31.01.19
Vote of no confidence in councillor passed after bullying allegations
A town council has passed a motion of no confidence in one of its councillors following allegations of harassment and bullying.
Labour councillor Elaine Addison was given a vote of no confidence from her colleagues at North Walsham Town Council after a secret ballot saw a 7:5 vote to censure her.
Cllr Jenny Melville tabled the vote of no confidence in Addison, listing a host of complaints she had against her colleague in a statement given to the North Norfolk News.
These include “refusing to recognise and apologise for any wrongs,” calling councillors “oiks” by email, interference in other council wards, and “numerous unnecessary emails to staff and councillors,” including a freedom of information request against her own council.
Melville said Addison should be taken off all committees “with immediate effect,” but she will remain on the council ahead of a full council meeting in February.
Addison was elected to the council in 2017, becoming the first Labour councillor elected in North Norfolk.
Following the meeting, town mayor Barry Hester said he was frustrated with the situation.
He commented: “It has just built up and she won’t listen. We make a democratic decision and she takes it to the monitoring officer.
“She has even written to the MP looking to overturn decisions made by this council.”
Addison said after the decision that she wasn’t going to respond to allegations as “I think I’m going to remain above all that,” but confirmed that she would pursue the matter with a monitoring officer.