I have received information that demonstrates Scarborough Borough Council (SBC) are exposed to potential failures in their Duty of Care to Officers, Councillors and members of the public in relation to rogue Councillors.

Lisa Dixon – SBC Monitoring Officer

After publishing SBC Councillor Threatens Murder the information received raises alarm bells in relation to a SBC elected member I will call “Councillor John/Jane Doe”. This includes:

1. Since the beginning of December 2020 submitting an excessive amount of complaints against their fellow SBC Councillors.
2. Threatening to give a member of the public “a good arse-kicking the next time they see them”.

Add these to the transcript in SBC Councillor Threatens Murder and concerns are clear to all regards the Duty of Care SBC has.

Rights of a Councillor v SBC Duty of Care

On the one hand, a Local Authority can impose virtually no sanction on a Councillor who has become a potential threat to Officers, Councillors and members of the public. Yet, on the other hand, they have a Duty of Care to protect Officers, Councillors and members of the public against any potential threat a rogue Councillor may pose.

Once a potential failure in the Duty of Care of a Local Authority is raised with them they must act as not to do so leaves them open to legal action. In essence, the action required has two parts.

• Part 1 – Lisa Dixon, in her role of SBC Monitoring Officer must request North Yorkshire Police (NYP) to intervene. It is an accepted practise that a Police Force will not intervene in the affairs of a Local Authority unless such a request is made by the Monitoring Officer. This action would then pass this aspect of the Duty of Care to NYP.
• Part 2 – Before Scarborough Town Hall reopens after the Lockdown a policy must be put in place to ensure appropriate security for Officers, Councillors and members of the public. This policy will require approval by the Full Council. To open without a such a policy in place SBC would leave themselves open to legal action.

As the majority of SBC Councillors and Senior Officers read any posts I publish in relation to SBC this very post makes SBC fully aware of their potential failure in their Duty of Care to ensure the safety of Officers, Councillors and members of the public.

In the interests of public safety, I request them to raise my concerns with Lisa Dixon.

Of course, I will also email SBC.