A Hadleigh district councillor has been found to have breached three parts of the Suffolk Code of Conduct.

Suffolk's Joint Standards Sub- Committee agreed that Hadleigh North Conservative district councillor Sian Dawson had made a false, derogatory, disrespectful and offensive statement in attacking Independent Derek Davis.

Cllr Dawson has been told she must send a written apology to Cllr Davis by no later than the 22 March 2023 and the letter of apology is to be approved by the Monitoring Officer before being sent.

Ganges ward representative Cllr Davis lodged a complaint against Cllr Dawson after she included the false, derogatory, disrespectful and offensive information as part of her monthly district council report to Hadleigh town council in May last year.

Hadleigh councillors questioned the inclusion of her statement during a meeting, the mayor and clerk agreed and that part of the report was removed from the town council's website at the first possible opportunity.

Babergh councillor Sian Dawson did not attend hearing

Cllr Dawson did not co-operate with the monitoring officer's initial investigation and requested the matter be considered by the Joint Standards Sub- Committee Hearing rather than it being considered by the Monitoring Officer. This request was granted by the Monitoring Officer.

The Suffolk Joint Standards Sub-Committee for Babergh and Mid Suffolk last month met to consider a complaint that Cllr Dawson had breached Babergh's Code of Conduct for Members.

Cllr Dawson did not attend, although Cllr Davis did and gave evidence.

The hearing heard the complaint referred to:

1) You must treat others with respect,

4) You must not conduct yourself in a manner which could reasonably be regarded as bringing your office or authority in dispute.

5) (1) You must not attempt to use your position as a member improperly to confer on or secure for yourself or any other person, an advantage or disadvantage.

Babergh district councillor Derek Davis represents Ganges ward

Cllr. Davis explained his reasonings for issuing the code of conduct complaint and provided evidence of the alleged behaviour from Cllr. Dawson.

He stated that the information contained within the statement was simply not true and had been presented to Hadleigh Town Council in order to disrespect and discredit him.

A statement was read out from Babergh leader John. Ward, which set out the reasonings behind Cllr Davis' removal from his Cabinet position in April 2022 which formed the basis of the Code of Conduct complaint. The Sub-Committee gave weight to this statement in making their decision.

The Independent Person was consulted and concurred with the view of the Joint Standards Sub Committee which was:

(i) that Cllr Dawson has breached parts 1, 4 and 5(1) of the Code of Conduct for Members

They agreed the sanctions against Cllr Dawson should be:

That Councillor Dawson sends a written apology to Councillor Davis by no later than the 22nd March 2023. Such letter of apology to be approved by the Monitoring Officer before being sent.