The chief executive of Tameside council has apologised for comments he made on social media about Tory voters weeks before the local elections.
Steven Pleasant used his official chief executive Twitter account to respond to comments made by a Conservative voter on BBC's Question Time last week. A clip from the TV programme showed an audience member who voted for the Tories telling minister Damian Hinds his government is a 'disappointment'.
In a post that has now been deleted, Pleasant replied on Twitter saying: "She was good. Tory voter with compassion and empathy for others. Who knew !!" It comes as Pleasant prepares to run the borough's local elections on May 5.
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Responding to complaints from Conservative councillors in Tameside, the chief executive apologised to the opposition group on Monday (March 29). However, he explained the views he expressed on social media specifically referred to his frustrations about central government support for refugees.
In an email to Tameside's Tory group, Pleasant said: "The words I used were not considered and I accept I should have worded any sentiments very differently, hence my deletion of the post within minutes of posting. That does not excuse me posting it but hopefully a recognition that it was a mistake on my part."
Commenting on social media last night (Monday March 29), Conservative group leader Doreen Dickinson said Pleasant had 'broken all the ethics'. She has written to the Local Government Association and the Conservative Councillors' Association, but has not formally complained to the council.
Coun Dickinson told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that she has accepted Pleasant's apology – but other members of her group have not. She said: "Chief executives have to work with all parties. They're supposed to be neutral.
"I'm very, very disappointed. And I'm not the only one. I've had people get in touch with me from other authorities. It's shocking behaviour from the chief executive. I've accepted his apology, but I've got to work with him – how can I not?"
Coun Dickinson also questioned the chief executive's explanation of his error. The audience member on Question Time, which was held in Reading last week, made her comments during a debate about the current cost of living crisis.
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In a video shared on social media by the BBC, which has been viewed more than one million times on Twitter, the Tory voter accused the government of haemorrhaging money during the pandemic and described it as 'out of touch'. Speaking directly to the Minister of State for Security and Borders, she said: "This is from someone that voted for you. What a disappointment you are."
A Tameside council spokesperson said: "The chief executive posted a response over twitter to a debate on BBC Question Time last week reflecting his frustrations with central Government response to supporting Ukrainian refugees. He recognised it was inappropriate and deleted it within minutes.
"He issued an apology to the Leader of the Tameside Conservatives and her group, which she has accepted."
As the returning officer for the election of councillors to the local authority, the chief executive is responsible for running the upcoming elections in Tameside. However, his duties as a returning officer are separate from his duties as a local government officer and, therefore, the role is not accountable to the Tameside council, but to the courts as an independent statutory office holder.
Council leader Brenda Warrington, who leads the ruling Labour group, was approached for comment, but said she considered the matter 'concluded'.
