Issue - meetings

To consider the report.

The Chair of the sub-committee noted that the Subject Member, Councillor A Fuhrmann was not in attendance at the meeting and asked the sub-committee if they were content to continue the hearing in his absence. The sub-committee agreed that the hearing would continue.

M Dolley, Investigating Officer presented her report in respect of complaints made against Dorset Council Councillor Alex Fuhrmann by Dorset Council Councillors Jane Somper, Laura Beddow and Andrew Parry. The complaints had been supported by Dorset Council Councillors Jill Haynes, Sherry Jespersen, Cathy Lugg, Emma Parker, Carole Jones and Val Pothecary.

The Investigating Officer provided detail of the complaints received which alleged a breach of paragraphs 1 (requirement to treat councillors and others with respect) and 2 (relating to bullying, harassment and discrimination) of the Dorset Council Councillor Code of Conduct.

To investigate the complaints, the Investigating Officer had taken into consideration the following evidence:

·       Dorset Council Code of Conduct

·       Dorset Council’s policy relating to the use of social media (applicable to members and officers), material about the use of social media offered by the Local Government Association and material about bullying provided by the Anti-bullying Alliance

·       Research of information on posting and removing material from Facebook and Instagram

·       Interviews with the three principal complainants, Councillor Fuhrmann and one other member of Dorset Council (statements included within the investigation report)

The complaints were set out in full in the report and the Investigating Officer took the sub-committee through the main points arising.

The complaints related to the use by Councillor Fuhrmann of social media, including messaging facilities, specifically Facebook and Instagram and as set out in the report, that his conduct breached paragraphs 1.1 and 2 of the Code of Conduct. The material complained of comprised screenshots of social media posts and of messages sent privately on an Instagram messaging facility. Most of the relevant events took place within the space of a few hours late in the afternoon and early evening on 18 December 2024. The report set out the sequence of the relevant events and their timing, which included material posted on 5 December 2024 by Councillor Fuhrmann on his Instagram account and re-posted by Councillor Somper on her Facebook page on 7 December 2024. Comments were subsequently applied to the post on 18 December. The material shared as a story by Councillor Fuhrmann on his Instagram account on 18 December 2024 was in the same time frame as the above comments. The significance of the material being shared as a story on an Instagram account rather than being posted was set out in the report.

The Investigating Officer noted that in addition, a private exchange of messages between Councillor Fuhrmann and Councillor Beddow took place on 18 December 2024, at the same time that the comments were being made on the Facebook post.

It was noted that the material referred to above, was communication to which the Code of Conduct applied.

The Investigating Officer provided an overview of the conclusions set out in the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5