“Pattern of ill-advised responses" as council leader breaches code of conduct in controversial Criterion row
A council leader has been found to have committed two breaches of a code of conduct in an ongoing row about the Criterion project.
Peter Chegwyn, leader of Gosport Borough Council, was found by an Initial Filtering Panel to have failed to treat others with respect and brought the council into disrepute following a complaint from Conservative councillor Philip Raffaelli.
The complaint related to remarks made about the Criterion Theatre refurbishment project. It follows a decision taken in a closed doors council meeting in July which approved the first phase of restoration plans, with a cafe set for the former cinema building’s annexe
Peter Baulf, the council’s solicitor and monitoring officer, wrote to Cllr Chegwyn on June 17, advising him to clarify statements made during a council meeting that could have misled others.
The comments in question were made during a confidential meeting on October 16, 2024, during which Mr Chegwyn was asked if there were any financial projections for when the £1.4 million Criterion Theatre project might break even.
Mr Chegwyn responded that there were “no such estimates,” despite a consultants’ report containing financial projections. He did not correct the statement when given the opportunity at a subsequent meeting on December 11, 2024.
Mr Baulf said: “Rejecting an opportunity to amend was positional and undermines the functionality of the meeting process.
“The inaccuracy of comment stifles debate and can be seen as disrespectful of the meeting and of no service to the public.”
He added: “The evidence is such that the code of conduct has been breached.
“You have failed to ‘treat other councillors and members of the public with respect’.
“And ‘not bring my role or local authority into disrepute’.”
The panel suggested that this incident might reflect a “pattern of ill-advised responses,” whether politically motivated or made in the heat of debate.
Mr Baulf recommended that Cllr Chegwyn issue a clarification within three weeks, but this was not done.
Responding to the findings, Cllr Chegwyn said: “This complaint dates back three years and I’m pleased the monitoring officer chose to take no further action after I apologised to Councillor Raffaelli for his failure to understand what I said at a meeting.
“Councillor Raffaelli is just trying to score cheap and childish political points.
“Frankly, he should grow up and stop wasting council taxpayers’ money on party-political point-scoring.
“I completely reject the suggestion that I brought the council into disrepute or misled council members.”
Mr Baulf’s recommendation for clarification remains outstanding.