A misconduct hearing will consider eight complaints against parish councillors in rural County Durham after allegations of bullying, assault and unlawful use of public funds.
The allegations reportedly divided the Teesdale village of Romaldkirk for several years before they were investigated in 2023 by Durham County Council.
Elected members were accused of being “dismissive and disrespectful” and engaged in behaviour “that may be characterised as bullying”. Legal officers acting on behalf of Durham County Council probed claims of misconduct among members of Romaldkirk Parish Council, which were ignited over long-running land disagreements in the Teesdale village.
Allegations raised by councillors and residents include the handling of finances and alleged false statements regarding funds. A previous investigation found the division brought the local council into disrepute.
A Standards Committee Hearing Panel will be held on Monday and Wednesday next week to consider whether the members breached the code of conduct. An initial 13 complaints were submitted, but only eight will be considered by the committee.
Complaints against parish councillors Barningham, Carter, Cutting and Nixon alleged the decision to pay a third party’s legal fees was unlawful. Cllrs Cutting and Nixon also provided false information to a meeting about the payment of legal expenses, the probe found.
However, all councillors deny the allegations.
A report by the county council’s monitoring officer said: “The responses to the complaints made against them, which are variously branded as being vexatious, malicious and/or defamatory, appear to be dismissive and lend support to the allegations that these members adopt a disrespectful, bullying and bullish attitude to their fellow members and members of the public.
“The monitoring officer considers that the matter should be progressed to a hearing panel because the subject members strongly deny that they have breached the code of conduct,” the review said.
“A hearing will provide the subject members with a further opportunity to put their case before members and raise any concerns that they have regarding the procedure.”
The parish councillors face being removed from their roles, suspended, ordered to take training, or told to issue an apology if they are found to have breached the code of conduct.
An outcome for each complaint will be given at the end of the hearing.
