BBC Devon political reporter
Katya MaddisonA councillor has refused to make a public apology for her behaviour and comments on Facebook which prompted a council to hire an independent investigator.
Torbay Council member Katya Maddison said “shame on you” to the council’s chief executive after a heated meeting in May 2024 and later wrote on Facebook that the council was “a sick institution”.
Maddison was ordered to apologise to other councillors and staff at a council meeting on Thursday after she was found to have breached the council’s code of conduct.
The meeting saw Torbay Council approve a council tax increase of 4.75%.
At the same meeting a new protocol – designed to stop councillors taking part in “name-calling, personal criticism or abuse” – was signed by group leaders.
On Thursday, when asked to apologise, Maddison attempted to make a speech about what had happened but was repeatedly interrupted by the mayor, Hannah Stevens.
Maddison said: “The council has impugned my reputation by publishing the suggestion I have something to apologise for and it is therefore directly relevant to explain myself.
“The hearing failed to offer any evidence that harm or disrepute was caused.”
When asked if the investigation had been an “effective use of public funds”, Jackie Thomas, Conservative, who chaired the standards committee hearing, said: “The code of conduct is a very important part of being a Torbay councillor and, when the code is breached, there is a standard procedure we all have to respect.”
Torbay Council is delicately balanced with the ruling Conservatives holding 18 seats, the Liberal Democrats with 15 seats and three Independents.
A new protocol to improve councillor behaviour – called the Torbay Way – was signed by all three group leaders at the meeting on Thursday.
Councillors had to take part in mediation in 2024 after a review found political conflict was affecting staff morale.
The new governance protocol said it was “important that robust debate of the issues at stake does not deteriorate into personal criticism of another person who holds a different point of view.”
It said “courtesy, respect and civility must be maintained at all times”.
As part of the new protocol councillors agreed to ensure the overview and scrutiny board was chaired by a member of the opposition party.
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