Councillors pledge to stand against former Tory colleagues after bullying claims

The claims, by four prominent councillors, appear to have surfaced after former deputy leader, Leigh Higgins, was suspended and then expelled from the Tory group in September 2021.

That followed complaints arising from remarks he made at the Best of Melton Awards, which some claimed were sexist.

Councillor Higgins fervently denied his comments were sexist and claims that the subsequent investigation was unfairly conducted.

An independent enquiry cleared him of breaching the councillors’ code of conduct and he successfully appealed expulsion from the Conservative group and his membership of the area Tory party.

Throughout, Councillor Higgins has received strong support from fellow Conservative members, Margaret Glancy and Pat Cumbers, who say they were then punished as a result despite following party policy in making their protestations.

Councillor Glancy was removed as chair of planning and Councillor Cumbers lost her chairmanship of the scrutiny committee.

The then Mayor, Councillor Peter Faulkner, says he was also pressurised to silence Councillor Higgins during meetings which he refused to do.

All four have now left the council’s Conservative group and will contest May 4’s elections as Independent candidates.

Councillor Higgins told the Melton Times: “People have been bullied, harassed and victimised here and that is not a good thing when they are trying to do their best for the residents in their ward and the borough as a whole.”

The fallout from being investigated and expelled has destroyed a promising career in politics for Councillor Higgins - he formerly served as East Midlands chair of the Conservative Party and also came close to becoming MP for Chesterfield at the last General Election.

Councillor Higgins pointed out that many people wrote to the council to refute claims that he had acted in a sexist way on the night of the awards.

He commented: “I have to insist that I have always completely and vehemently denied the words attributed to me.

“I was absolutely praising all nominees from apprentices, to new business starters and that at the awards 24 out of 37 nominations were female, showing Melton was breaking the glass ceiling.

“There were several groups of nominees who were asked to stand - not specifically women.

“It was intended as a visual representation of the good that many people had done over the year.”

Reflecting on what has happened since, he said: “I lost my mum at a young age and I would say that other than personal grief this is the worst experience I have gone through.

“It has hurt me and my family and it has been very difficult.

“The worst thing about it all is that what has been alleged (sexism) goes so against my own core values.”

Councillor Glancy was deselected as a Tory candidate for the upcoming elections which she believes is because of her support for Councillor Higgins.

She is the mother of Councillor Higgins’ partner and says she felt demeaned to be referred to as ‘just the mother-in-law’ during one meeting with senior Tory councillors.

“I’ve always believed in standing up for what is right and I’ve been persecuted as a result,” she said.

“I have been on the council for eight years and it beggars belief that it has come to this.

“I will run as an Independent now because I will be the one who decides my future on the council.”

Back in November 2021, Councillor Cumbers said ‘we have been dumped like garbage’ in response to being removed as a committee chair with Councillor Glancy.

Councillor Cumbers had resigned from the Conservative group the month before and last July was expelled from the Tory party as a consequence.

“The way we have been treated since then can only be because of our support for Leigh,” said Councillor Cumbers.

“There are some good people on the Conservative group but I would like to see a change in the leadership.”

Councillor Faulkner, who was mayor for the year 2021-22, believes residents are fed up with party politics and that there will be strong support for Independent candidates at the elections.

He quit the Tory group after finishing his term as civic leader.

Councillor Faulkner said: “I was told I needed to distance myself from Leigh or else, basically.

“I realised that once my term as mayor had finished things were going to happen to me so I got in first and resigned from the group so they couldn’t touch me and I could avoid all the issues that Leigh, Pat and Margaret have had.”

Councillor Glancy (current representative for Melton Newport), Councillor Cumbers (Melton Dorian) and Councillor Faulkner (Melton Egerton) will be standing in the local elections next month.

The leadership group on Melton Borough Council asked the Melton Times to approach the Rutland and Melton Conservative Association for a response to the allegations but they declined to comment.

A full list of candidates for all the wards on Melton Borough Council will be announced later today (Wednesday).

It is understood that there will be a major increase in Independent candidates for the elections this time.

Check our website www.meltontimes.co.uk for details of who is standing in your ward.

Polling day is Thursday May 4 with results expected to be announced the following day.

In the last ballot, in May 2019, the Conservatives won 22 of the 28 seats.

Independent candidates won five seats and the Green Party claimed one seat.