Warne Apology Still Awaited
Back in August, formal complaints were made both to the Green party and to Hastings Borough Council (HBC) in respect of the conduct of Gensing ward councillor Paula Warne. The allegation was that Cllr Warne had posted bullying and abusive remarks on social media in response to an article published in HIP, All About Eve.
HBC leader Glenn Haffenden responded on behalf of the Green party by confirming that the complaint to them would be “taken seriously” and dealt with through the party’s formal process. No further contact was made, but Cllr Warne was later nominated to stand as their candidate in the Ashdown & Conquest by-election.
In October, some 60 days after the complaint to HBC was lodged, the council’s Deputy Monitoring Officer (DMO) told the complainant that Cllr Warne had agreed to issue an apology for her offending remarks. This was not immediately forthcoming.
The DMO then said, in response to further enquiry, that due to the ‘pre-election sensitive period’, councils had to avoid publicising decisions “that could be seen as politically contentious or that might influence voters”. Cllr Warne’s apology would be issued once the election had taken place. At the time of this edition of HIP going to press, and over a fortnight after the vote, it is still awaited.
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