Hmm…

A councillor has been ordered to make a public apology for criticising members of a panel who recommended he and his colleagues get a pay rise.

Liberal Democrat Michael Charlesworth has been found to have breached Leicestershire County Council’s members’ code of conduct with comments he made during a debate about allowances…

During the debate Coun Charlesworth rose to read a pre-prepared statement in which he said the IRP – made up of former De Montfort University vice-chancellor David Wilson, former council lawyer Jayne Kelly and former bursar of Loughborough University Micheal Pearson – had not reached their conclusion about increasing allowances independently.

He accused the Tories of influencing the panel…

Coun Charlesworth … refused to co-operate with the investigation other than to say he stood by his comments and wanted his disciplinary hearing – which he did not attend – to be heard in public.

He said he did not feel the need to co-operate as all his remarks were available for people to see on a webcast of the meeting.

Mr Goolden [the lawyer appointed to investigate] said Coun Charlesworth’s non-cooperation was frustrating and that his comments had ‘quite simply crossed the line’. Mr Goolden said they were personalised, unjustified and made against people who had no right of reply. [Leicester Mercury]

What do you make of this?