Complaints about the conduct of Isle of Wight Council chairman, Councillor Geoff Brodie, are said to have been submitted to the authority in the wake of last week’s explosive meeting of the full council.
Although it is believed the council’s monitoring officer has received a number of complaints, the authority will not confirm this.
At the full meeting of the Isle of Wight Council on Wednesday 23rd February, tensions escalated when members of the public erupted at councillors, leading to the clearing of the public gallery.
The tension came after a question was asked of the leader of the council, Councillor Lora Peacey-Wilcox, by the Conservative Group leader Councillor Joe Robertson over her alleged ownership of ‘racially offensive’ golly dolls — something she has denied. Lora has since issued a personal statement, drawing a line under the matter.
Outbursts from the public gallery in support of the council leader led to Cllr Brodie, chairman of the council, telling them to ‘shut up’. Since then, complaints to the Isle of Wight Council about Cllr Brodie’s conduct are believed to have been been submitted.
Posting on social media, Islanders have raised allegations of harassment, intimidation and bullying against Cllr Brodie.
Responding to the suggestion, Cllr Brodie said:
“I have absolutely no worries about any complaints being submitted.
Article continues below this advertisement “They will just add to the long conspiracy of complaints by Alliance councillors and people aggrieved by first, my support for the West Acres Park planning application and now, my opposition to racially offensive imagery being freely shared on her social media by the council leader.”
Cllr Brodie said he had little choice but to clear the public gallery as supporters of Cllr Peacey-Wilcox were ‘shouting, screaming and abusing members of the council’. He said:
“It is not something I would ever have wanted to do, but the public attend full council to observe meetings, not to participate, particularly in such an offensive and intimidating manner.”
After the meeting, Cllr Brodie had to be escorted from the building.
In the council’s constitution. if there is disturbance from the gallery, the chairman may adjourn the meeting and or call for the public to be cleared.
An Alliance Group spokesperson said they were aware of the serious concerns raised about the behaviour of certain councillors at last week’s meeting, and others, which have caused public anger. They said:
“We are mindful that the standard of behaviour of councillors must meet the expectations of the public and acceptable standards as detailed in the constitution and broader general standards of behaviour.”
Dear oh dear. How much more civilised the previous administration were.
Can we please all grow up and leave this unfortunate subject behind and then concentrate on other important Council Business work in hand that these Councillors should be attending to rather than slagging each other off.
Growing up can be very painful
So sad that the coalition will not have anyone disagree with them even one of their own and will seek to discredit them ! They have their very own political reporter( Louis hill BBC local democracy reporter) since when has democracy and the bbc been able to be used in the same sentence? I’m an independent councillor and will back a good idea from anyone from any party as it seems councillor Brodie will so good for you sir! Put the island before any party or yourself
Brodie seems to be a pathetic bully. Unable to behave as you would expect from a chairman When he’s in the chair the whole meeting turns into a playground scrap. Its real scary that he’s amongst people who make important decisions on our behalf. Maybe i misjudge him
oh didums, did he tell her to answer a perfectly valid question that she didn’t like?
nasty, nasty bully. So her family and supporters in the gallery started yelling and abusing the council members. Oh wait – isn’t she a politician and the leader? you know what they say – if you can’t stand the heat……
Your obviously a Brodie fan, well he had to have one. Brodie is the bully that forced the huge Ryde housing estate though. Obviously this dont affect you. Are you his mum?
About time this load of total idiots grew up!!!!!
No respect for any of the numptys …
Won’t get out of bed for next election!!!!!!
Waste of space kid’s and animals behave better …..
shame we can’t put them in the stocks in Brading
Isn’t it about time that all the Councilors where reminded that they are public servants and should be spending their time representing the people that elected them.
Stop all this childish squabbling and the my dick is bigger than yours nonsense.
Just do your job.
Totally agree and getting feed up of whoever is in power doing what they want and not what the public wants.
brodie is the problem and needs to go. His input into island life is no longer welcome, as it is at odds with the way the islanders want things to be.
no westacre park brodie. we don’t want it…..either it goes or you do, your choice
Until party politics are removed from local government, this type of debar-cal will continue. I believe that if all councillors were to be independent, they are more likely to work towards a collective way of
Sorting the problems of this island, without the distraction of who’s side they are on. Just the one side, supporting and working for the residents of The Isle Of Wight.
Brodie is an independent and that doesn’t stop him. At the end of day it is the egos which get in the way of collective decisions.
Can we all please stop? There are some big and burning issues for the Island, ratepayers deserve better…