Anger as councillor in racism row is chosen as Torbay's deputy mayor

'The deputy mayor should be a Conservative but it shouldn’t be this one'

Accusations of racism have marred a meeting to elect Torbay’s civic mayor and deputy.

For the second year running there were angry exchanges at the meeting which usually is little more than a formality.

Last year opposition councillors walked out in protest as the Conservative administration nominated one of its own members to be mayor when Liberal Democrat leader Swithin Long (Barton with Watcombe) had already been promised the job.

This time the row was over the appointment as deputy mayor of Cllr Hazel Foster (Con, Wellswood), who was found to have bullied a council clerk and brought the council into disrepute in 2021.

An independent investigation revealed that during a heated hour-long debate over the membership of a housing committee, the council clerk became visibly distressed and left the meeting.

Mrs Foster was told to carry out "acceptable behaviour training" after the incident.

Council leader David Thomas (Con, Preston) was also found to have breached the council's code of conduct at the same meeting,

Cllr Foster lost her St Marychurch council seat at the 2023 elections, but was elected to represent Wellswood in a by-election last year.

She recently had comments she made about ‘black officers’ patrolling Torquay officially recorded as a ‘hate incident’. Police confirmed that no criminal offence had taken place and Cllr Foster said she had been horrified when she realised what she had mistakenly said in a hastily-written social media post.

She only realised what she had written when it was pointed out to her by Torbay Council’s monitoring officer following a complaint.

Cllr Foster had been discussing policing in the town centre when she wrote: “I’ve just driven through Torquay. Police van parked in front of town hall and two black officers walking past the closed Castle pub.”

Cllr Nick Bye (Con, Wellswood) proposed Cllr Foster for the deputy mayoral role, describing her as ‘hard-working Hazel Foster, one of the hardest-working people I have ever known’.

But Cllr Cat Johns (Lib Dem, Clifton with Maidenway) put forward an amendment, calling for the appointment to be deferred for more discussions.

Cllr Mike Fox (Lib Dem, Barton with Watcombe) added: “This is the highest civic honour the council can bestow and it demands the highest standards. We are asking for time for further discussion and reflection.”

Cllr Long said the appointment risked bringing the council into disrepute and Cllr Mandy Darling (Lib Dem, Tormohun) added: “I have real concerns that the candidate for deputy mayor does not have the empathy and understanding required for this role.”

Cllr Ras Virdee (Lib Dem, St Marychurch) told the meeting: “This is institutional racism. If she had any integrity she would not run for deputy mayor.”

And Cllr Nick Pentney (Lib Dem, Tormohun) summed up, telling the Tory councillors: “The deputy mayor should be a Conservative, but there are plenty of you to choose from. It shouldn’t be this one.”

But Cllr Bye urged members to vote for Cllr Foster. He said she was ‘straightforward’ and ‘inclusive’, and said he did not recognise the picture painted by the opposition.

“The Councillor Foster I am supporting today is someone who is there for everyone,” he said.

The Lib Dem amendment was defeated, and Cllr Foster was elected to the position of deputy mayor. She named her husband Kevin - Torbay’s former Conservative MP - as her consort for the year and did not make any further comment.

Earlier in the same meeting Cllr Barbara Lewis (Con, Preston) was unanimously elected by Conservative and opposition members to serve as civic mayor for the next year.

Cllr Jackie Thomas (Con, Kings Ash) said: “I can think of no better representative to wear the chain of office.”

Cllr Lewis said she was proud to accept the role and added: “I care deeply about the well-being of the people who live, work, raise their families and grow old here. To me that’s what this role is all about.

“I hope to be a civic mayor who makes Torbay proud.”

She said Rowcroft Hospice would be her nominated charity for the year.