Ex-Sandwell mayor Derek Rowley at centre of injury accusation
A councillor says she was injured when a former borough Mayor physically blocked her from attending a crucial Labour party meeting as part of a 'deliberate attempt' to get her deselected.
Sandwell councillor Joanne Hadley has made a formal complaint against ex-Great Bridge councillor Derek Rowley, following an incident at a West Bromwich West Constituency Labour party (CLP) meeting on Monday.
She alleges he obstructed her passage into the Jubilee Park Community Centre by stepping in front of her, a move which resulted in a cut to her leg.
She said she attended hospital following the incident and has also reported the matter to the police. Mr Rowley retired as a Great Bridge councillor in May 2016, and is now the Sandwell Local Campaign Forum (LCF) secretary.
In a separate complaint, he has been accused of verbally abusing a pensioner, Doris Price, on her doorstep on Mother's Day.
Mrs Hadley has represented Great Bridge on Sandwell Council since 2010 and has put herself forward for re-election in May.
She was not allowed to be present at the meeting, as it concerned the candidate selection for her ward seat.
"I tried to enter the building to sit in a separate room so I could find out the result at the end of the meeting," she said.
"Derek Rowley blocked my path, and whether it was deliberate or not, I have ended up with a cut on my leg that required hospital treatment.
"His whole demeanour was aggressive. He clearly has a personal issue with me."
Councillor Ian Jones, who has previously accused the Labour-run authority's senior leadership team of subjecting him to a 'political witch hunt', was the CLP's official observer at the meeting.
In his report he suggested that Mr Rowley was deliberately attempting to deselect Mrs Hadley.
"It was quite evident what was going on," he said. "As I stated in the report, there was clearly an agenda from the outset to get the meeting abandoned and ensure that Joanne Hadley is deselected."
In her letter of complaint, Labour's Tipton Green branch secretary Mrs Price has accused Mr Rowley of verbally abusing her on two occasions.
In response to the claims Mr Rowley said he had no involvement in any injury to Mrs Hadley.
"We were between 10 and 12 feet apart when the conversation took place at the centre," he said. "Other people who were there will give evidence to that effect.
"She is telling lies."
He added that he had not been abusive to Mrs Price 'in any way, shape or form'.
