Investigation clears Melton councillor of making racist comments

Members of the audit and standards committee last night (Tuesday) backed the findings of an independent report into the actions of Councillor Simon Lumley, who represents the town’s Newport Ward.

Three councillors did call for a sub-committee to be formed to further examine if he breached the authority’s conduct code with one of them questioning why ‘someone who is elected to public office doesn’t even get a slap on the wrist by this report’.

Councillor Lumley had posted the phrase #whitelivesmatter back in June in response to the movement which sprang up across the world following the death of black American George Floyd at the hands of police officers in Minnesota.

He also re-posted a Tweet from a third party stating ‘Kneeling to surrender British and Western values’, in relation to the practice of ‘taking the knee’ as a gesture opposing police brutality and racism.

His posts were roundly condemned on Twitter and Facebook and allegations of racism were made against him because the hashtag he used has been adopted by members of a white supremacist group.

But Councillor Lumley argued that his use of #whitelivesmatter had been taken out of context, that he was unaware it was used by far right groups and that he meant to imply that ‘all lives mattered’.

He did resign from the ruling Conservative group on the borough council, though, and an investigation was launched to find if he had breached the council members’ code of conduct with the leader, Councillor Joe Orson, stating ‘whilst I am assured this was an act of naivety, it still represents completely unacceptable behaviour’.

Independent investigator, Alan Turner, looked into complaints made by three individuals from outside the council that Councillor Lumley’s social media posts were ‘racist or had racist connotations’ and his report was considered last night (Tuesday) by members of the audit and standards committee.

Mr Turner wrote in his report: “The complaints are well founded and it seems to me that it is in the public interest that they have been raised and considered.

“In publishing these tweets, whether through ignorance or naivety or by deliberate intent, Councillor Lumley has caused offence, certainly to the complainants and probably to other members of the public.

“In publishing the phrases he has, in the view of the complainants and others, shown a lack of understanding and damaged his reputation and that of his office and the council.”

But he said it was not a breach of conduct to not understand a situation or ‘to express a provocative or contrarian political view’.

Mr Turner found that Councillor Lumley, who is now a sole Independent member of the councillor, had not breached the code and recommended to the committee that no further action is taken in respect of the complaints.

The report fundings were criticised at last night’s meeting by Councillor Jacob Wilkinson, who compared Councillor Lumley’s posts with a recent incident at a Premier League football match when a Burnley supporter flew a banner over the Manchester City’s stadium with the slogan ‘White Lives Matter’.

He pointed out that the perpetrator was sacked from his job and banned from grounds for making the gesture while ‘someone who is elected to public office doesn’t even get a slap on the wrist by this report’.

Councillor Wilkinson told the meeting: “Our organisation is diverse, its staff and members all coming from different walks of life, ethnic backgrounds, ages and sexuality.

“What kind of message does this report send to those members of staff who have prided themselves on working for, and being elected to, this local authority which is our responsiblity to call out racism where we see it?”

Chair of the committee, Councillor Jeanne Douglas, told colleagues she also supported further scrutiny of Councillor Lumley’s actions, commenting: “This matter has raised a lot of interest in the public and we’ve had some media coverage.

“I’m concerned about the popular perception to not only what has transpired but how we deal with it, how we approach it and I think it’s really important that we have some input here or otherwise it feels like it’s just going over our heads a little bit.

“It is important we discuss whether or not a breach of conduct has possibly taken place.”

Councillor Rebecca Smedley also backed the setting up of a sub-committee to look deeper at the issue but the motion was defeated when five councillors voted against it, with one abstaining.

Following the vote, the council’s monitoring officer, Adele Wylie, used delegated powers to close the complaints made against Councillor Lumley and no action will be taken against him.