A long-serving councillor is demanding changes to City Hall’s internal complaints system after his grievance against a top officer was put on ice because of a libel claim. Knowle Community Party Cllr Gary Hopkins was embroiled in a lengthy dispute dubbed “Goebbelsgate” following comments made at Bristol City Council human resources committee in February 2021.
Conservative Cllr Richard Eddy told the meeting that attempts by HR officers to justify transferring 200 cleaning and security staff to Bristol Waste were “worthy of Dr Goebbels and the Third Reich”, referring to Hitler’s propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels. Cllr Hopkins said he did “not believe a word of what has been presented to us by the management side” about the controversial proposal, which was strongly opposed by unions but later approved by cabinet.
Director of workforce and change John Walsh told the committee he felt he had been called a “liar”. In the aftermath, Mr Walsh and another officer who defended the staff transfer, head of facilities management David Martin, lodged a formal internal complaint against the two members.
