Lib Dems lose control of Dacorum council after 8 female councillors quit
The councillors accused the council leader of "failing to deal with allegations of bullying and harassment, including sexual harassment"
Eight female councillors in Dacorum have left the Liberal Democrat group after accusing the council leader of “failing to deal with allegations of bullying and harassment, including sexual harassment”.
It means the Liberal Democrats have lost their majority on the borough council, which has now moved into no overall control.
The councillors, who included two cabinet members and will now sit as independents, announced they were leaving the group during a full council meeting yesterday (Wednesday, 25 September). They remain members of the Liberal Democrat party.
In a statement, the eight councillors said they hope the council’s Liberal Democrat group “will be investigated by the wider party as having brought the party into disrepute, through the culture of enablement of sexual harassment and the failure of leadership”.
During questions to council leader Cllr Adrian England yesterday, Cllr Claire Hobson asked: “Does the leader accept that, as a direct result of his failure as deputy leader and leader of the council over the past 18 months to deal with allegations of bullying and harassment, including sexual harassment, and the failure to implement any safeguarding measures to protect members and officers means that in all good conscience I can no longer remain a member of the Liberal Democrat group in Dacorum?”
Cllr Hobson announced that seven of her Lib Dem colleagues would also be leaving the Lib Dem group. They are Cllr Sammy Barry-Mears, Cllr Michela Capozzi, Cllr Toni Cox, Cllr Lara Pringle, Cllr Victoria Santamaria, Cllr Carole Weston and Cllr Sheron Wilkie.
The resignations came two weeks after a hearing of the council’s standards committee dismissed complaints from two councillors against former council leader Cllr Ron Tindall.
It was alleged his behaviour towards the councillors included several breaches of the council’s code of conduct, constituted harassment and had the potential to bring the authority into disrepute. Cllr Tindall denied the allegations against him.
It is understood that an independent report commissioned by the council found there was “sufficient evidence” that Cllr Tindall had breached four paragraphs of the code of conduct. The report was provided to members of the standards committee.
Cllr Tindall was leader of the Lib Dem-run council from May 2023 until May 2024, stepping down around three weeks after the formal complaints were made.
After Cllr England became leader in May, Cllr Tindall briefly became portfolio holder for people and transformation before he was suspended from the Lib Dem group in July.
At yesterday’s council meeting, Cllr Pringle accused Cllr England of knowing about “the nature of allegations in November 2023” and claimed he “refused to engage in any safeguarding whatsoever” after formal complaints were made in April.
She asked whether Cllr England “believes that safeguarding procedures for elected councillors are fit for purpose, in that matters of a sensitive nature, such as sexual harassment, are determined by close colleagues of the parties involved”.
The standards committee’s decision was made by four sitting councillors, including three Liberal Democrats.
Cllr Pringle said Cllr England had previously read a statement to Lib Dem councillors stating “that Cllr Tindall had never had any difficulties with women”, even though he “knew it to be untrue”.
Her second question was cut short by the mayor, who moved onto a question from another councillor.
Cllr England said he had “documentary evidence” showing that Cllr Pringle, who was then group whip, “was in agreement that we should leave this until May on the basis that the group leader then Cllr Ron Tindall would step down”.
He referred members to the decision of the recent standards committee hearing and continued: “I believe that our constitution is fit for purpose.
“I believe that the safeguarding of colleagues in the Lib Dem group is very important.
“I believe that our standing orders make clear that there is a role for all the group officers in safeguarding, including the whip.
“I believe that, in November, the circumstances were insufficiently particularised.”
Cllr Pringle said “recollections may differ”.
Shortly after the exchange, the mayor announced a break in proceedings. Councillors returned to the chamber after 20 minutes, at which point the meeting was adjourned.
The eight women said in a statement: “Cllr England has created a hostile environment for all women … whilst sending a message to women that life will be made very difficult if you dare to speak out against sexual harassment and bullying.
“The mechanisms in local government do not provide a fair process for elected members to speak up against sexual harassment.
“This is not just about the conduct that gave rise to the complaints. This is about the culture of sexism, misogyny and double standards that enabled this behaviour.
“We need to make sure something is done about this, so that other women do not have to put up with the degradation and dehumanisation of sexual harassment and bullying.
“We are calling time on sexual harassment and bullying in local government and asking for a review of safeguarding of women in local politics.”
After the meeting, Cllr England told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “Quite a lot has happened so I think we need to just have a think about what may have caused people to expend quite a bit of procedural venom.
“I think I set out in the meeting that there is a different perspective and there are documents to back it up.”
Cllr Andrew Williams, leader of the Conservative group, said the events were “extraordinary”.
He continued: “It really surprises me that an administration that’s only been in place for 17 months has fallen apart so quickly.”
Cllr Williams said the authority may be in a “very challenging position … about moving things forward”.
“The Corporate Plan has not been approved this evening. We’ve got a very challenging Local Plan that’s coming back to full council in just a few weeks.
“It’s so important for the future of Dacorum, and we’re not even now sure that we’ll be able to get it through.”
Dacorum Borough Council has 51 seats, though two are currently vacant following the death of Cllr John Birnie and the resignation of Cllr Sadie Hobson.
There are now 18 Liberal Democrats, 17 Conservatives, ten independents and four Labour representatives.
Prior to yesterday’s departures, the Lib Dem group was made up of 14 women and 12 men.
A spokesperson for the Liberal Democrat party said: “We have been made aware of a number of councillors resigning from the Liberal Democrat Group on Dacorum Borough Council.”