Mayor’s misconduct over comments about Hitler and Travellers - Wales

From the Daily Post

A MAYOR who made “offensive” comments about Hitler and Travellers has been censured for misconduct.

Former Prestatyn Town Councillor Mike Eckersley failed to show “respect and consideration for others” during two equalities meetings, The Adjudication Panel for Wales ruled.

Mr Eckersley, a Tory who failed to get re-elected this year, apologised for “misinterpreted” remarks made on two occasions.

One referred to an old Chester bye-law that permitted the hanging of anyone who spoke Welsh at night.

But he strongly denied he said “Maybe we should take a load of Welsh Muslims to Chester to test this out,” during a meeting of Denbighshire Council’s corporate equalities group in July 2010.

He also disputed claims he said on another occasion about the travelling community: “As far as I’m concerned they are just legalised squatters and scroungers and I think Hitler had the right idea,” during a meeting in October 2010.

A decision by the APW states: “The case tribunal finds with regard to both allegations that Cllr Eckersley did make the alleged remarks.”

But in a statement sent to Prestatyn Town Council, he said: “I want to be categorically clear that the words used are not those I said.

“My remarks were addressed towards those who have suggested that Travellers should be returned to their country of origin.

“These views are clearly wrong and I do not regret saying that those views are tantamount to extremism and intolerance which I have always opposed.”

Referring to the Hitler slur, a later statement said: “I understand that certain views I expressed may have been insensitive and misinterpreted. I wish to apologise for any distress that may have been caused.”

Although the comments were not minuted, a witness statement by corporate and improvement manager Tony Ward, who was present at the July meeting said: “I am aware that others may interpret the comment differently however my views on the comment were that it was an extremely inappropriate comment to make particularly in the context of a corporate equalities meeting... if it was meant the way I interpreted it, it goes beyond inappropriate and becomes an expression of some very dangerous views.”

Cllr Christine Evans, chair of the group, said that the comments he made in October were “crass, inane and a stupid remark made in the heat of the moment”.

She added: “I rebuked him there and then and told him to shut up... I spoke to him in the coffee break to reprimand him.”

It was agreed that Cllr Eckersley had “handled the situation badly and made remarks that he should not have made, but was genuinely remorseful and had not been trying to put forward racist or other discriminatory views”.

Mr Eckersley was found in breach of the Code of Conduct. The decision report adds: “Cllr Eckersley used language that was clearly offensive to others and his apology was an admittance of this fact.”