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A prominent town councillor has slammed the administration at Bracknell Forest Council for organising a hearing into misconduct which his solicitor cannot attend.
John Edwards is an Independent representative for Owlsmoor on Sandhurst Town Council, and is also a campaign manager for Reform UK.
He has gained prominence for raising questions about the use of the former Grange Hotel in Bracknell town centre as transition accommodation for people and families from Afghanistan.
This led to complaints being made against him and Bracknell Forest Council conducting an investigation into his conduct as a town councillor.
Now, councillor Edwards has accused the council of selecting a date for a hearing into an investigation that his chosen legal representative cannot attend.
He said: “They threatened it before, but now it’s official.
“The council has chosen a date for my hearing that they know my barrister cannot attend.
“And what is the hearing about?
“Telling residents the truth about an Afghan resettlement hotel.
“The information I released was not confidential. It was firmly in the public interest. Yet the council is continuing to pursue me and has now instructed external solicitors.
“This is YOUR money they are spending.
“The last figure I obtained under a freedom of information request (FOI) showed more than £16,000 had already been spent on the case against me. With external solicitors now involved, that bill will only rise.
“All to pursue an elected councillor for telling residents something they had every right to know.
“At some point, Bracknell Forest Council and its senior leadership will have to explain why they have spent taxpayers’ money pursuing what increasingly looks like a procedurally unfair and anti-democratic witch hunt.”
Cllr Edwards is being supported by the Free Speech Union, which is self-described as a non-partisan, single issue campaign group.
During an interview with Connie Shaw from the FSU, he claimed that an independent investigator cleared him of wrongdoing, but he was alternatively accused of bringing his role as a councillor into disrepute.
A meeting will therefore be held to determine if he has breached the councillor code of conduct.
It is understood this meeting will be held in private, with the outcome being published afterwards.
Susan Halliwell, the chief executive, said: “One of Bracknell Forest Council’s roles is to assess and, if appropriate, investigate and decide on complaints that councillors have failed to follow the code of conduct. This includes town and parish councillors for the area.
“The council received a complaint about a member of Sandhurst Town Council, which it referred for independent investigation. Subsequently, the council has arranged a hearing panel, made up of cross-party councillors and an independent co-opted person, to consider the investigation report and the councillor’s representations.
“The council considered a number of factors when arranging a date for the hearing, including when those involved and their representatives were available. The council’s understanding is that the Sandhurst Town councillor has secured alternative legal representation for the proposed date. The council has sought further clarification from the councillor on that point.
“The council seeks to conduct hearings with fairness and independence. The hearing will consider any allegation of unfairness raised during the process.
“The outcome of the hearing will be made public. As the process is ongoing, we will not be commenting any further.”
