Outcome of Standards Sub-Committee meeting, Monday 7 December
The first concerned Councillor Joe Cullen who was found to have breached the Willington Parish Council’s Code of Conduct by
- Not behaving in a way that a reasonable person would regard as respectful; and
- Acting in a way which a reasonable person would regard as bullying or intimidatory.
He will face the following sanctions: he will be censured and the findings of the Standards Sub-Committee will be reported to the Parish Council for information.
The second case concerned Councillor Paul Cullen who had breached the Willington Parish Council’s Code of Conduct by:
- Not behaving in a way that a reasonable person would regard as respectful in an extraordinary meeting of Willington Parish Council on 24 September 2019. The Sub-Committee determined he remained in his official capacity as a councillor despite moving to the public area to speak, and remained in his capacity as a councillor when making his comments.
- The Sub-Committee did not find a breach of the Willington Parish Council’s Code of Conduct at a meeting of Willington Parish Council’s Recreation and Amenities Committee on 4 November 2019. They did not find the behaviour complained of proven to the requisite standard.
- Not behaving in a way that a reasonable person would regard as respectful towards the chair, clerk, and other persons at a meeting of Willington Parish Council on 12 November 2019.
- Not behaving in a way that a reasonable person would regard as respectful in emails to the chair, clerk, and other councillors. The emails were undermining of the authority of the chair, and when taken together they fell below the appropriate standards.
He will face the following sanctions: he will be censured and the findings of the Standards Sub-Committee will be reported to Willington Parish Council for information.
Ardip Kaur, South Derbyshire District Council’s Monitoring Officer, said: “When elected, all councillors have to agree to uphold the standards of their council’s Code of Conduct.
“The Standards Sub-Committee found that Councillor Joe Cullen and Councillor Paul Cullen had both acted in a way which was below the standards required by Willington Parish Council’s Code of Conduct.
“This is a clear message that these standards must be followed and, if not, action will be taken.”
Both Joe Cullen and Paul Cullen resigned from their seats on Willington Parish Council in the days leading up to the hearings.
11 December 2020