tendring Council has been cleared of misconduct by his colleagues despite an independent panel finding he aggressively confronted a member of the public.

Peter Halliday was accused of swearing at Paul Dearsley after pursuing him out of the council chamber in May this year.

Mr Dearsley had heckled the Tory over a decision not to make council land available to his nursery, Willow Tree in Clacton, to use as a car park.

A leaked report shows a five-strong independent panel found Mr Halliday showed undue aggression, was guilty of gross misconduct and should be severely reprimanded.

However, the council’s commitee has ruled Mr Halliday did not breach the councillors’ code of conduct and has criticised the panel’s investigation.

The committee is comprised of seven councillors, including four Conservaties, leading to accusations the decision was made on politicial grounds.

FULL STORY IN MONDAY'S GAZETTE

 

Comments(11)

Al Paca says...
6:25pm Mon 29 Oct 12

This matter must now go to a higher authority. A group of politicians cannot just run rough-shod over the findings of an independent panel, set up to look into such cases.

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mirokou says...
7:39pm Mon 29 Oct 12

Aggression and threats of violence in Clacton . Not exactly new headlines. Whether it be residents or their Council . Behaviour breeds behaviour

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saywhatyousee says...
8:48pm Mon 29 Oct 12

Corruption is the watch word of today's society. Is this the heir apparent to the leadership of Tdc? Speaks volumes about the future. More of the same.

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Ossiepith says...
9:00am Tue 30 Oct 12

The conduct committee is a disgrace. What the article doesn't say is that after the farce over Neil Stock's appearance, both the Labour Party and the Independent member resigned from the committee. This left four Conservatives and one Tendring First. With no surprise at all therefore, the Conduct Committee overturned the independent review panel and found their leader not guilty. It is just ridiculous that one party (any party) should have a majority on the Conduct Committee. It should be completely independent.

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Another Point of View says...
11:14am Tue 30 Oct 12

This is a man who is also involved in the attempt to save Flicks the cinema. He needs to withdraw from that role and hand it to someone else or the whole town will suffer a loss of facilities because of his tainted reputation.

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Clacman says...
1:24pm Tue 30 Oct 12

What a disgraceful state of affairs. The whole administration seems embroiled in self-preservation. It's time these over-paid public servants were shown the door. Let's get back to people serving on the council who do it for the good of the area and not to line their pockets. Perhaps the way national government behaves influences the way our local government operates.

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roger bacon says...
2:07pm Tue 30 Oct 12

Amazing that nobody critised Mr Dearsley who was the cause of the problem. He he had not been heckling then non of this would have happened. Why was he not charged with anything or thrown out of the meeting for trying to disrupt it from carrying on it's lawful business.

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irememberwhen says...
4:50pm Tue 30 Oct 12

He doesn't look the type.......

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pieresse says...
11:45pm Tue 30 Oct 12

The so called conduct committee, clearing Peter Halliday after the damning independent finding that he was guilty of gross misconduct constitutes malfeasance of the highest order. The members of the conduct committee themselves should be reported for Gross misconduct. They have participated in the most disgustingly blatant abuse of due process I have ever seen. Just how can they sleep at night knowing that they have conspired to allow Peter Halliday to get away with his intimidation of Mr Dearsley who had the temerity to disagree with him and let him increase his hold on our Council. TDC is utterly discredited by this shocking display of nepotism. If Peter Halliday believes he can just carry on now as the leader of the Council then he underestimates just how tainted TDC will be by his continued presence. If localism had any meaning we should be able to sack the lot of them and ask for an immediate local election. If he had any finer feelings Peter Halliday would resign forthwith.

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Ossiepith says...
8:58am Wed 31 Oct 12

Peter Halliday...finer feelings...hmmm...

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Farmhouse France says...
10:17am Thu 1 Nov 12

As Peter Halliday is a highly paid person in Tendring District Council he should know how to conduct himself in the face of aggresive behaviour. Two wrongs don't make a right and he should hang his head in shame. This really does set a wonderful picture of justice to all who live in Clacton. If this had been someone in another job they would have been instantly dismissed for Gross Misconduct. What's different????

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