Councillor swerved around bin truck in car and raged at refuse workers

Councillor Chris Jones has been censured by Redcar and Cleveland Council after various code of conduct breaches were upheld by a hearing panel as a result of his role in the incident.

The employee involved claimed he suffered an injury, requiring physio, after the Liberal Democrat councillor sped over a verge in his car while attempting to pass a refuse truck blocking his way, hitting a wheelie bin he had been pushing.

Both men swore at each other during the incident in Laburnum Road, Redcar on September 10 last year, which was captured on CCTV cameras mounted on the truck.

Coun Jones was seen in footage with his head out of his car window to the rear of the vehicle “gesticulating with his arms” towards the complainant.

Later footage captured Coun Jones “suddenly and quickly swerving around the refuse vehicle” to the right hand side and onto a grass verge at the side of the road, making contact with the wheelie bin which the complainant was pulling towards the truck.

Coun Jones, who separately accepted an ‘out of court disposal’ in the form of a safety driving course after he was interviewed by Cleveland Police, denied he had been aggressive, but the panel found his conduct was likely to be perceived by others as “confrontational”.

One witness, whose house was opposite where the incident took place, described “beeping and shouting, including somebody shouting that they needed to get to work”.

Coun Jones, who works in Hartlepool, conceded he had not acted rationally and his actions had been out of character.

‘It’s f*** off councillor to you’

The complainant had alleged that he told Coun Jones that he was going to phone his supervisors and that he had replied: ‘I am a councillor – they can’t do f*** all’.

Coun Jones denied this and said he only identified himself as a councillor after the worker told him to f*** off.

He said he used words to the effect of ‘It’s f*** off councillor to you’.

The bin man, who described feeling intimidated, accepted he had told Coun Jones to f*** off, but disputed the timing of when this was in the events that occurred.

The panel considered that, in either scenario, Coun Jones’ reference to his official capacity would be perceived as an indication of seniority over the complainant, made with an intention to influence their actions.

It also noted “inconsistencies” in Coun Jones’ evidence, including an assertion that, after striking the wheelie bin with his car, he got out and spoke to the council worker to ask if he was okay.

CCTV showed instead the councillor walking straight to the driver’s cab of the refuse vehicle and having “what looks like an animated discussion with the driver signalling with his arms towards the road behind him”.

It was deemed that Coun Jones may have been indicating how he thought the truck should manoeuvre – ie onto the verge – in order to let cars behind get past.

‘Disrespectful to staff’

The panel felt that Coun Jones’ actions were disrespectful towards staff who were simply carrying out their day-to-day work.

The appropriate conduct would have been to wait for a suitable opportunity to pass as the refuse vehicle progressed down the road.

It said that, while the CCTV footage did not include audio, Coun Jones’ “expressions and general movements were consistent with behaviour that might be viewed as aggressive or intimidating”.

Meanwhile, the act of “driving a car, at speed, over a grass verge in close proximity to the refuse crew showed little to no respect for their safety”.

This alone breached the ‘respect’ element of the council’s code of conduct, while Coun Jones was found to have breached another section as a result of his behaviour stating that councillors should not bully any person.

He also brought his role or the local authority into disrepute and had used or attempted to use his position improperly to his advantage by discouraging the refuse crew from reporting the incident, another breach.

The panel welcomed a “full and frank” apology from Coun Jones, noting how he had disclosed sensitive information during the hearing, and accepted his view that the incident was some kind of “meltdown”.

By publishing a decision notice and deciding to censure Coun Jones, the aim was to assure residents that such complaints were properly considered in a way which ensures high standards of conduct are upheld, and not “swept under the carpet”.

The councillor, who declined to comment on the outcome, will also undertake code of conduct training.

The formal reprimand does not preclude Coun Jones from carrying on as a council member, but he is unable to appeal the decision made.

‘Serious allegations’

Conservative group leader, Councillor Carolyn Curr suggested the Lib Dems had not taken the matter seriously enough and Coun Jones should have been suspended once subject to the council’s disciplinary process.

She said: “These were serious allegations against Coun Jones that have been upheld.

“I am surprised at the lack of interest shown by his own party, the Lib Dems.

“No action was taken during the disciplinary process when removing the whip would have been appropriate.”

Councillor Jemma Joy, the Liberal Democrat group leader on the council, said: “Coun Jones accepts the findings of the panel and has forwarded his apology to the staff member and fellow council members.”

She said Coun Jones was a “dedicated councillor of many years and [this] was very much an isolated and regrettable incident”.

Coun Joy said the group was reviewing various positions held by Coun Jones in light of the matter, but otherwise he was looking forward to “carrying on excellent ward work for his residents”.

Coun Jones has been a member of the Cleveland Police and Crime Panel for several years and is chairman of the council’s growth scrutiny committee.

He also previously stood for the position of Cleveland Police and Crime Commissioner and Redcar MP, both times representing the Liberal Democrats.