Councillor to be brought before standards committee next week

A Conservative councillor in Tameside will be brought before a standards committee next week over a controversial social media post.

Coun Liam Billington has been accused of disrespecting councillors and members of the public as well as bullying.

According to council papers, the complaint made by former Labour councillor Jim Fitzpatrick refers to a social media post on July 19 last year.

The post, described as ‘disgraceful’ by Mr Fitzpatrick, is alleged to see Coun Billington call for translators to be scrapped; funds for immigration charities/groups to be stopped; and a hyper tax on landlords who are booting out tenants in exchange for housing asylum seekers at three times the market rate.

Council documents show the Stalybridge South ward representative goes on to say ‘if that makes me a far right or racist, so be it’, according to the Standards Sub Committee documents. 

The councillor has refuted the allegations made against him, regarding them as politically motivated and an attack on free speech. 

A sub committee hearing to decide whether Coun Billington is in breach of the council’s code of conduct will be held on Monday, June 16 in Dukinfield Town Hall. 

In response to being called to the hearing, Coun Billington said: “I’ve been called to a standards hearing because a former Labour councillor with a penchant for bucket hats disagreed with my view that landlords housing asylum seekers should be taxed with an additional precept, and that we should stop funding for interpreters and immigration charities.

“Funny that when the public complained about the former councillor, the complaints were dismissed. Two-tier standards if you’re on the right. 

“Given the standards committee is filled with Labour councillors and Brenda Warrington, I expect it to be nothing more than a kangaroo court. It’s an attack on free speech.”

If a councillor is found to have failed to comply with the code of conduct, the committee has the power to recommend stripping them of responsibilities, public bodies and council facilities such as wifi and email access.