THE chairman of a York parish council says he will resign after being ‘unjustly’ accused of disrespectful behaviour towards a fellow parish councillor.

Cllr Joe Watt, chair of Skelton Parish Council, was criticised by a City of York Council standards committee after he had made allegations against the councillor.

The committee recommended that the parish council should pass a motion of censure on Cllr Watt for acting in a 'disrespectful' manner to Cllr A Mansell.

But Cllr Watt told The Press that a motion of ‘Censure’ against him would not happen because he intended to resign as both chairman and a councillor. “I will resign to the parish council at the start of the council’s monthly meeting on March 24,” he said.

He said: “Whilst I am pleased that all but one of the complaints against me were determined to be ‘unfounded’ by the panel, their recommendations for further action were inept and the process regarding the most serious complaint was unjust.”

He claimed he had been encouraged by a senior York council solicitor to think he could ‘exercise freedom of speech’ when he had made such comments about the councillor.

He said that in July 2020, he had made a serious complaint to the CYC Monitoring Officer regarding Cllr Mansell and the CYC’s investigating officer determined that his complaint was unfounded. 

However, in an email to him, she had stated that comments made by Cllr Mansell in emails on 16 July 2020 would be afforded the protections of freedom of speech, just as there was similar protection for his views about Cllr Mansell’s motion.  

She said: “Both you and Parish Councillor Mansell, along with all Parish Councillors, are entitled to express your/their own views around Parish Council business.”

Cllr Watt said: “This statement led me to believe it was acceptable for me to exercise ‘Freedom of Speech’ and use such terms in an appropriate situation.”

He said that when Cllr Mansell appeared to be embarking on a ‘tirade of abuse’ against him at a meeting, he had  urged him to resign from the council and gave him reasons why he should. “I would not normally use the words chosen. However, I felt encouraged to do so by the CYC’s Senior Solicitor’s advice.”

A City of York Council spokeswoman said its role was restricted to administration of the hearing and the conduct of any associated investigations. “It is therefore not appropriate to comment on the findings and outcomes of the Hearing Panel.”

Cllr Mansell was offered opportunity to comment but declined at this stage.