No action on East Yorkshire ‘assault’ claim (From York Press)

No action on East Yorkshire ‘assault’ claim

9:52am Thursday 9th September 2010 in

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A PARISH councillor accused of assaulting a fellow politician at an event will not face any action after a watchdog ruled he was not there in an official capacity.

Coun Nick Evans, a member of Holme-on-Spalding-Moor Parish Council, was investigated by East Riding of Yorkshire Council’s standards committee following an allegation he “publicly, physically and verbally attacked” Coun Doreen Engall.

The case stemmed from March’s unveiling of Beverley Community Lift, which provides transport for elderly, frail and disabled passengers.

Coun Evans was accused of pushing Coun Engall, who is also an East Riding of Yorkshire councillor, and telling her: “You’re not going to gatecrash my launch.”

Coun Engall claimed Coun Evans told her she was “not welcome” at the event and she said some of those attending the launch were “visibly shocked” by the argument.

But a report on the incident said Coun Evans alleged Coun Engall tried to push past him while he was holding a clipboard and pen, saying: “I stood my ground and asked her to take her hands off me.”

Coun Evans was accused of behaving in a way which failed to treat others with respect, constituted bullying and brought his office or authority into disrepute, breaching the Model Code of Conduct for parish and town councils.

But the standards committee heard the event was not organised by the parish council and that Coun Evans did not indicate he was a councillor while there.

The committee concluded: “There is no evidence Coun Evans was acting or purporting to act in his official capacity.”

Coun Engall will also face no action, following an allegation by Holme-on-Spalding-Moor resident Paul Whitworth that she led an uninvited group who tried to “gatecrash” the Community Lift launch.

Mr Whitworth claimed she “accosted” two people connected with the scheme, used bullying and intimidation and “made an implied threat she would influence East Riding of Yorkshire Council officers against the scheme if they weren’t nice to her”.

But the committee ruled her attendance, invited or otherwise, did not breach the Code of Conduct, and the lack of independent witnesses meant there was no evidence of a breach.

Neither Coun Evans nor Coun Engall were available for comment on the outcome of the investigations.