ANOTHER War of Words broke out at Teignbridge Council in the latest chapter over the authority’s handling of complaints about a councillor.

The extraordinary meeting of the full council was called to discuss the findings of the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman’s report into Councillor Richard Daws’ complaint that the council was at fault as it failed to follow due process when investigating him for alleged breaches of its code of conduct for elected councillors.

Teignbridge Council was ordered by the ombudsman to apologise to Ambrook ward member Cllr Daws for its ‘flawed’ investigation into allegations regarding his behaviour and comments made on social media.

At times, the hearing descended into chaos, name calling, accusations and vitriol with chairman Cllr Charles Nuttall forced to adjourn the meeting for 10 minutes as tempers flared.

Even after it reconvened, there were further shouts and recriminations relating to other ongoing disagreements between individual councillors. 

Members were reminded that the matter under discussion at the meeting only related to the ombudsman’s report into Cllr Daws’ complaint and not any other issues. 

Accusations had been made across the chamber at various points of the meeting and involved other councillors in dispute with the council, including Cllr Adrian Patch, who was later told he had to remain silent or leave the meeting, and Cllr Liam Mullone. 

Cllr Daws, in a lengthy response to council, said while he noted the apology, he said what his case ‘suggests and demonstrates very clearly’ was that there were ‘systematic failings’ within the council’s standards procedures.

He stated: ‘My reputation has been trashed, damaged and smeared over a three-year period and this council took no consideration of its actions, despite the fact they were told they had broken the law.’

Council leader Cllr Alan Connett put forward a raft of recommendations designed to address the ombudsman’s report.

His proposal, which was backed by the majority of councillors, went much further than officers’ recommendations with a 10-point plan to implement the ombudsman’s recommendations and put checks in place to see these are carried out. 

Top of the list was his ‘unreserved apology’ to Cllr Daws for the manner the council had handled the complaint and for any ‘upset and distress caused’ to him.

Cllr Connett further apologised for the ‘serious failings’ of the council processes and the flawed investigation.

And he believed the council should accept the report and the ombudsman’s recommendations.

His recommendations included that the council managing director, on behalf of the council, apologise to Cllr Daws and also apologise to the council itself for the matter.

Further he asked that the council’s former solicitor and monitoring officer, Karen Trickey, and the ombudsman report be referred to the Solicitors Regulatory Authority for consideration.

‘Robust training’ should be given to all councillors and the senior management team and a report be published, within four weeks, outlining how procedures have been changed to comply with the ombudsman’s report.

The decision notice relating to Cllr Daws from July 2020 is to be removed and rescinded with a statement and link to the ombudsman report.

Cllr Connett also pointed out that the report could have a wider impact on local authorities nationally. 

Cllr Richard Keeling, who at the time was chairman of the council’s standards board, also offered his apologies.

But he said he was ‘assured’ by the then monitoring officer that the board was following correct procedure. 

He said: ‘The monitoring officer at that time let Cllr Daws down.

‘We have already made changes to address the ombudsman’s report.’

Cllr Daws, who was elected in 2019 as part of the Newton Says No group opposed to housing development, argued that while an apology had been put forward to him, the council response seemed to question whether the ombudsman had any authority over the council. 

He further said these ‘serious failings’ highlighted in the report amounted to maladministration and that the council was guilty of these serious failings constituting misconduct in public office. 

The ombudsman’s report, Cllr Daws said, was one of the most ‘stinging reports ever dealt with’.

The council’s actions had a ‘lasting effect’ on the district, he said, and this was an ‘opportunity to put its house in order’, a comment which was greeted with applause. 

There followed a number of other allegations against and criticisms of individual members, officers and the council as a whole.

Cllr Andrew McGregor said the systematic failings should not come as a ‘surprise’.

He said: ‘Councillors are supposed to work without fear or favour and if you can’t work without those, we shouldn’t be here.’

He added that the ‘injustices’ to all councillors should be rectified. 

Cllr Andy Swain pointed out that the council had a duty to protect its officers from bullying and harassment.

Comments were made about the use of ‘abusive language’ and there was even a call by Cllr Liam Mullone to ‘resign, all of you’.

Cllr Connett’s proposals were passed.