Covid-19: Great Yarmouth mayor suspended from group over breach of rules

Great Yarmouth mayor Sue Hacon was self-isolating after her husband tested positive for Covid-19

A mayor has apologised after she was suspended by a council's Conservative group for breaking Covid isolation rules.

Great Yarmouth mayor Sue Hacon was self-isolating after her husband tested positive for Covid-19, but went out to get medicine and visited other places.

Council leader Carl Smith announced her suspension at a full borough council meeting on Wednesday.

Ms Hacon said she was "really, really sorry" for her "foolish" behaviour.

The councillor for Bradwell South and Hopton had been mayor since May, having served two years as deputy mayor.

'Made a mistake'

Parts of the borough are undergoing enhanced testing after a sharp rise in infections, and figures show it had England's biggest week-on-week increase in alerts from the NHS Covid-19 app.

Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Ms Hacon said she had tested negative and worn a mask but had "made a mistake" and was "deeply in regret".

"Of course I wish I had done something different now," she said.

"Yes, it was going through my mind that it wasn't the right thing to do, of course it did. I'm so upset.

"It was a foolish decision on the day and if anyone had been in my position, with a husband that needed medication, they might have done the same.

"I'm really, really sorry if [my constituents] feel I have let them down, but I did what I thought was best for my family and obviously I was wrong."

At the borough council meeting, Mr Smith stressed that everyone needed to follow "the rules or the guidance".

"I can inform the council that I have taken the decision here, as leader tonight, to suspend her from the Conservative group and an investigation will continue after," he said.

Labour group leader Trevor Wainwright said: "As a councillor and as mayor she should follow the advice that we are giving to residents and follow the government guidance."

Ms Hacon was unable to say if she would stay on as mayor and the council said it could not comment further on the matter.

Sue Hacon's suspension was announced at a full meeting of Great Yarmouth Borough Council

Speaking to the BBC afterwards, Ms Hacon said she hoped to carry on as mayor.

"[I've been] a councillor for 12 years and doing what I think is a good job and have one blip," she said.

"I know we're in a pandemic and it was a bad blip but is that your whole future taken away from you for that reason? I really don't know."

She said that when she informed the council leader what she had done, she "didn't expect to be suspended" and felt let down by her party.

"I think someone might have talked to me first," she said.

"[But] they obviously feel that they think that I've let them down too and made a bad decision."