Councillor Esmond Jenkins escapes suspension (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)
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Councillor Esmond Jenkins escapes suspension
8:10pm Friday 20th January 2012 in News By Ian Craig
CAMPAIGNING Cotswold District Councillor Esmond Jenkins has escaped suspension at the end of a four-day Standards Board hearing into allegations he breached codes of conduct.
Although five separate breaches of the code of conduct were found in Cllr Jenkins’ behaviour, the Standards Committee decided to impose only minimal sanctions upon him.
The Standards Committee found that Cllr Jenkins had failed to treat CDC head of democratic services Nigel Adams with respect when they visited Cotswold Country Park and Beach to investigate the alleged planning breach at the lake, and that the incident brought his office into disrepute.
It was also found that Cllr Jenkins did not treat planning officers with respect and that his allegations of misconduct within the department brought the council into disrepute.
The committee also found that emails sent by Cllr Jenkins making accusations of misconduct had compromised the impartiality of planning officers.
Eleven other allegations, including that Cllr Jenkins bullied officers and misused his position as a councillor, were dismissed by the committee.
After the committee had announced its findings, which comprised breaches of three clauses of the code of conduct, three members of the community gave mitigation statements on Cllr Jenkins’ behalf, including South Cerney Parish Council chairman Mike Stuart.
Cllr Stuart said: “We of the community are absolutely horrified at the way this has been allowed to develop.
“When I met Cllr Jenkins I knew he was a man who would rattle cages, upset things and kick backside, and I know that the people of this area support him.”
Cllr Stuart was given a standing ovation by Cllr Jenkins’ supporters following his comments.
The Standards Board issued Cllr Jenkins with a formal censure for making unsubstantiated allegations of corruption within CDC’s planning department and his “robust and intemperate behaviour”.
He has also been ordered to write an official letter of apology to Mr Adams and undergo code of conduct training, which he had not previously completed.
Speaking after the ruling, Cllr Jenkins said he was “delighted” by the outcome.
“This has been ten months of significant turmoil for everyone involved, and, thanks to the huge support that I’ve enjoyed from local people, today’s outcome represents a fair and just result,” he said.
“While I still do not believe that I committed any breach of the code of conduct, it was certainly not my intention to cause any distress or be disrespectful towards Mr Adams.”
Cllr Jenkins hit out at the Standards Board process, calling it “a hugely disproportionate and expensive waste of taxpayer’s money”.
He also thanked his supporters for their support.
“The Standards Committee took on board the huge level of public support and this weighed significantly on the decision to give me the most minimal of sanctions.”
At the end of today’s session, the committee retired to consider if any recommendations could be made to the council to avoid another case such as this arising in the future.
They are expected to present their recommendations on Monday.
Comments(21)
Crispin Mount
says...
9:44pm Fri 20 Jan 12
I salute you.
johntran
says...
9:48pm Fri 20 Jan 12
I'm glad that a councillor, who appears to be doing the job he was elected for (putting the best interests of the public first) will be allowed to continue his important work.
I'm hoping that his campaigning will help expose and bring down those who fail to live up to those very standards.
Given the background to this case and the ridiculous charges he has faced, serious questions need to be asked about those who have failed to support this chap's campaign for transparency! With any luck it will soon be their turn in the grilling spotlight!
peterhampton
says...
10:28pm Fri 20 Jan 12
i am sure EJ will have drawn support and stenght to contiune this fight for what is right.
i wish EJ can spend more time with family this year - there is only so much time we can expect an elected member to devote to public service (as other members have stated to me), - but i suspect this may be a wish as matters unfold with CWPS history.
Council Taxpayer
says...
11:00pm Fri 20 Jan 12
Roll on the day when TV cameras are allowed into the council chamber at CDC to expose the sort of hugely expensive and ludicrous proceedings we have witnessed this week.
As a member of the public who sat in on the hearing it often bordered on surreal black comedy.
At times, such as the spellbinding attack on CDC's incompetent managers by Mike Stewart, Chairman of South Cerney Parish Council, who described how the local community had been “shafted” it was priceless entertainment.
Since CDC's chief executive is happy to spend £19,000 on a magician to improve staff morale, I suppose nothing should have surprised me.
Yet, as the days passed, I was struck by the disturbing realisation that this is an organisation so dysfunctional that its managers have lost all touch with reality.
Officers seem so entrenched in their own self-importance and the absolute necessity to preserve the council's reputation that they can no longer see how this sort of circus plays out in the wider public arena.
I am sure the council must have media advisers so why did they fail to warn Miss Lowe and Chief Executive David Neudegg that it is often advisable to put up with a little local difficulty from challenging councillors like Mr Jenkins than expose the council to ridicule and public contempt?
What stuck observers was that some members of CDC's staff, including the highly-paid Chief Executive, appeared so precious that they were affronted or even "intimidated and threatened" by robust and straight-talking emails from the no-nonsense councillor.
Others, like Head of Democratic Services, Nigel Adams, deserve credit for remaining above this petty, school playground moaning by conceding that officers on his pay grade should be resilient enough to deal with such interaction.
It is astonishing that Mr Adams wanted no part in this tawdry witch-hunt. Yet, Philippa Lowe, who heads the planning team which, strangely, had no officers at that site visit where the alleged disrespect took place, decided to complain on his behalf. How odd.
In its wake, this fiasco leaves legitimate questions that CDC must now answer - not least about the totally disproportionate cost of this ridiculous and sinister attempt to intimidate a councillor with an uncanny knack for sniffing out corruption and criminality.
So come on CDC. Within the next week we expect you to publish the entire cost of this exercise including the cost of the lengthy Standards for England probe and the council's own expenses.
Taxpayers also deserve a full explanation of why CDC's publicly funded press office arranged prejudicial pre-hearing briefings with Mr Neudegg earlier this month for local newspapers and radio. The story was spun in a manner that led some outlets to report that Cllr Jenkins had already been "found guilty" - a disgraceful infringement of his right to an unprejudiced and fair hearing.
As it turns out, he has been cleared of virtually everything, especially the more serious charges of being a bully. So why did CDC give the impression to the media at those briefings that he had been found guilty of bullying officers?
Hounding a democratically elected councillor is one thing. Trying to sabotage a fair hearing is something far more serious and should be investigated.
In the final analysis, CDC must ask itself what this process has actually achieved apart from turning one opposition councillor into a folk hero and probably the most well known political figure in the area.
CDC was always going to lose, no matter what the verdict. What should worry all of us is that its senior managers apparantly lacked the intellect to reach that conclusion before it went this far.
dopey1
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9:10am Sat 21 Jan 12
I do believe that we all met this week...but we can't be sure!!!
It's nice to work together...apart!
Ian & Liz
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12:06pm Sat 21 Jan 12
Secondly, I am not normally compelled to involve myself in this type of local forum but having taken 4 days out of work to support Councillor Jenkins in what can only be described as a hugely ridiculous, presumably very expensive and sometime hilarious modern day Inquisition, I find myself compelled to comment.
It is ironic that the only officer to which Councillor Jenkins has been asked to apologise, Councillor Adams, did not actually bring a complaint against him. Furthermore, I understand from listening to the local radio this morning that Councillor Jenkins is more than happy to apologise to Councillor Adams because he absolutely respects his honesty in the witness box which in my view appeared to be sorely lacking in some of his fellow witnesses.
In the real, non bubble world outside Trinity Road, those responsible for wasting such a lot of time and valuable resource would find themselves on “Gardening Leave”. If you have any honour you can resign...over to you Neudegg and Lowe.
The only winners are Democracy and Councillor Jenkins...well done to our local hero. Oh and don’t forget those who were paid (by us taxpayers) to take part in this farce.
Ian
Cotswoldlakes.org.uk
says...
1:56pm Sat 21 Jan 12
Philip Nicholas
Cirenres
says...
10:34am Sun 22 Jan 12
In dealing with Council contracts across the UK for a number of years, as far as officers were concerned, I made a general assumption of incompetence and sadly; was rarely disappointed. So not surprised at all at most of the performances at "Circus Trinitus" last week.
Susie Clark
says...
2:28pm Sun 22 Jan 12
He probably should be delighted that his punishment wasn’t greater – any student in my children’s school would be on their way towards permanent exclusion if they persistently behaved as Cllr Jenkins has.
Cllr Jenkins has many bridges to mend if he is not to be damaged goods in the council – let’s hope his apology to Mr.Adams is the start and not the end of his reconciliation with those he needs to work with.
Olly Cromwell
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4:36pm Sun 22 Jan 12
dopey1
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5:04pm Sun 22 Jan 12
Robert Jeanes
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6:40pm Sun 22 Jan 12
Esmond Jenkins
says...
8:20pm Sun 22 Jan 12
May I just thank everyone who attended to offer their support.
The Committee cannot fail to have been moved by the fantastic support, or by the statements made by Sarah Powell, Ronan Harvey and Mike Stuart.
I am so proud to have your support.
We have all learnt a great deal in the four days.
For me the abiding thought is this: For the first time in a very long time, Trinity Road came in to direct contact with those it serves. For those employed by the taxpayers of the District this was the brutal reality of localism at close quarters.
Despite their pleadings this new reality will have sent shock waves through the huddled ranks of my Colleagues sat rather quietly across the chamber. Somebody badly misjudged public sentiment, and not for the first time.
Esmond
walterparkgate
says...
11:55pm Sun 22 Jan 12
Fairford, Tetbury, Northleach Lib Dems came third.
Council Taxpayer
says...
9:32am Mon 23 Jan 12
Of course he was delighted but only because the hearing panel saw through their nasty little plot and threw out those vindictive charges which would have seen him kicked off the council, ruined his reputation and wrecked his legal career.
Out of 16 charges, the majority malicious, they found against him on only five minor counts.
The problem for you Susie and your Tory council chums, who looked dejected at the outcome, was that a packed public gallery was delighted as well, giving Mr Jenkins a standing ovation and elevating him to the rank of "local hero."
No shame there for him then but what about the sinister conspiracy at Trinity Road to silence him after the Water Park's leading land grabber asked the council to "rein" him in.
That businessman, according to secret documents that finally surfaced last week, entered into a series of lucrative side deals with fraudster Dennis Grant which would have seen millions made from holiday home development had the conman not been put behind bars, thanks largely to the efforts of Cllr Jenkins.
Susie, do try to join up the dots - everyone else in the Water Park is way ahead of you.
What the CDC plotters failed to anticipate was for Cllr Jenkins to turn the spotlight on the cosy "club" that exists within the officer ranks at CDC to service the demands of rich property developers while the rest of us, as Mike Stewart, Chairman of South Cerney Parish Council so eloquently put it, are "shafted."
Cirenres
says...
10:31am Mon 23 Jan 12
Bet the students in your children's school, those not on permanent exclusion of course, could have worked out the outcome of this nonsense after a few hours of evidence; just as the public gallery did.
As for disrepute of the Council. Don't think CDC need Esmonds help on that. They seem to be well capable themselves. Vide Private Eye!
The most common question I heard from the public gallery (why do Councillors not sit with the public?) was to the motivation for this Circus? Hopefully that may, one day, be exposed.
dopey1
says...
11:04am Mon 23 Jan 12
At the hearing in CDC’s chambers, Mr Max Thomas complained about the stories in the newspapers that Cllr Jenkins had written, something that he strenuously denied. One of these stories, that appeared in Private Eye, was that Mr Thomas’ company had defaulted or even failed to register for certain Non-Domestic Rate ( Business Rate) payments. Mr Thomas said that his company were not being investigated for this and anyway it was a civil matter and not a criminal matter.
Mr Thomas is no doubt correct in his denial of this investigation as if the police had been to see him, they would have told him that non-payment of Council Tax or Non Domestic Rates comes under criminal law and is an indictable offence i.e. you can go to prison for it.
Cirenres
says...
11:58am Mon 23 Jan 12
Don't you take yourselves and your positions so seriously?
The gig will work when the public do!!!
mlgx
says...
7:03pm Mon 23 Jan 12
dopey1
says...
9:07am Wed 25 Jan 12
Surely the world of fine dining isn’t like this?
Before we know it, we could have chefs using language that their kitchen staff might find abusive and threatening.
If any of the CDC Members or Officers are looking for a kitchen job please apply to:-
Gordon Ramsay Holdings Limited
1 Catherine Place
LONDON
SW1E 6DX
joe.harris says...
8:26pm Fri 20 Jan 12