Torbay councillor apologises after bullying officer

Hazel Foster apologised after the incident at the Torbay Council meeting

A Torbay councillor showed no respect and bullied a council officer in a Zoom meeting, an investigation has found.

Its report said Conservative councillor Hazel Foster brought Torbay Council into disrepute during a new housing review panel meeting.

Mrs Foster must carry out "acceptable behaviour training" after the incident in September 2021.

In response, Mrs Foster "completely apologised" and said she would obey sanctions.

The investigation came after the St Marychurch councillor chaired a review panel meeting which resulted in an hour-long debate over panel membership which became heated, the report said.

It also found she used her position to bring about an advantage for herself and other Conservatives.

'No respect'

The independent investigation revealed the council clerk became visibly distressed and left the meeting, the Local Democracy Reporting Service reported.

Ignoring pleas from fellow councillors and senior officers, Mrs Foster repeatedly attempted to pass a vote on the membership of the council that had been printed on the original meeting report.

A scrutiny committee agreed during a four-hour standards hearing of Torbay Council that Ms Foster had not acted respectfully.

An independent investigator said he had watched an "invaluable" Zoom recording of the meeting "many times" and it appeared "that Councillor Foster didn't want to hear what anybody had to say".

He said: "There didn't appear to be any respect for what anybody said, whether it be fellow members or experienced officers in the room."

The scrutiny committee said Mrs Foster, married to local MP Kevin Foster, must also make an unequivocal apology for her conduct at a meeting.

Mrs Foster said of the officer: "She's an excellent officer and I will completely apologise for my actions or anything I said that made her feel that she was upset and had to leave the meeting."

The councillor told BBC Radio Devon: "I accept the findings and I will be sending a sincere letter of apology to the clerk involved."