Hartlepool councillor apologises over sharing offensive Facebook posts - but denies being racist, just 'naive'

Sanctions have been imposed against a councillor over the sharing of offensive and racist Facebook posts breaching the council’s code of conduct.
Councillor Tony RichardsonCouncillor Tony Richardson
Councillor Tony Richardson

In December Coun Richardson had shared a post likening an immigrant trying to claim benefits to a dog, while three other offensive posts shared by the councillor were also considered in the investigation.

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The hearing found the posts were a significant breach of Hartlepool Borough Council’s code of conduct, with the hearing’s independent person calling the post about the dog “vile and offensive” and “hate speech in any one’s opinion”.

Coun Richardson had apologised to the hearing and explained his actions were not racially motivated, but attributable to his naivety and difficulties using social media.

A report on the hearing went to a Full Council meeting in February, where councillors called for an independent inquiry into the findings.

This has now been completed, and the independent review ruled there had been no flaw in the process or procedure carried out, and no reason for the council not to proceed with actions following the findings.

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An extraordinary meeting of Full Council therefore unanimously approved to move forward with the recommendations from the Audit and Governance Committee to address Coun Richardson’s actions.

A statement from Coun Richardson was also read at the meeting, apologising for any offence caused and stressing he is not a racist, but was ‘significantly careless and naive’.

Sanctions include removing Coun Richardson from his positions on the Licensing, Planning and Local Joint Consultative Committees, and stating he should not be appointed to any other committees.

Other councillors are also discouraged from nominating him as a substitute for them on any committees.

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The recommendations also stated Coun Richardson should consider resigning as an elected member of Hartlepool Borough Council.

However he stated he is committed to continue working for the people in his ward, supporting his comments from February this year where he said he would not be resigning.

Full Council also issued a formal statement following Coun Richardson’s actions, stressing the promotion of racist and offensive material is not acceptable and would not be tolerated.

It said: “Hartlepool Borough Council is pleased to note that Councillor Tony Richardson accepts that he has breached the Council’s Code of Conduct and that he has apologised for doing so.

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“The promotion of racist and offensive material in any forum falls well below the standards expected of those in public life and such actions cannot and will not be tolerated.

“The actions of Councillor Tony Richardson are not representative of this Authority or the communities that it represents and as such the Authority has worked to impose the most appropriate and stringent sanctions that are available in law.”

Coun Richardson, who now sits as an Independent on the council, stressed it was not his intention to cause any offence and accepted the sanctions.

In a statement read on his behalf, he said: “I sincerely apologise for any offence that I may have caused by sharing the Facebook posts.

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“I maintain that I’m not a racist but I do believe that I have been significantly careless and naive.

“It was honestly not my intention to cause any offence. I hope with accepting these sanctions the residents of Hartlepool will forgive my carelessness and naivety and allow me to help the people of Fens and Rossmere ward as I have been doing for the past three years.”

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