From the 4 December town council meeting 2014. Cllr John Kirby raises a question to which (Ditch the Mitch) Mitchell explains there is no procedure to dismissing a councillor, other than the ballot box or for a criminal offence. I find this somewhat worrying as the dismissal via the ballot box is down to a particular ward, yet a criminal action may reflect badly on the town, thus on all parishioners Take the case of Michael Westerman while holding the office of mayor. Convicted of theft, which is a criminal offence, although stepping down as mayor, he remained on the council. From the reporting done by the Keighley News, Wednesday, 28 September 2011,Calls for Keighley mayor to quit after guilty verdict, we read: After the case, Councillor Ron Beale said Coun Westerman had brought shame on the town. He said: “I have lived in Keighley all my life and I have seen past mayors who have held that office with dignity. There is no honour in the chains of office now. “I am thoroughly ashamed to come from Keighley after this. It is the biggest embarrassment this town has seen in many years.” Coun Lionel Lockley said Coun Westerman should never have stood in the first place. He said: “He was advised by the town clerk Miggy Bailey and some other people not to stand as mayor until the court case had been dealt with.” Coun Brian Hudson agreed Westerman should not have accepted the post when he was awaiting the outcome of the trial. “I don’t think he can continue in office and should resign,” he said. Coun Geraldine Stack said: “Justice has been done. It is terrible to steal from the Keighley Cougars when they don’t have a lot of money.” Coun Brian Morris said he was putting a proposal forward at the next town council meeting to stop anyone who had been charged with a criminal offence from standing for the council until they had been dealt with by the courts. “He has ruined the reputation of the post of mayor of Keighley,” he said. A Town Council spokesman said councillors could meet today to discuss Coun Westerman’s future. keighleynews.co.uk/archive/2011/09/28/9274417.Calls_for_Keighley_mayor_to_quit_after_guilty_verdict/ As we know, Westerman remained on the council and still does to this day. With such a conviction, should not the town, not just the council, have been given a voice as to whether someone convicted of theft should still remain on the council? What are your views?
Posted on: Mon, 08 Dec 2014 12:15:11 +0000
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