A Brantham Parish Council meeting was last night dramatically halted as councillors walked out in protest over the behaviour of one its councillors.

Controversial councillor Mark Aherne was left sitting alone after the rest of the council made their extraordinary move at the start of monthly council meeting at Brantham Village Hall.

Following a statement from parish council chairman Alastair McCraw outlining Cllr Aherne's alleged transgressions, including abusing his position on the parish council, harassment of councillors and the the clerk and misogny directed at the clerk, and his refusal to abide by the Code of Conduct, the whole council, apart from Cllr Aherne, walked out and the clerk Sarah Keys declared the meeting inquorate.

The extraordinary move came as Suffolk police investigate allegations of harassment against Cllr Aherne, who has also been found to breached the councillor's Code of Conduct, and sanctions imposed on him by Babergh's Monitoring Office.

Two members of the public witnessed last night's events which is understood to have started when Cllr Aherne disagreed with a democratic decision taken by the council's finance committee months ago and escalated.

Councillors were particularly upset by Cllr Aherne's relentless attacks on the chair Cllr McCraw, who is also a Babergh cabinet member and ward member for Brantham, and the parish's experienced clerk Mrs Keys.

Cllr Aherne's failure to comply with the Code of Conduct, based on the Nolan Principles in public life, which he signed up to, and comply with the sanctions further frustrated members.

Brantham parish chairman Alastair McCraw

Cllr McCraw said: "It is unprecedented in my experience, and every other persons I have spoken to, for a member to refuse outright to comply with such a ruling.

"Enough is enough We have carried out such sanctions as were available to us. We have acted with patience, compassion and understanding for over a year.

"We share a common purpose to serve our community, operating by consensus and accepting of collective responsibility.

" We can disagree at times about our decisions but are bound by them, regardless of our own votes at the time. Our work continues throughout. Despite this kerfuffle, it has done so."

Cllr McCraw explained how he and Mrs Keys had been subjected to a long running campaign of harassment by Cllr Aherne, including being bombarded with emails and messages, a thinly veiled attack by a satirical website run by Cllr Aherne

"This has placed massive stress on all members throughout, but the largest burden has fallen on the Clerk and myself as Chairman, where the principal attacks and harassment have been directed. The Clerk and I have jointly taken action in that matter.

"I believe we have reached the point where a public protest needs to be made, along with this statement.

"As a protest against Councillor Aherne's refusal to make the required apology, to undertake the required training and his actions and behaviour throughout this period, I will be withdrawing from this meeting. and walking out of the meeting.

"I ask other councillors present who feel likewise to join me now and make this very public protest.

"Our work will not be greatly affected and I hope that the seriousness of this situation will be understood."

A former company director with Bespoke Electronics Ltd, which was dissolved in 2021, Mr Aherne provides IT support for a pre-school in the village, according to the register of interests.

Cllr Aherne declined to comment on the walkout but added: "It's a free country, people can do pretty much as they like, as long as it doesn't break the law."

Suffolk police has confirmed an investigation into Mr Ahern's behaviour is ongoing.

CHAIRMANS STATEMENT TO BRANTHAM PARISH COUNCIL 4th JANUARY 2023

Early last year, after a Code of Conduct complaint against Councillor Mark Aherne, the following ruling was made by the Monitoring Officer at Babergh District Council. They are the responsible independent body in Code of Conduct matters.

Further to the conclusion of the Code of Conduct complaint submitted in reference to Cllr Mark Aherne the following sanctions were agreed and communicated to Cllr Aherne:

1. a) To publicly apologise to the Clerk at the next available full Council meeting.
2. b) To undertake Code of Conduct training and Equality and Diversity training as soon as
3. possible, but no later than three months from the date of this letter.
4. c) To undertake training on your responsibilities as an employer within three months of the
5. date of this letter.

Despite repeated requests at BPC meetings, so far these requirements have not been met:

• Cllr Aherne has not apologised and has stated that he has no intention of doing so
• Cllr Aherne has been supplied with dates for training and has stated that he has no intention
• of attending training of this kind.
• The original matter was that of Councillor Aherne's conduct towards the Clerk and other members in a Finance Committee meeting chaired by Councillor Aherne. Members of the public were present. An investigation was carried out immediately, by myself as Chair, taking evidence from all those present. I myself had not been present at this finance meeting. It should be pointed out that before the Code of Conduct complaint was made, that a simple public apology by Councillor Aherne to the Clerk in a Council meeting would have ended the matter. This was explained but refused outright.
• In the absence of the actions required of Cllr Aherne, this council have carried out their own sanctions.
• Councillor Aherne was removed, by full Council vote, from his position as Chair of the Finance Committee, that committee having passed a vote of no confidence in him. Subsequently, he was also removed from his appointment as Vice-Chairman of the Council and all other BPC appointments he held, also by full Council vote.
• Councillor Ahernes Parish Council email address had to be suspended due to abuse of the privilege. A stream of emails was being sent to all members at all times. That stream has continued since from his own personal email addresses, but now primarily directed towards the Clerk and I. Over the course of just over a year, over 50 emails (that we know of) have been sent to us copying many others.
• In these, Councillor Aherne has attacked the integrity and ability of the following, the Parish Clerk; myself as Chairman, Councillor and individual; other councillors; the Monitoring Officers and Chief Executive at Babergh District Council; the process itself; and others unrelated to any part of the process. A misogynist element in these has been particularly distasteful. 

None of this is acceptable for a duly elected Councillor. The Code of Conduct, based on the Nolan Principles in public life may not be much observed in parts of Westminster, but elsewhere and here in Suffolk they are not optional. They are a requirement of acceptance of office. If this councillor didn't wish to follow them, he should not have signed the declaration of acceptance of office (twice). If this councillor wished to claim ignorance of their content and meaning, he should not have chaired the annual reviews of our Standing Orders that include that Code of Conduct, voting for them each time.

It is unprecedented in my experience, and every other persons I have spoken to, for a member to refuse outright to comply with such a ruling.

Enough is enough! We have carried out such sanctions as were available to us. We have acted with patience, compassion and understanding for over a year.

We share a common purpose to serve our community, operating by consensus and accepting of collective responsibility. We can disagree at times about our decisions but are bound by them, regardless of our own votes at the time. Our work continues throughout. Despite this kerfuffle, it has done so.

This has placed massive stress on all members throughout, but the largest burden has fallen on the Clerk and myself as Chairman, where the principal attacks and harassment have been directed. The Clerk and I have jointly taken action in that matter.

BUT, I believe we have reached the point where a public protest needs to be made, along with this statement.

As a protest against Councillor Ahernes refusal to make the required apology, to undertake the required training and his actions and behaviour throughout this period, I will be withdrawing from this meeting. Walking Out of the meeting. I ask other councillors present who feel likewise to join me now and make this very public protest. Our work will not be greatly affected and I hope that the seriousness of this situation will be understood.

Thank You.

Alastair McCraw, Chairman BPC.