Relief as claims are rejected

A Shropshire councillor who was accused of leaking confidential information and insulting a council officer has spoken of his relief after being cleared.

Gordon Tonkinson, Bridgnorth district councillor for the Shifnal Rural ward, said that he was he delighted the Standards Board for England had found him innocent of the allegations made against him.

Councillor Tonkinson was exonerated of failing to comply with the district council's Code of Conduct after the allegations were dismissed.

He had been accused of divulging confidential information made by a residents' consultation group in October 2007.

It was also alleged that he "was disrespectful to officers of a housing association, Bridgnorth District Council's head of housing and had behaved in a way that was likely to compromise the impartiality of the council's head of housing".

An unnamed complainant made the allegations in November 2007.

Councillor Tonkinson said that the allegations had caused him and his family a year of worry.

"Having been cleared of all the allegations against me, I would like the public to know that all those who gave statements against me were, after thorough investigation, proved wrong," he said.

He added: "There is no doubt that the system is being regularly used as a threat to quieten democracy by stopping elected members speaking out or debating all information before reaching informed decisions openly.

"I am sure that many elected members do not speak out publicly because of the underlying threat of being reported or indeed the effect it may have on their allowances.

"No wonder we have less public debate and many seek to use secrecy where they can report others, but never have to face the person they accuse through open public inquiry.

"This makes nonsense of our accountability to the general public who elect us and who we work for," he added.

By Jonathan Wood