Dudley Council leader unapologetic after criticism of police chief ruled disrespectful
Dudley Council leader Patrick Harley said he would continue to speak out for the borough’s electorate after the authority’s standards committee found he was disrespectful to a police chief.
A near five-hour hearing at Dudley Council House upheld a complaint from Jonathan Jardine, the chief executive and monitoring officer of the West Midlands Police and Crime commissioner (PCC).
It related to comments which appeared in the Express and Star in November last year where Councillor Harley was asked about the decision by the then head of Dudley Police Chief, Superintendent Kim Madill, not to move travellers on from a transit site in Budden Road, Coseley after their permits had expired, due to human rights issues.
At the hearing he stood by his views that Ch Supt Madill’s actions were “inappropriately politically motivated”, and that she “belonged to ‘the woke brigade’ who want to tear down the very fabric of our society”.
The committee saw a letter sent by Mr Harley to Simon Foster, the West Midlands PCC dated a day before the newspaper article, which he conceded used less confrontational language.
But Mr Harley told the hearing he would always co-operate with the press and had served 20 years at the council which he felt gave him the right to do so without having his comments vetted by a PR team.
Mr Jardine asked the committee to consider, amongst other matters, whether the comments breached their code of conduct and were abusive towards Ch Supt Madill, whether they were constructive and was it appropriate for him to make this criticism publicly?
Mr Daniel Stillitz QC, who conducted the investigation contrasted Mr Harley’s reaction to the press and the letter he had sent to the PCC, saying there was an important distinction between articulation in the written word and giving a more direct opinion on a telephone call.
He said: “He didn’t stick to the language in the letter which was well thought out and considered but went much further in talking to the press and did not fulfil his duty to be respectful under the code of conduct agreed.”
The committee had already found Mr Harley not guilty on a claim of bullying over the matter and said he had also shown leadership, but was in breach of conduct in not treating Ch Supt Madill with respect in the press article.
They said they would be writing to Mr Harley on this matter.
After the hearing Mr Harley said he stood by his remarks which had been made about someone who should have adhered to a protocol agreed between the council and the police for dealing with travellers who had stayed longer than permitted on council land
He said: “I will always put the electorate first, there are clear procedures in place for dealing with the issue that arose – they have been followed tightly before and after that. In this case we were let down by an officer of an outside agency.
“I admit my comments were robust and forthright but if they want a shrinking violet they will have to elect one – I am direct in my opinion but will use that opinion and democracy of free speech to help the people we serve.”
A spokesperson for the West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner, said: “We welcome the finding of the independent investigation which concluded Councillor Harley’s accusations breached the council’s code of conduct.
“We welcome this finding.
“It is to be hoped he will carefully reflect on this outcome, pause, and think twice, before again groundlessly questioning the integrity and professionalism of a serving officer.”
