Derbyshire council issues ‘sincere and unreserved apology’ after conduct breaches by two councillors – including bullying and harassment

Councillors John Walker and Scott Walker breached the Members’ Code of Conduct in areas including bullying and harassment, impartiality of officers, and conduct bringing the Council into disrepute, the Standards and Appeals Hearing of Sub-Committee of Amber Valley Borough Council has found.

In addition, Councillor John Walker was also found to have breached the principle of respect.

Claims about potential discrimination were also considered, but no discrimination was found to have taken place.

At an Extraordinary Meeting, Alfreton Town Council considered reports relating to these findings and agreed a number of actions in response.

A spokesperson for the council said: “Alfreton Town Council acknowledges and fully accepts the decisions made in relation to Councillors John Walker and Scott Walker.

“The Council offers its sincere and unreserved apology to the Town Clerk for the distress, upset, and disruption caused by these behaviours. We recognise the harm and impact this has had on both the individual concerned and the wider organisation.

“The remaining Members of Alfreton Town Council wish to make it clear that they do not condone such actions in any form. The Council stands united in its resolve to learn from this experience, to ensure accountability, and to prevent such behaviour from ever occurring again.

“In response to the findings, the Council has implemented a series of sanctions, including restrictions on contact and access for the councillors involved, alongside mandatory training covering equality, the Members’ Code of Conduct, and council operations.”

All Members of Alfreton Town Council will also undertake additional mandatory training on Standing Orders and the Code of Conduct following the findings to ‘demonstrate a collective commitment to the highest standards of public service’.

Town Mayor, Councillor Hannah Jowett-Frost, said: “This has been a difficult and deeply regrettable situation for everyone involved. On behalf of the Council, I want to express my heartfelt apology to our Town Clerk. We are truly sorry for the hurt and disruption caused.

“Our staff deserve to work in an environment where they feel safe, valued, and supported, and as a Council we are committed to ensuring that remains the case.

"Our focus now is on rebuilding trust, learning from this experience, and ensuring that the values of respect, integrity, and transparency are at the heart of everything we do.

"The people of Alfreton deserve nothing less than a Council that upholds the highest standards and works together for the good of our community.”

Councillors John Walker and Scott Walker have been approached for comment