Letter: Cllr Phillips Deserves a Public Apology

Published on: 19 May, 2017
Updated on: 19 May, 2017

Cllr Tony Phillips

From Colin Cross

Lib Dem borough councillor for Lovelace

Cllr Tony Phillips has an exemplary record of Guildford Borough Council service going back nearly 35 years.

The attack on him by council leader Spooner on Tuesday [May 16, 2017], at the publicly broadcast full council meeting, was totally uncalled for, wholly inaccurate, insulting and probably slanderous.

A full public apology should be given to him and a reprimand issued for the very public slur that Cllr Spooner uttered.

This type of behaviour simply cannot be tolerated from our representatives as it undermines all our standards of acceptable public behaviour.

For a report on the debate referred to see: Local Plan Debate Produces No Change In Battle Lines

Responses to Letter: Cllr Phillips Deserves a Public Apology

R Connor Reply

May 19, 2017 at 3:10 pm

Having watched the debate on the reassembling of the planning committee with concern, I also was shocked at the comments of some of the councillors towards Cllr Phillips and wrote to managing director Sue Sturgeon accordingly.

I agree with Cllr Cross, especially now, since strangely, Cllr Phillips appears to be relegated to the substitutes’ bench in this unwanted reshuffle of the Planning Committee. Why has that happened, I wonder? How were the members chosen for this 12 month trial version of the Planning Committee?
Jules Cranwell Reply

May 19, 2017 at 3:42 pm

Absolutely right. Cllr Spooner makes a habit of belittling and insulting any councillor, or member of the public, who has the temerity to disagree with his “trajectory”.

He obviously seems to enjoy behaving in this way but it is disgusting in the eyes of the public.

Councillors have a duty to behave with common decency at all times, and to treat their peers with respect, whatever their views.

Millmead is becoming more like Trump Towers every day.
Esther Parry Reply

May 19, 2017 at 6:03 pm

I have already written to Sue Sturgeon [managing director at GBC] earlier this year regarding his unprofessional behaviour towards other councillors at these webcast meetings but I presume the powers that be turn a blind eye to his schoolboy behaviour.

Thanks to the council webcasts and The Dragon his embarrassing behaviour does get viewed, discussed and noted by many. It must be very uncomfortable for other Conservative councillors to potentially be aligned with him but thankfully they seem more measured.
Peter Shaw Reply

May 22, 2017 at 10:39 am

The Equality Act protects a person from direct discrimination, indirect discrimination, harassment and victimisation. In this case harassment – “If colleagues made jokes about your age which were offensive or comments made about the age of someone you associate with, such as a partner,” – taken from the http://www.ageuk.co.uk website.

Cllr Spooner should make more than just an apology for his very public comment and attack which included the words “When I became leader… one thing I did, and I know it might be difficult for you to remember, was actually to roll back the AONB…”

I was shocked to hear Cllr Spooner say such a discriminatory comment about the age of another sitting councillor. Cllr Spooner should do more than apologise he should resign for appearing to openly and publicly break the law.
Ben Paton Reply

May 22, 2017 at 6:27 pm

And Guildford Borough Council purports to have a ‘Code of Conduct’.

Seems that there are two codes. One for the electors and another for the elected.