Councillor ‘breached code of conduct’

A BOROUGH councillor has been found to have breached the council’s code of conduct after receiving wages for 15 months after leaving her position on a pensions board.

Councillor Sue Ellis, chair of the licensing board on Rotherham Council, was called in front of the standards and ethics committee sub-committee.

Following the hearing, the Labour councillor for Wickersley was found to have brought the council in to disrepute. The hearing found that she had continued to receive payments from the council for her position as chair of the South Yorkshire Pensions Authority, 15 months after leaving the role.

Although Coun Ellis left the position in May 2019, she continued to receive an alleged £600 per month wage until August 2020.

The complainant, Councillor Allen Cowles, Leader of Rotherham Democratic Party Group, told the hearing of the telephone calls and emails from the public about the “unacceptable behaviour” of Coun Ellis.

He added that he raised the complaint with the standards and ethics committee after Labour had not taken action, and that although the finance team had issued an apology for the error, the council was not solely to blame.

Coun Ellis told the hearing that the complaints against her were “politically driven”, and questioned whose responsibility it should be for ensuring correct payments were made to councillors. She added that she had “no cause to monitor the account” until the overpayment was drawn to her attention.

A report stated: “Action had now been taken to ensure appropriate monitoring of her own and the family’s financial position and monthly statements were being received.” She “paid the amount back in full”.

MUSIC: Kings of Leon frontman Caleb Followill has hit out at climate change deniers, describing them as “idiots”.

The singer and guitarist, 39, said he felt comfortable speaking out about the issue because it is a “universal thing”.