Councillor apologises for conduct in market row meeting – but does not retract all allegations

A councillor has apologised for his conduct at a meeting where he accused the council leader of using his position to ‘orchestrate’ the demise of Middleton's market.

Councillor Bernard Wynne, of Middleton Independents Party, made a series of explosive claims about Councillor Neil Emmott at a Rochdale council meeting in December – shortly after the authority stepped in to take Middleton market under its control.

 

Read more: Council leader hits back at explosive claims he used position to ‘orchestrate’ demise of market companyPublished: 16 December 2022
Middleton market now run by Rochdale CouncilPublished: 09 November 2022

 

The East Middleton councillor also suggested the leader had been supported in his endeavours by Councillor Peter Williams and Councillor June West – the chair and vice-chair of the Middleton Township Committee.

He persisted in outlining his party’s ‘significant concerns’, despite Mayor Councillor Ali Ahmed ordering him to stop and direct his grievance through the proper channels.

However, at a full council meeting on Wednesday night (22 March), Councillor Wynne offered his ‘sincere apologies’ for his actions in December – which he said he now realised violated the council code of conduct.

“I retract all I said in the meeting that caused offence by the manner and tone I used,” he said.

“As a councillor it is my responsibility to set a good example and maintain a high standard of behaviour in my role. I am deeply sorry that I have failed to do so. I understand that my behaviour has caused concern and disappointment among my peers, colleagues and members of the council.”

 

 

Councillor Wynne assured members he took the matter seriously and was ‘committed to making things right’.

“I fully accept responsibility for my actions and will work to regain the trust and confidence of those who have been affected by my behaviour,” he said.

Councillor Williams did not appear to fully accept the apology, saying Councillor Wynne should have known the basis of his remarks related to a year-old complaint that had been dismissed as ‘vexatious’.

He also said it had ‘not addressed’ the response it had sparked on social media, which became ‘alive with rumours that were not very pleasant about, in particular, the leader of the council’.

This, he told the meeting, included a comment from a MIP supporter, that suggesting Councillor Emmott should be wary that ‘malfeasance in public office’ could lead to a prison sentence.

Councillor Emmott thanked Councillor Wynne for apologising for the manner in which he raised his concerns at the December full council meeting.

But he also asked Councillor Wynne to retract the allegations made about himself, Councillor Williams and Councillor West on the night.

However, Councillor Wynne said he was not prepared to do so at this stage as the matters raised were still under investigation.

He said not all the allegations were part of the complaint Councillor Williams had referred to and he did not wish to add anything further while there were still further investigations to be completed.

Nick Statham, Local Democracy Reporting Service