Bullying row breaks out at Wellingborough Council

Labour Cllr Tim Maguire spoke out about his shame of the ‘borderline bullying’ he had witnessed against members of the Wellingborough BID who had gone along to the council meeting on September 9 when the authority was due to vote on whether it supported the venture.

The council, which as a shop owner had a say on the future of the BID, could have voted, but decided to abstain.

The BID has now failed in gaining another five-year term after big names such as Morrisons and Boots voted against it continuing.

At last night’s full council long standing councillor Tim Maguire said that in his 24 years as an elected politician he had never witnessed such a committee meeting.

He said: “There were so many abstentions. So many councillors sat on the fence they still have splinters coming out of their body. This was a very important thing for our town. Some of the questioning by the councillors was borderline bullying. It was shocking. The BID does not cost us a penny but it brought money into the town. I think this ought to be looked at by the council.

“If we are going to speak to people like that they won’t want to come to the council any more.”

He also castigated the chair of the committee, Conservative Cllr Jon-Paul Carr, for failing to use his casting vote and said if he was uncomfortable with the position as chairman he should reconsider it.

In response Cllr Carr said he took advice from officers about whether he could abstain from the vote. He also accused Cllr Maguire of bullying him at last night’s meeting but after being challenged withdrew the allegation.

Councillors who were present at the September 9th meeting were Cllr Carr, Cllr Ekins, Cllr Hallam, Cllr Graham Lawman, Cllr Lorna Lawman, Cllr Maguire, Cllr Partridge-Underwood, Cllr Patel, Cllr Walia and Cllr Watts.