‘I won’t be put off serving the public’
A NORTHUMBERLAND councillor says she won’t be scared off by a “small minority” who have targeted her with abuse.
On Wednesday last week the words ‘Dunbar Out’ were found scrawled in weedkiller on the playing fields at Eastfied playing fields in Cramlington – apparently targeting local county councillor Christine Dunbar and her town councillor husband Norman.
As police launched an investigation, Coun Dunbar said: “This is something I know happens to councillors. “It’s very upsetting but it’s not going to stop me from doing what I do for the community in Cramlington. It’s local, community stuff that I deal with rather than national politics, but this is a problem throughout politics to some extent.” Former police officer Coun Dunbar, a Conservative, said the personal nature of the vandalism had had an impact – but vowed she wouldn’t be put off her work.
She said: “It’s not about being thick-skinned, it’s that as an elected representative I’m here to represent this community and I will continue to do that. I think I have some resilience and I rise above it.
“I’ve always been a public servant and I’m not going to stop being a public servant because someone doesn’t like it.” The message was removed on Wednesday afternoon by council workers.
A Northumbria Police spokesperson said: “It was reported that weedkiller had been used to burn an offensive message into the grass.
“Inquires are ongoing into the incident. Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 101 or via the website and quote log NP-20211222-0456.”