Falkirk councillor removed as convener of planning committee after sending 'bullying' email

A veteran councillor has been removed as convener of Falkirk Council’s planning committee after a watchdog found an email written by him “amounted to bullying”.

In June, a hearing of the Standards Commission found an email sent by Baillie Billy Buchanan, regarding a member of Falkirk Council’s planning staff, had broken the councillors’ code of conduct.

Baillie Buchanan, who represents Larbert & Bonnybridge, was suspended as a councillor for three months and the commission’s findings were presented formally to members of Falkirk Council at a meeting this week.

In the email, sent to senior council staff, Baillie Buchanan said he wanted to “get advice on the suspension of an officer” and threatened to involve the police and a solicitor.

At this week’s meeting, the leader of the council, Councillor Cecil Meiklejohn, said the commission’s findings meant the council should consider whether it was appropriate for Baillie Buchanan to continue in his role as planning convener.

Baillie Buchanan – who has been a councillor for 34 years – was given an opportunity to address his fellow councillors.

He told them it was important to note the complaint had first been made more than two and half years and said the situation had been “very stressful for me and for my family”.

He pointed out his conduct had been investigated, firstly by Falkirk Council in an internal inquiry and then by the Ethical Standards Commission.

Both investigations cleared him of wrongdoing, as the email at the centre of the allegations had not been sent directly to the officer concerned but to his managers.

The Ethical Standards Commission, however, reports to the Standards Commission which has the final decision on whether Baillie Buchanan had broken the councillors’ code and whether he should be sanctioned or not.

The council’s Chief Governance Officer, Colin Moodie, advised members the Standards Commission is the body legally responsible for deciding whether or not there has been a breach of the code.

“Whatever anyone else may think about the issue, that is the decision of the Commission that we have before us,” he said.

Baillie Buchanan also told members he was angry to have been “castigated” so publicly for bullying after two investigations had cleared him of wrongdoing.

“It was only when the Standards Commission did their hearing that they brought up the issue of bullying,” he said.

“It’s very difficult when you are castigated as being a bully – it was circulated all over the press, it was on the TV – it was in every paper in the UK!

“What I had to go through – and my family had to go through – was deplorable!”

The long-serving councillor has been a member of the planning committee for “about 25-30 years” and has served as convener and deputy convener for many years.

“In all the years I’ve been on the planning committee, I’ve never had one problem. I’ve never had objections or complaints from officers or members in relation to my conduct,” he said.

He said while an appeal was available, it would involve going to court, which would cost at least £10,000.

Cllr Meiklejohn formally moved that Baillie Buchanan should no longer be convener of planning, in light of the Standards Commission ruling and the council’s commitment earlier this year to promote civility in public life.

The Labour group leader, Councillor Anne Hannah, said her group would support the motion “with a great deal of sadness” as she was “very fond of Baillie Buchanan as a person”.

The Conservative group, however, gave their full support to Baillie Buchanan.

Baillie James Kerr spoke of how much Baillie Buchanan had helped him since he was first elected in 2017 and said “not once” had he heard him “speaking down to anyone”.

He added Baillie Buchanan’s years of experience as a councillor along with his “knowledge and guidance” have been invaluable to Falkirk Council.

He also praised Baillie Buchanan’s contribution to his community and charity work as well as his dedication to remembering the fallen.

Councillors voted 18 to six with two abstentions to remove Baillie Buchanan from his role as convener of planning.