Agenda item

The Council had before it a report on a Notice of Motion submitted by Councillor Raja in December 2016 in respect of comments made by the Chief Executive during a radio interview.  The Monitoring Officer had investigated the claims and had concluded that the Chief Executive had not acted inappropriately and had not breached the Officer procedure rules.  The Executive had considered the matter in July 2017 and had made a number of recommendations to Council on 20 July 2017.  At the meeting of Council, however, the matter had been deferred to a subsequent meeting to enable a copy of the Monitoring Officer’s report to be circulated to the Members.

The report now before Council outlined the basis on which Councillor Raja had submitted the Notice of Motion together with the outcome of the subsequent investigation of the Monitoring Officer.  Furthermore, the report included a transcript of the interview.  Councillor Raja explained his concerns of the comments made by the Chief Executive during the radio interview and considered that a public apology had to be given to residents.  However, other Members did not support the claim that the Chief Executive had been undemocratic and noted that the majority of views received by Councillor Raja from residents had been received from March 2017 onwards, some six months after the interview had taken place. 

In accordance with Standing Order 10.8 the names of Members voting for and against the recommendations were recorded.

In favour:                   Councillors Mrs H J Addison, A Azad, D J Bittleston, J E Bond,             A C L Bowes, M A Bridgeman, G G Chrystie, K M Davis, I Eastwood,   D Harlow, K Howard, D E Hughes, Mrs B A Hunwicks, S Hussain,         I Johnson, C S Kemp, J Kingsbury, R Mohammed, L M N Morales,       A E Murray, M Pengelly, C Rana and M A Whitehand.

                                   TOTAL in favour – 23

Against:                      Councillors T Aziz and M I Raja

                                   TOTAL against – 2

Present not voting:     Councillor A J Boote

                                   TOTAL present not voting – 1

The recommendations were therefore carried by 23 votes to 2 votes.  WBC17-032

Resolved

That  (i)    Council notes the outcome of the Monitoring Officer’s investigation into the issues raised by Councillor Raja’s Notice of Motion, i.e.

·           that the Chief Executive did not act inappropriately in making the comments he did during the BBC Radio Surrey interview referred to in the Notice of Motion, and

·           accordingly, the Chief Executive did not breach the Officer Procedure Rules.

         (ii)   Councillor Raja’s Notice of Motion be not supported; and

         (iii)   Council reaffirms the sentiments contained in the resolution passed by it on 14 July 2016 (following the EU referendum), i.e.

“That we are proud to live in a diverse and tolerant society. Racism, xenophobia and hate crimes have no place in our country.

We, Woking Borough Council, condemn racism, xenophobia and hate crimes unequivocally. We will not allow hate to become acceptable.

Woking Borough Council will work to ensure local bodies and programmes have support and resources needed to fight and prevent racism and xenophobia.

We reassure all people living in Woking that they are valued members of our community.”