Councillor says sorry for offensive remark

Buy photos » Coun David Wright went on record apologising to Coun June Tandy for making ‘personal and offensive’ remarks against her. (s)

A COUNTY councillor from Rugby was forced to apologise for an offensive comment he made towards another member.

Tory Coun David Wright, also a Rugby borough councillor for Bilton, made personal remarks against Labour county councillor June Tandy at the budget setting meeting at Shire Hall in Warwick in February.

He hit out at Coun Tandy after she criticised the ruling Conservatives for refusing to cut the allowances given to councillors and reduce the number of people sitting on the county council's cabinet.

Speaking at the following county council meeting in March, Coun Wright apologised and said: "I am sorry that I crossed the line of acceptable behaviour at the last council meeting by making a personal and offensive comment to Coun Mrs Tandy in this chamber in response to her proposed amendment to the budget debate.

"I accept that in doing so, I breached one of the guiding principles of the Members' Code of Conduct, which is to treat others with respect. I therefore wish to place on record my formal apology to Mrs Tandy and to this chamber for the offence I have caused."

Coun Tandy, from Nuneaton, accepted Coun Wright's apology and said she did not want to comment further on what he said to her.

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