CLAIMS that a leading Labour councillor was defamed by a Tory member at a York council meeting last year have been dismissed, following a lengthy investigation.

An investigating official at City of York Council has concluded that former Conservative councillor Paul Healey did not breach the authority's code of conduct when he opposed Cllr Sonja Crisp's appointment as chair of a key new organisation.

Christine Bainton said in a report that Cllr Healey told a staffing and urgency committee meeting last November that Cllr Crisp, then the cabinet member for leisure, culture and tourism, should not chair the Newco Shareholder group, which was to oversee York's new destination management organisation Make It York.

"Previously, Cllr Crisp had been appointed to the position of chair but the matter had been placed back to the committee following request by opposition groups," she said, adding that Cllr Healey said he had 'received confidential information' that Cllr Crisp, who is now Lord Mayor of York, should not be appointed.

York Press:

Claims that Paul Healey, left, defamed Sonja Crisp have been dismissed

A complaint was subsequently lodged by three Labour councillors, Cllr Crisp, Tracey Simpson-Laing and Sandy Fraser, that he had made 'unsubstantiated defamatory comments' in respect of her character, and the investigation was carried out following a request by the council’s monitoring officer Andy Docherty.

Ms Bainton said in a report she had listened to a recording of the meeting, which was taken and provided by local resident Gwen Swinburn, and clearly heard Cllr Healey say Cllr Crisp would “not make the best chair."

She said: "He was unable to substantiate that statement as he had received confidential information which had suggested this and that he could not divulge the source of the information.

"In expressing the view that Cllr Crisp would not make “the best or good chair,” Cllr Healey was seeking to justify his point of view.

"He did not raise his voice, use unpleasant language or behaviour. He did throughout the debate deliver his views in a calm and professional manner."

She said it may be he was seeking to gain an advantage for his Tory colleague Chris Steward, who was subsequently appointed as chair of the NewCo shareholders group, but said: "Without knowing the substance of the reason for his change of view, I do not believe that to be the case. I therefore conclude that there has been no breach of the code of conduct."

Mr Healey, who failed to win re-election to the council at the May elections, said of the investigation's conclusions: "It certainly gave me a happy smile." Cllr Crisp did not respond to a request for comment.