Lib Dem female councillors quit en masse as they accuse Ed Daveys party of overturning verdict of sexual harassment probe into ex-council leader
Eight female councillors in Hertfordshire sensationally quit the Lib Dems last night after claiming officials had failed to deal with toxic behaviour, including allegations of bullying and sexual harassment.
Eight female councillors in Hertfordshire sensationally quit the Lib Dems last night after claiming officials had failed to deal with toxic behaviour, including allegations of bullying and sexual harassment.
The women, who were elected onto Dacorum borough council, claimed they were resigning after an internal committee overturned the verdict of a misconduct investigation into former leader Ron Tindall two weeks ago.
Tindall has denied the allegations.
Footage of their resignation was circulating on social media today, just hours after the dramatic live-streamed meeting on Wednesday night.
Their en masse action means the Lib Dems have now lost their overall majority in Dacorum, just months after claiming victory at the 2023 local elections.
The Lib Dems have lost majority control in Dacorum after eight female councillors sensationally quit last night. Pictured: Sir Ed Davey ploughs through bales of hay in a yellow tractor to kickstart the partys local election campaigning in Dacorum in 2023
At the time, the party hailed the seizure of Dacorum from the Tories as something of a coup, having won majority control for the first time in 20 years.
It was also in Dacorum that leader Sir Ed Davey was pictured ploughing through bales of hay in a yellow tractor to kickstart the partys local election campaigning.
But notions of a Lib Dem majority came to a crashing end last night as Claire Hobson, chairwoman of the councils strategic planning and environment overview and scrutiny committee, accused council leader Adrian England of failing to deal with allegations of bullying and harassment, including sexual harassment.
Councillor Claire Hobson (right) announced she was quitting the party alongside Councillor Victoria Santamaria (left) and six others after accusing Dacorum Borough Council leader Adrian England of failing to deal with allegations of bullying and harassment, including sexual harassment
She also accused him of failing to implement any safeguarding measures to protect members and officers.
She said at the meeting: In all good conscience I can no longer remain a member of the Liberal Democrat group.
Ms Hobson added: I am not alone in my concerns about this and other issues and a further seven colleagues are also tonight leaving the Liberal Democrat councillor group to sit as independent councillors.
She went on to name Sammy Mears, Michaela Capozzi, Toni Cox, Lara Pringle, Victoria Sanatamaria, Carole Weston and Sheron Wilkie as the councillors stepping down from the Liberal Democrat group alongside her.
They will all now sit as independents.
Tindall served as leader of the Lib Dem-controlled council between May 2023 until May 2024.
He was suspended in July following allegations of misconduct, which were investigated both internally by the council and the Lib Dem party.
Dacorum Borough Council also confirmed at the time that he was stepping down from his role as portfolio holder for people and transformation.
In July, an investigation commissioned by the council concluded that Tindalls actions had constituted sexual harassment.
But earlier this month, a council sub-committee on standards dismissed the complaints against him.
In a statement to The Times, Tindall described the complaints as malicious.
He said: As far as Im concerned, the whole matter about the malicious allegations against me was dealt with by the standards committee and there was no case to answer and neither complaint was upheld.
In a statement from the eight councillors, the group said they were standing down because the Lib Dem group had enabled toxic behaviour.
Ron Tindall, who served as leader of the Lib Dem-controlled council between May 2023 until May 2024, has denied the allegations
They said: The women are standing down from the Liberal Democrat group to sit as independents because they cannot be associated with the Liberal Democrat group which has enabled toxic behaviour towards women.
A spokesman for the Liberal Democrats said: We have been made aware of a number of councillors resigning from the Liberal Democrat group on Dacorum borough council.
MailOnline has approached England for comment.
