An investigation using video and written evidence found that Cllr Collymore had been in breach of several provisions of the Councillor Code of Conduct. The councillor who holds a Blue Badge had not realised there were parking restrictions that applied in that area, even to a Blude Badge holder, as there is a No Loading restriction. However, the double yellow lines were barely visible. I understand the lines have been repainted since the incident.
Cllr Collymore, who before becoming a councillor was a local community activist, apparently lost her cool in the heated outburst.
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The Complainant alleged Councillor Collymore:after asking why a ticket had been issued, did not permit the CEO the opportunity to explain why the ticket had been issued,
stated “the officer got married to a woman in order to regularise his [stay] in the UK”. Implying that the officer got his immigration document through an illegal means.
repeatedly stated she did not require a response from him.
informed the CEO that he “does not know how to carry out his duties, that she will speak to someone higher in the council and, that she will report him to the immigration services.”
repeatedly stated she is a councillor and will report the CEO to council officers.
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The complaint was backed up by video evidence which has been sent to Cllr Muhammed Butt, leader of Brent Council.
In considering sanctions for the breach Brent Council's Monitoring officer took into account Cllr Collymore's actions to remedy the breach, namely her written apology to the Council and her personal apology to the CEO. The following sanctions were imposed:
Censure or reprimand by way of a report for information to the Audit and Standards Advisory Committee, which has responsibility for oversight of Member standards issues, with a summary of this decision.
It was also suggested that Councillor Collymore be given the information again about appropriate use of her blue badge.
Request that Councillor Collymore undertakes refresher Code of Conduct training and refresher equalities training.
Providing a copy of the transcript of the headcam recording to the Leader of the Labour Group so the group can consider its relevance to council positions.
The last point is significant because Cllr Collymore apart from being Deputy Mayor also has positions on the Community and Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee, Corporate Parenting Committee, Regulatory Sub-Committee and the Service User Consultative Forum for Pensioners.
The Labour Group in considering removal from any of the positions will presumably take into account the findings in the Monitoring Officer's Report and the sanctions already imposed, as well as any advice from the London Region of the Labour Party.
Cllr Collymore, along with many other councillors, was not present at last night's Full Council Meeting. A request for a statement from the Mayor by Liberal Democrats was refused.
16 comments:
Many would regard those comments by Cllr Collymore as racist.
'... along with many other councillors, was not present at last night's Full Council meeting.'
They get a £12k allowance each year for being councillors, but some of them don't even bother to turn up. Disgraceful!!!
Wherea the video, has wembleymatters lost its contacts?
There's a challenge to readers (and those who read WM but deny they do)!
Explain meaning please
How do you know the apologies were “profuse”, given her attitude?
Perhaps meetings ahead of the Labour Party Conference, although both dates known well in advance.
Meetings ahead of the Labour Party Conference is a poor excuse!
Starmer says Labour puts country before Party. His members should put Council (which they are paid for, by us) before Party.
The Council should present the Webcam recording and the transcript of what happened before an independent panel of local residents they can than express an opinion whether Councillor Diane Collymore is fit to continue to serve on the Council and whether she should resign. It is not unusual for Council Reports to be watered down so they suppress any exposure of wrong doing by the Labour Majority. Labour Councillor Diana Collymore clearly abused her position as a Councillor (how many residents get an opportunity to "speak to someone higher in the Council"? and to threaten the traffic warden with a report to the Immigration Service is a serious abuse too and clearly racists as mentioned above. Why has she not yet been sacked as Deputy Mayor and removed from all Council Committees at the Council Meeting on Thursday is a disgrace and only shows how the Brent Labour Group running Brent tries to cover up appalling behaviour by some of its Labour Councillors.
Who were the Cllrs in question?
The failure of the council report to cite the very obvious racism in her words is deeply, deeply concerning.
I thoroughly object to this person retaining the title of Deputy Mayor as not fit to serve in this office or as a Councillor in the multicultural diverse borough that Brent is, and do not accept her apologies or excuses.
Sack her
She needs to go, the sooner the better
What a disgrace and especially from a person of her standing and position within the community and council imagine if someone like this behaves like this with such high regard for herself towards other people of our community what the rest are like it makes me think they all think it’s one rule for them and another for us. Especially since the leader of the council Butt thought it appropriate to defend this woman he should be sacked by the public also or should resign on the back of this what an utter disgrace.
I have seen no evidence that Cllr Muhammed Butt has defended the conduct of Cllr Collymore.
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