'Travellers need to know what was said about them' - Cambridgeshire

From cambridge-news.co.uk

A councillor has been told to attend equalities training after an official probe concluded he made offensive comments about Travellers.

But the “informal resolution” involving Cllr Mervyn Loynes has sparked fresh criticism.

In the first case under a new standards regime, South Cambs District Council’s monitoring officer and an “independent person” agreed Cllr Loynes, who represents Bourn, had caused the authority to breach equalities law.

They concluded he had failed to treat others with respect and had brought his office or authority into disrepute.

However, as he had already resigned as vice-chairman of the planning committee and chairman of the planning enforcement committee – both of which oversee contentious issues involving Travellers – the pair decided the case should not be sent for a formal hearing.

Instead, they decided the Conservative should attend equalities training, which he has agreed to do.

Comments made by Cllr Loynes before the enforcement committee’s February meeting, when members considered pitches at Smithy Fen in Cottenham, were the subject of the inquiry – but he denied any wrongdoing.

Cllr Deborah Roberts, who got in hot water herself for saying Smithy Fen Travellers should be left to “stew” in raw sewage and that she would launch a suicide bomb attack on the settlement if she had cancer, said there should be a public hearing.

She said: “The public and the Travellers need to know what he said about them.”

Opposition leader Cllr Sebastian Kindersley agreed, fearing decisions about travellers Cllr Loynes was involved in could now be jeopardised.

He said: “I think these decisions are now vulnerable if a clever lawyer was inclined to make a fuss about them because one might argue Cllr Loynes was biased.”

A spokesman said the council had followed national legislation and that a report on the case would be published shortly.

Council leader Cllr Ray Manning said Cllr Loynes made a “silly remark” in private but had done the “honourable thing” by quitting his key roles in the two committees.

Cllr Manning said: “He’s done his penance and I’m happy for him to be in the group – he’s a decent, hardworking councillor.”

Cllr Loynes declined to comment.

see also the BBC - 'Minefield round Traveller site' jibe investigated