LOCAL NEWS �
Town councillor carpeted over treatment of official Revealed: inside the strange world of authority’s independent member • By Adam Wells A PADDOCK Wood town councillor has been found guilty of inappropriate behaviour towards a female employee. Cllr Ronald Goodman was called before a conduct committee at Tunbridge Wells town hall last Thursday to answer allegations of bullying, harassment and intimidation. Deputy clerk at the council Christine Darbyshir also accused Cllr Goodman of ‘belittling’ her and leaving her ‘shaken’. The six-person panel found him guilty on two of the three charges of misconduct brought against him. The committee ruled he had used intimidating and threatening language during a telephone conversation with the town hall official on one occasion and behaved in a threatening manner towards her on another. A third charge was dismissed on grounds of insufficient evidence. After a ‘bullying and intimidating’ encounter in March 2013, the official claimed in evidence: “I was physically shaken, crying and feeling sick.” She was forced to seek help from her GP who has since treated her for ‘stress and anxiety’ and prescribed sleeping tablets ‘in order to function properly.’ The deputy clerk said in a statement: “Although this is the first time I have made a formal complaint, this is by no means the first
time that Cllr Goodman has upset me. Neither am I the first person he has had in tears.” The offences date back to March 2013 but due in part to what the committee referred to as Cllr Goodman’s ‘refusal to co-operate with the process’ that they were dealt with two years on. Cllr Goodman called the allegations as a ‘figment’ of the deputy clerk’s imagination and claimed he ‘didn’t engage in the process because I didn’t believe it would be independent.’ But the monitoring legal officer, John Scarborough, stated he was satisfied the process had been ‘fair to both sides.’ The committee recommended sanctions against Cllr Goodman including a six-month period in which he can only visit the Paddock Wood council buildings on pre-arranged visits while under supervision, code of conduct training and the writing of an apology letter to the former deputy clerk. Following these recommendations, Cllr Goodman continued to display what Mr Scarborough called ‘an absolute lack of remorse’ while the committee was out of the room finalising its verdict. He told reporters: “How can you apologise to someone who’s tried to ruin your life? I’d apologise for her being upset, but not for these allegations. “She just wanted to make a case for harassment. She was under stress. She’d probably had a hard day.” He also said the ruling was ‘what we expected’ but ‘not the truth’ adding: “This is how things
He said: “If I’d done something wrong I wouldn’t be here to defend myself.” • Claimed his relationship with the official had been a cordial one and this was proved by the fact she had begun her correspondence to him “Dear Councillor Goodman”. • When asked if he’d ever been offered any code of conduct training before, he responded:
“Politicians don’t give yes or no answers... I’m independent, I don’t want to conform to other people’s way of thinking. I think for myself.” • Demanding to know why the hearing was taking place just before the elections, given that he would most likely be running for office, he was reminded that a hearing had been scheduled for March 3 but had been postponed
NEWS IN BRIEF
Invest in solar farm in Paddock Wood for £60 A SCHEME has been launched to give residents near a Paddock Wood solar farm the chance to invest in the business. Local people will be able to take up the option of five-year bonds costing £60 in Knells Farm in Pearsons Green Road. The company behind the construction, Luminous Energy, claims the operations will produce enough energy to power 2,760 homes per year. Organisers Big60Million will reserve 10 per cent of the total bonds for six weeks for businesses and homeowners living within 10 miles of the 67-acre site. The farm, which will be in place for 25 years, was connected to the National Grid last month and will be maintained day to day by Belectric UK. More details of how to invest can be found at www.big60million.co.uk/ paddock-wood-solar-farm/
New bus routes IN DEFEAT Ron Goodman, left, leaves after the hearing are done in Tunbridge Wells. They make it up. I’ve been victimised because I don’t go along with the status quo.” Dismissing the investigating officer’s findings, Cllr Goodman said: “I make those decisions on my own, what’s right or wrong.” The committee’s recommendations will now be passed on to the Paddock Wood council to enforce as it sees fit.
Here are few examples of how Cllr Goodman presented his case: •
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in light of a specific request he made to delay it. • Blamed Outlook Express and his ‘BT Internet nightmare’ for not having responded to emails from Donna Price, the investigating officer, regarding the allegations against him. • Cllr Goodman was baffled and angered by his inability to question the witnesses he wanted to during the hearing. He thought
calling them and asking them to come to the hearing would have contradicted his instruction not to discuss the case with anyone. “If it’s confidential how can I call them? It’s nonsense!” • Cllr Goodman asserted several times that he had nothing to say to the town council’s former deputy clerk and wasn’t willing to ever to be in same room as her. However, he complained she wasn’t at the hearing for him to cross-examine.
BUS timetable changes affecting Tunbridge Wells come in from Sunday. Operator Arriva has announced changes which will see extra services provided during peak times, as well as a change of carrier for an evening route. Nu-Ventre will now take on the 77 and 147 routes between Snodland and Tunbridge Wells. On Saturdays, the busy 402 service from Tonbridge Station to Hildenborough Church will also have an extra bus running. The changes have been made as a result of Kent County Council having taken on contracts for some of the services they support financially in the districts.
Clarification IN LAST week’s Times, we reported that the parking machines being trialled would cost Tunbridge Wells Borough Council £27,000 each. That is actually the cost for all five machines, including installation, and the trial will now end in June. The Times is happy to clarify this.
Silver Sheep top of pop-ups THE fashion for pop-up shops in Tunbridge Wells continues to grow after two local women took over a vacant retail unit in Ely Court. Caroline Smith and Sylvia Kus opened The Silver Sheep in March where customers can see them making silver jewellery and knitted products in the store and can order bespoke items. “We met at a local market in The Pantiles and had been thinking about a shop,” said co-owner Mrs Smith.
“When Royal Victoria Place manager Nicky Blanchard bought a necklace from our stand at Christmas she suggested a pop-up shop in Ely Court. “There is a trend towards more popup shops because they are a great way to test the market without having to pay for a long-term lease. We will be here for another four weeks and if it works out we will stay.” The Silver Sheep also sells locallymade soaps, chocolates and even dog biscuits.
SILVER SHEEP Caroline Smith and Sylvia Kus
Wednesday 8th April 2015