Luton's Lib Dems slam decision to let off lockdown breach councillors as 'pathetic and predictable'

A local adjudication panel decision on three Luton Labour councillors has been labelled "pathetic and predictable" by the Liberal Democrat opposition group.

The panel decided it lacked the powers to enforce a formal sanction on Tahir Malik, Waheed Akbar and Asif Masood.

The panel's statement said it was "in unanimous agreement the actions of the councillors were ill-advised, caused distress, broke trust in our communities, and brought themselves and the council into disrepute".

It called on the government "to strengthen and extend the powers available to local standards committees when writing the new code of conduct" for the benefit of future hearings of this nature.

The town's Liberal Democrats criticised the "standards committee judgment" and branded the event attended by the Labour councillors as "a mass tea party".

Group leader and Barnfield councillor David Franks said: "You don't stop being a councillor for an hour or two when you choose to do something naughty.

"You still have a responsibility to behave yourself.

"When you put yourself up for a position where you will attract attention, you have an extra duty not to set a bad example.

"It's also interesting the committee didn't recommend they resign their council seats. That's what they should do.

"Let's not forget they haven't been suspended from the local Labour Party or from the Labour group of councillors.

"So we must assume the Labour Party thinks their behaviour is acceptable. The 6,000 people who signed the petition don't agree."

The panel called on the councillors to voluntarily make a donation to a local charity to the value of at least one month’s allowance.

And it urged them to make sure they keep up-to-date with latest national and local Covid-19 legislation and guidance.

Councillor Franks added: "As for the recommendation that they should make a charitable donation equivalent to one month's allowance, that comes to £450 after National Insurance and income tax has been deducted.

"That's hardly enough to cause serious hardship."

As well as the petition calling on the three councillors to resign, the council received more than 100 complaints described as an unprecedented number.

Five made through an official online complaints procedure were part of the papers considered by the panel.

Labour Leagrave councillor Sameera Saleem, who chairs the council's standards committee, read out a statement of the panel's conclusions at the end of Monday's (Oct 12th) hearing.

She said: "We are disappointed to confirm that we don't have the jurisdiction to enforce a formal sanction, given the councillors attended the event in a personal capacity.

"There was no evidence provided to the panel that could make us conclude that the councillors were representing Luton Council at the event.

"We want to be absolutely clear that we expect members to uphold high standards of conduct at all times and to take the lead in adhering to the responsibilities that are incumbent on us all.

"I would like to thank the town's residents for their patience about this and also for everything they're doing to reduce the spread of Covid-19 in Luton, despite the anger many people are feeling over this issue."

The adjudication panel is a sub-committee of the council's standards committee.