Sexual harassment and bullying case involving leading Devon councillor: I think the County has handled it properly
At the last Devon County Council meeting, Councillor Emma Brennan (Labour, Heavitree and Whipton Barton, Exeter) made a protest about the continued presence in the Council of Councillor Brian Greenslade (Barnstaple), who has been found guilty of sexual harassment and bullying against Council employees during his time as leader 10-15 years ago. Earlier, we had approved the minutes of the Standards Committee which considered the matter.
Councillor Greenslade has lost his membership of the Liberal Democrats and now sits as an Independent (but he is not a member of the Non-Aligned Group to which Claire Wright and I belong). He has also lost his membership of Council committees and his access to all but the minimum Council facilities necessary for him to act as a councillor. These are the maximum penalties the Council is able to impose; it is not possible for the Council to force him to stand down as a councillor.
DevonLive reports that Devon County Council has refused to release details of the case. Based on what I know now, I think that Council officers and the Standards Committee have handled the case properly, taking the matter extremely seriously, and if they say that releasing sensitive details would undermine confidentiality and the integrity of the case, I accept their judgement.
Seaton & Colyton MATTERS 