#MeToo councillor's "disgust"

Council chairman tries to stop victim of separate assaults speaking out

A Labour councillor who has previously been a victim of sexual violence has said she is disgusted at having to share a council chamber with a councillor who sexually assaulted female staff members.

Cllr Emma Brennan, who represents Heavitree and Whipton Barton, made the remarks at Devon County’s Council full council meeting on Thursday. It follows a standards investigation by the county council that Cllr Brian Greenslade guilty of sexual harassment and abuse of four female employees over many years. A notice of censure - the most serious penalty the council can give - was served against Cllr Greenslade which means his access to County Hall will now be restricted to the Members' room, ante chamber and council chamber and he must undertake "relevant training."

Cllr Brennan had been updating the council on discussions with Stagecoach around the removal of the £1 child add-on fares and then subsequent introduction of a £6 adult and child dayrider when she made the remarks. She said: “This is my only chance to raise this, and I know the council is doing all it can legally on this issue, so I’m, going to hold my hand up for one second, and say, ‘Me Too’. I have been a victim of sexual violence in the past in an abusive and manipulative relationship.

“As a victim I find it disgusting to be forced to share the council chamber with a man who has been found to have sexually assaulted female members of staff. He is allowed to keep his high standing, his £12,600 allowance funded by Devon taxpayers, to speak at this meeting, and propose motions, and this is wrong. It is putting him above the feelings, needs, the right to feel comfortable and safe in the council.”

Chairman of the council Cllr Caroline Chugg tried to stop Cllr Brennan making the remarks on a point of order. Devon County Council’s procedure rules say that a member’s speech must relate either to the matter under discussion or to a personal explanation or to a point of order, as appropriate. 

Speaking after the meeting, Cllr Brennan said: “As scary as it is to voice my experiences, ultimately I am doing it because I don’t want my children to grow up in a society where low-level abuse and misogyny is normalised, and higher-level abuse and assault is covered up, with perpetrators allowed to carry on almost as if they have done nothing wrong.

“Pressure needs to be put on government to change the rules that say councillors cannot be dismissed – even after a long inquiry and a finding of gross misconduct – in order that we can show that this behaviour is not acceptable.”

Cllr Greenslade, 69, will continue to serve the people of Barnstaple North as an independent. He has been suspended by the Liberal Democrats.

Cllr Greenslade’s actions have been described by Devon Council Council’s chief executive Phil Norrey ‘inappropriate’ and ‘involving touching of a sexual nature’, but said that the code of conduct for the council lacks teeth for cases which fall sort of the seriously criminal – for which you can be dismissed. Cllr Greenslade had released a statement through his solicitor indicating that he plans to challenge the council’s decision to censure him. He claims he was not given a fair hearing “as required by the Human Rights Act and the Council’s own constitution”.