The chair of Lichfield District Council has officially stood down from the role – but not before taking aim at an officer and other councillors.
Cllr Derick Cross said he had made the decision after being found to have breached the code of conduct when he suggested a female council officer should be put over his knee.
The Alrewas and Fradley ward member said that while he apologised for any embarrassment caused, he was unhappy with the way information about the incident had been made public, insisting he had been “humiliated”.
Cllr Cross told the meeting of the council this evening (12th December):
“My report is succinct and brought about following deep consideration of this council and its operation, particularly over the last few weeks.
“I’d like to take this opportunity to apologise to you all for any embarrassment my incident may have caused you with all the unnecessary – but deliberate – publicity from Lichfield District Council.
“I’m sure you are all aware of the situation, but I want to confirm that the expression spoken was not intended to be insulting, derogatory, disrespectful or offensive in any way – the expression was widely used in public, in film and on TV.
“Lichfield District Council has humiliated and denigrated me. The incident and the publicity generated by the council officer’s press release and information supplied to the media by other council members has resulted in bad publicity for the council and humiliation for me and my family.
“This situation has allowed my family and I some perspective, allowing us to realise that the majority of my weekends and social time were heavily constrained and monopolised by the commitments of the chairman’s role, as can be seen by the unprecedented number of engagements I have attended during my time as chair.
“I’ve been honoured to serve as chairman and I have carried out the role to the best of my ability and with honour and dignity.
“The actions by the way this has been dealt with has made my position untenable. It is with much sadness I’ve decided to step down as chair.”
Cllr Derick Cross, Lichfield District Council
But Cllr Sue Woodward, leader of the Labour opposition group said the outgoing chair could not simply point to the use of such comments in TV and film as an excuse for him using them.
“You’re making comments about officers that they are unable to respond to. That is totally inappropriate and unfair.
“Making the excuse that the expression you used – which I thought was highly offensive and inappropriate – was used elsewhere does not exonerate you from the fact you used that comment.”
Cllr Sue Woodward, Lichfield District Council
A vote for a replacement saw Cllr Ann Hughes, Labour representative for Stowe ward, named new chair after defeating current vice-chair, Cllr Richard Holland, in a vote among members of the council.
Cllr Cross will remain as an independent member of the council, alongside Cllr Serena Mears who also quit the Conservative group at the local authority in the wake of the decision to suspend her colleague while the investigation into his conduct was carried out.
