I’M SO SORRY

A COUNCILLOR has apologised for describing opponents of a proposed telecoms mast as “Nimbys” and “crackpot wannabe scientists”.

Kellie Hinton’s comments were judged by an independent panel to have breached Henley Town Council’s code of conduct.

But the former mayor has drawn the line at “apologising for having an opinion”.

Councillor Hinton made the comments to the Henley Standard in February after plans for EE to install a 20m high 5G telecoms mast in Makins recreation ground were rejected.

She said: “This is just a bunch of Nimbys and a bunch of crackpot wannabe scientists who want me to have a bad signal, it seems.” The story was followed by exchanges on Facebook and emails between Cllr Hinton and members of the public using her official council email.

As a result Charlotte Wolfe and another complainant, referred to just as Ms B, complained to South Oxfordshire District Council, claiming Cllr Hinton had made disrespectful and inflammatory remarks.

Ms B alleged Cllr Hinton responded to social media posts with aggressive and dismissive comments, including memes and public replies that could be perceived as bullying and humiliating.

Ms Wolfe’s complaint focused on public interactions on Facebook, where she said she felt belittled and insulted by Cllr Hinton, who allegedly called her a liar and made insinuations intended to embarrass her and suppress her participation in local campaigns.

The complaint panel found Cllr Hinton breached the town council’s code of conduct by bringing her role of authority into dispute and failing to show respect to others.

However, it did not consider her behaviour reached the threshold required to constitute bullying.

It also found she was acting in her capacity as a councillor when she gave her comments to the Henley Standard. While they were not directed at a named person, they were rude in tone or content, said the panel. However, it ruled Cllr Hinton was not acting in her official capacity when posting comments on Facebook,

Cllr Hinton, who did not attend the hearing, said she remains committed to serving the town. She said: “I am sorry people were offended by anything I said, or by me even having an opinion on the matter, when I don’t live as close to the mast as others.

“I am committed to doing my best to serve the town and the people who support me or don’t support me. I’m still going to work hard as a councillor and whether you like me or not makes no difference to me. You can’t please everybody all of the time but what you can still do is do your best.

“I’m not going to let this process, the stress and the fallout from it, affect the way I do things because I feel I do what I do well as a councillor and the town benefits from it.”

She defended using the term “Nimbys”, claiming it is commonly used in town council meetings but regrets calling people “crackpot wannabe scientists”. She said: “Reflecting on some of the
terminology I used, I would say I probably now do regret using the word ‘Nimby’.

“This describes a group of people that don’t want something next to their property, but perhaps they wouldn’t be as opposed to it, if it were placed elsewhere.

“It’s a term I’ve seen commonly used in council meetings numerous times and it’s not meant to be derogatory. If it was, we wouldn’t use it.

“I could have been more respectful than calling people ‘crackpot wannabe scientists’.”

The panel proposed four sanctions to ensure there is no repetition of Cllr Hinton’s behaviour.

These include submitting a formal written apology to the complainants to be sent via the chair of the panel, attending social media and respect duty training, removing all social media comments covered by the complaint, and discussing learning points and expected behaviours with her political leaders.

Complainant Ms Wolfe said: “No formal apology has yet been received, and obviously, many months have passed in which a personal apology could have been made.

“I made the complaint because of Cllr Hinton’s comments in the Henley Standard, and then to me on Facebook, which were completely inappropriate.

“It is unacceptable for a member of the council to speak about and to members of the community in this way.

“I am glad there was a hearing, the complaint was taken seriously, and sanctions were applied. I am disappointed it was not seen as meeting the threshold for bullying because it certainly felt like bullying.”

But Cllr Hinton said she does not feel the need to “apologise for having an opinion”.

She said: “Anyone who knows me knows I’m outspoken and tongue in cheek, and there’s always a bit of banter with it. I’m not trying to offend anybody, I’m just giving my point of view.

“I don’t want to, and I’m never going to apologise for things I never said. I’m not going to apologise for having an opinion or for speaking freely. All of these things I will continue to do on any subject matter I see fit.”

Town and district councillor Ken Arlett, who represented councillor Hinton, called the incident a “minor blemish”.

He said: “Kellie has been one of the best councillors I have worked with because of the time and effort she puts in, which goes above the call of duty, with 14 years at the town council and 15 years at the district council.

“I look at this as a minor blemish of the total time she’s put on her record, which is second to none, mainly upgrading Mill Meadows, Makins Recreation Ground and the playground — she’s been phenomenal.

“It just got a little bit out of control, and I would suggest everyone needs to move on now.”

He stepped in to support Cllr Hinton, who believes the process could have been handled more fairly and quickly.

She said: “I didn’t have to show up to the panel as that was my choice. I was originally going to attend, but because there were so many flaws in the process, it actually reached a point back in the summer where I wasn't sure if I could continue in the process, with such a lack of due process and support.

“I’m not saying people shouldn’t complain or feel like they have a right to complain, as they are well within their rights if they feel offended or something is wrong.

“But the process should have been handled more fairly, and it should not take eight months.”

She thanked supporters for reaching out to her during a time when she felt “very alone”.

She said: “I want to thank everybody who knows the amount of work I have put in for free because this complaint is against me as a town councillor, and I’m a town councillor voluntarily.

“The fact that people have messaged me, called me, and come to my house over the weekend really meant a lot. Sometimes, when people are really trolling and targeting you for eight months, you can feel very alone.

“I would be wrong to say I haven’t learned a lesson because, whether right or wrong, whether the process was flawed or not, I don’t want to have to go through that again, and I certainly don’t want to cost the public money again.”