Councillors call on leader to resign over local toxic Facebook culture
Councillors who claim a toxic Facebook culture took hold of the Melton borough have called on their leader to resign.
Several elected members of Melton Borough Council wrote to the authority’s head, Councillor Ronan Browne, on Monday asking for more clarity on his reported involvement with an ‘abusive’ Facebook group.
In the letter to Councillor Browne (Conservative), councillors said themselves, officers, and members of the public were subject to ‘derogatory attacks’ on the forum, with some posts labelled as misogynistic, racist, or ableist.
ITV reported that Councillor Browne did not post anything on the Not Melton Borough Council Again Facebook page, which was closed in 2025, but accumulated 27 page points through interactions with it.
Councillor Browne denies making any comments about the complainants or liking any derogatory material, but councillors say he added an individual to the group who later posted abuse.
They also argue the leader’s presence in the group legitimised its messaging.
The councillors said: “The Nolan Principles require those in public office not merely to avoid wrongdoing themselves, but to be accountable, truthful and willing to challenge poor behaviour wherever it occurs.
“Councillor Browne, measured against those standards, we believe your leadership raises serious questions and ultimately fails those standards by providing an unwarranted sense of legitimacy to some of the vilest behaviour inflicted upon our borough and community.
“We no longer believe your position as leader of Melton Borough Council is tenable. We call upon you to resign as leader immediately.”
Councillor Sharon Butcher (Independent) said the online abuse targeted her family, claiming she and her son were accused of lying about injuries suffered in a Melton incident that meant her sonhad to relearn to walk.
She said: "To have my son’s injury mocked was the worst way anybody could personally attack me.
“He’s had the world ripped from under his feet and people are making stupid videos and pictures.
“There’s just no moral standards whatsoever. He didn’t choose to be dragged into this when I ran to be a councillor.”
Councillor Leigh Higgins (Independent), who says he was also targeted on the page, said: “This is bigger than politics.
"Council staff, local businesses and members of the public have paid the price for a toxic culture with which Councillor Browne was repeatedly associated, while significant council time and resources have been spent dealing with the fallout.”
In response to the letter, Councillor Browne told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that he, too, had been a victim of the toxic environment.
He said he has frequently been mocked for his race, religion, and Irish accent, and was on the Facebook group to monitor and report the abuse.
Councillor Browne added he will not resign now but has no plans to stand for councillor again after the May 2027 local elections.
He said: “Not once have I made a comment online, via email, on the phone or in the council chamber to any of the said councillors.
“I was in the group to give it to the officers as evidence.
"How am I meant to find out what the hell is going on unless I look at it?
“Now, what I would ask is, due to their behaviour, the whole lot should resign because they’re not fit to be councillors.”
Melton Borough Council declined to comment.