Councillor is cleared of bullying planning officer (From Basildon Recorder)

Councillor is cleared of bullying planning officer

7:30am Friday 12th March 2010 in Echo News

Vindicated - councillor John Dornan said he will continue to speak up for residents

A BASILDON councillor has claimed a victory for free speech after being cleared of bullying and intimidating a council officer during a planning meeting.

Lisa Hamilton, solicitor to the council, alleged John Dornan, a councillor for Laindon Park, brought the council into disrepute by making “repeated aggressive derogatory comments” about officer David Lewis, questioning his integrity in public.

Her complaint related to a development control meeting last July when the committee considered plans for a greyhound training track at a home in Homestead Road, Ramsden Bellhouse, which Mr Lewis recommended for approval, despite strong objections from residents.

Mr Dornan attacked Mr Lewis’s recommendation before councillors rejected the plans.

However, following a probe by an independent investigator, Mr Dornan has been cleared of any wrongdoing.

The investigator concluded there was no breach of the code of conduct and Doug Smith, council monitoring officer, recommended no further action was taken.

Mr Dornan, who spent £2,500 on a solicitor for the case, said: “I have been vindicated and will continue to speak up for residents when I think it is right and proper.”