Independent Panel Clears Spelthorne Council Leader of Bullying, Upholds Disrespect Finding

The leader of a Surrey council was found to have shown disrespect towards a member of staff, but an independent panel has cleared her of bullying allegations. Joanne Sexton, who leads Spelthorne Borough Council, faced two conduct breaches following a complaint made by the group head of place, protection and prosperity. According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the specifics of the allegations against Ms. Sexton, a member of the Independent Spelthorne Group for Ashford East, remain confidential. Ms. Sexton stated that she had issued a private apology and was “keen that all officers and members work together to create the positive future that Spelthorne residents deserve”. The council’s standards sub-committee reviewed the complaint against Ms. Sexton on 17 October. After hearing testimony from the independent investigator and Ms. Sexton, the committee decided to uphold the complaint regarding her failure to treat a local authority employee with respect, concluding that her behaviour breached the code of conduct. The bullying complaint, however, was not upheld. The Local Government Association defines respect as politeness and courtesy in behaviour, speech, and in the written word. Ms. Sexton commented: “Residents will know that I am committed and passionate about the future of Spelthorne and want the best for our borough. “I am saddened that one of the council’s officers has interpreted my enthusiasm as a lack of respect, which was certainly never my intention.”