A councillor has apologised for his conduct at a meeting where he accused the council leader of using his position to 'orchestrate' the demise of a town’s market. Coun Bernard Wynne, of Middleton Independents Party, made a series of explosive claims about Coun Neil Emmott at a Rochdale council meeting in December - shortly after the authority stepped in to take Middleton market under its control.
The East Middleton councillor also suggested the leader had been supported in his endeavours by Coun Peter Williams and Coun June West - the chair and vice-chair of the Middleton Township Committee. He persisted in outlining his party’s ‘significant concerns’, despite Mayor Coun Ali Ahmed ordering him to stop and direct his grievance through the proper channels.
However, at a full council meeting on Wednesday night (March 22), Coun Wynne offered his ‘sincere apologies’ for his actions in December - which he said he now realised violated the council code of conduct.
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“I retract all I said in the meeting that caused offence by the manner and tone I used,” he said. “As a councillor it is my responsibility to set a good example and maintain a high standard of behaviour in my role.
"I am deeply sorry that I have failed to do so. I understand that my behaviour has caused concern and disappointment among my peers, colleagues and members of the council.”
Coun Wynne assured members he took the matter seriously and was ‘committed to making things right’.
“I fully accept responsibility for my actions and will work to regain the trust and confidence of those who have been affected by my behaviour,” he said.
Coun Williams did not appear to fully accept the apology, saying Coun Wynne should have known the basis of his remarks related to a year-old complaint that had been dismissed as ‘vexatious’.
He also said it had ‘not addressed’ the response it had sparked on social media, which became ‘alive with rumours that were not very pleasant about, in particular, the leader of the council'. This, he told the meeting, included a comment from a MIP supporter, that suggesting Coun Emmott should be wary that ‘malfeasance in public office’ could lead to a prison sentence.
Coun Emmott thanked Coun Wynne for apologising for the manner in which he raised his concerns at the December full council meeting. But he also asked Coun Wynne to retract the allegations made about himself, Coun Williams and Coun West on the night.
However, Coun Wynne said he was not prepared to do so at this stage as the matters raised were still under investigation.
He said not all the allegations were part of the complaint Coun Williams had referred to and he did not wish to add anything further while there were still further investigations to be completed.
Rochdale full council met at Number One Riverside on Wednesday night (March 22).
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