Councillor’s tweet breached rules
POLITICIAN POSTED ON SOCIAL MEDIA THAT LOAN DECISION HAD BEEN MADE
A COUNCILLOR who tweeted a decision on an issue before Cabinet had made it breached Calderdale Council’s code of conduct.
Clr Paul Bellenger (Lib Dem, Greetland and Stainland) breached the code by posting on Twitter that a decision about a council loan to the Holywell Community Pub Ltd, which was being considered by Cabinet on March 19 this year, had been made.
A Standards Committee panel held a hearing in September and the verdict was reported to the committee this week. As a result of the panel’s decision Clr Bellenger had administrative privi- leges provided by the council – including using normal council email or photocopying facilities – withdrawn for two weeks.
Clr Chris Pearson (Con, Greetland and Stainland) made the complaint that Clr Bellenger had tweeted the decision had been made at 7.09pm, about an hour before Cabinet discussed it and made a decision.
The report was an item from which the public were exempt from attending and Clr Pearson alleged that in his opinion Clr Bellenger’s intention was political gain for his party colleague in the upcoming May elections.
Clr Pearson alleged Clr Bellenger’s action could have damaged HCPL’s ability to finalise a deal with the owner of the premises where negotiations were sensitive, said the report to the panel provided to the committee.
Clr Bellenger said it was a genuine misunderstanding. He told the panel he and ward party colleague Clr Marilyn Greenwood had met with council leader Clr Tim Swift ahead of the Cabinet meeting to seek further details about the loan proposal and that fol- lowing the discussion thought the matter was approved and therefore there was no problem tweeting about it during the Cabinet meeting.
It was pointed out that while discussions can take place with the leader it should have been understood the decision sat with Cabinet.