Council leader stands firm, declining to apologize to the mayor despite criticism for her conduct.
Anna Bailey leads the East Cambridgeshire District Council. An independent panel said she broke the code of conduct. Her comments were uncivil, they determined and asked her to consider an apology to the mayor.
Bailey’s statement followed an investigation of Mayor Johnson. It found he did not act on bullying claims. This was said to create a toxic environment.
Bailey was cleared of breaching confidentiality. She revealed staff pay-outs and recruitment costs. She was also cleared of bullying and harassment. She did not bring the organization into disrepute.
The panel decided her comments broke civility rules. They felt her remarks were excessive personal abuse. They also believed they were unjustified political expression.
Bailey said she was cleared of complaints made by Johnson, after a code of conduct breach by him. He allegedly condoned a toxic culture in his office. Her statement detailed shocking events under his leadership. Taxpayers paid £1.1 million to clean up the mess. That figure has since increased, she claimed.
Johnson complained about Bailey’s social media statements from November 2023. He felt they were disrespectful and revealed confidential information. Bailey’s comments mentioned multiple complaints against the mayor. Some staff got security equipment she noted. The authority funded psychiatric counseling, she said.
A staff member was told not to be alone with the mayor, according to Bailey. She said costs from the mayor’s conduct totaled near £1.1 million. Bailey argued doctors promise to do no harm. She said Johnson failed the people involved. He failed the public and breached the code. She thinks he failed as a decent human being.
The panel said Bailey highlighted issues from employees. These issues spanned years and a toxic bullying culture existed, she claimed. This impacted former employees severely. She said the severity of the situation caused her comments. She provided a statement from a former employee as evidence. This showed the impact of the mayor’s behavior, she added.
The panel agreed Bailey’s comments weren’t bullying. They also found she didn’t bring the authority into disrepute. The panel believed it wasn’t a breach. The panel did not think Bailey disclosed confidential information. She revealed headings of expenditure, not individual details, they determined.
Bailey said the organization bought CCTV and alarms for staff. They also paid for counseling. Special arrangements ensured staff weren’t alone. Taxpayer money funded staff settlements, she noted. Something went wrong, according to Bailey.
Three women shared their stories with her. She is grateful for their trust she shared. Their treatment was shocking, she added. She tried to help them. She hopes they found some comfort with her, Bailey stated.
The panel asked Bailey to consider an apology. She declined to apologize for incivility toward the mayor. Bailey said she cannot let those who trusted her down. She cannot apologize because of this.
Johnson will not seek re-election. He thanked people for their kind messages and said the CPCA made huge progress. He cited bus service franchising as an example. Johnson said he won’t miss Bailey’s brand of unpleasantness. He is not surprised she refused to apologize. He urged her to respect the disciplinary process. Leadership means embracing responsibility, according to Johnson. He stated whether she reconsiders is up to her.