|
|
 |
| |
| EX-MAYOR: LEADER IS A 'FUHRER' |
Allegation made as Town Hall chiefs
fight for reputations
TOWN Hall leader Councillor Steve Hitchins was described as “the
Fuhrer” this week by a former colleague who attacked his “extremely
dictatorial” and “bullying” attitude.
Councillor Joan Coupland described an incident in April, when she
was mayor, during which a furious Cllr Hitchins thumped his fist
down on a desk in his office when she refused to go out and canvass
for the Lib Dems.
The extraordinarily bitter in-fighting that went on behind the scenes
at the Town Hall was revealed by Cllr Coupland when she gave evidence
at the start of a misconduct hearing by the Standards Board of England,
a government watchdog with powers to disqualify councillors from
serving for up to five years.
Not long after the incident in the leader’s office, Cllr Coupland
quit the Lib Dems and joined Islington’s opposition Labour
group.
Five Islington councillors, including Cllr Hitchins, and chief executive
Helen Bailey are fighting for their reputations in Britain’s
longest-running Standards Board case, which began on Tuesday and
is expected to last three weeks.
At the heart of the complaint by Islington’s Labour opposition
is an allegation of “cronyism” against Cllr Hitchins.
It is alleged that Ms Bailey, a former Lib Dem activist, was a “political
appointment” and that the Lib Dems “conspired” to
appoint her to the job of chief executive because of her friendship
with Cllr Hitchins.
The Lib Dems maintain that Labour is using the Standards Board to
settle political scores.
At the hearing, Cllr Coupland said of Cllr Hitchins: “If you
challenge his view he can get quite nasty and he is manipulative
and a bully. He answers all questions with a question.”
Referring to the canvassing incident, Cllr Coupland said: “I
was told I was not pulling my weight in the build-up to the elections.
I explained that, as mayor, I had decided to be non-political.
“He would not have it and he got very angry, and threatened
that if I did not go out and start delivering leaflets and canvassing
immediately I would be de-selected.”
Cllr Hitchins “jumped to his feet, hit his fist on the desk,
and leaned across the desk with his clenched fists raised towards
me. He was very angry and threatening.
“With his fist swinging within inches of me, I did not wait
for anything else to happen. I jumped back and ran out of the office
in tears.”
Under cross-examination, Cllr Coupland admitted she had sworn at
Cllr Hitchins and later went back to apologise. |
|
Look for vintage not barcode
FULL STORY...
... and another thing....
Typical isn’t it? You leave the country for a few days
and when you get back everything you thought you knew is wrong.
FULL STORY...
|
