Councillor sanctioned for code of conduct breaches

A Lancaster City councillor will be publicly censured and recommended to undergo training in data protection after being found to have breached the council’s code of conduct.

Councillor John Wild, who represents the Bolton and Slyne ward, was called before the council’s Standards Committee last Wednesday (February 12) to answer allegations that he had released personal and confidential information to the media.

The complaint related to the release of confidential information to the Lancaster Guardian which contained personal data, together with details of a previous standards investigation that had not yet been concluded. 

Following an investigation into this alleged breach, Councillor Wild also released the confidential investigation report, including identities and testimony of witnesses, to a number of people, including the media. 

Councillor Wild also failed to fully  cooperate with the appointed investigator by not attending for interview unless certain unreasonable conditions were met.

The committee unanimously agreed that on a number of occasions he had breached the code of conduct in relation to selflessness and accountability. 

Councillor Wild will be publicly censured in the committee’s minutes and also recommended to undertake further training on the councillors code of conduct and GDPR.

Councillor Mandy King, chair of the Standards Committee, said: “The public quite rightly expects councillors to uphold the highest of standards. Where these standards have not been met it is important that we investigate and impose an appropriate sanction in response.”

Last updated: 19 February 2020