A FOREST councillor has resigned from a standards watchdog in protest at its response to a row over golliwogs involving a former chair of the committee.
The Forest Council’s standards committee agreed that Cllr Lynn Sterry (Lab, Cinderford West) had brea-
ched the councillors’ code of conduct in sharing a ‘bring back the golliwogs’ post on Facebook.
But the committee decided not to take any further action – beyond reminding all councillors about the potential pitfalls of social media – as Cllr Sterry had already resigned as both chair of the district council’s standards com-
mittee and as chair
But Cllr Sid Phelps (Green, Lydbrook and Ruardean) said Cllr Sterry should lose her seat on the standards committee as she ‘lacked judgement’.
Cllr Sterry said she had “been in a dark place” after the row blew up with articles in national newspapers.
She told the committee: “Nothing you can do to me would make me feel any worse.”
But Cllr Phelps said it would be “entirely inappropriate” for her to remain on the standards committee.
He said: “Her complete lack of judgement has shown she does
not have the qualities needed to remain on standards.
“I am not sure I want to remain on a committee of that nature.”
One of the two people who lodged a complaint with the council about sharing the ‘meme’, Owen Adams of Ruardean, left the meeting part way through the debate, claiming the committee was making it acceptable for councillors “to do what you like in public”.
Cllr Paul Hiett (Forest First, Bream) said Cllr Sterry was not a racist and the matter was “a storm in a jam jar” – a reference to the use of the golliwog as a symbol on jars of Robertson’s jam until the early 2000s.
Labour councillor Bruce Hogan said: “She was immediately contrite, apologised and resigned. She recognised what she did was distasteful. There was a breach of the code but any more sanctions would be unfair.”
Cllr Dave East (Ind, Longhope) said “because of our age”,
the golliwog evoked memories of childhoodtoys rather than being racist.
Cllr Helen Molyneux (Con, Tidenham) said age was no excuse: “We have all had to rethink, no matter how old we are, and have moved on.”
Cllr Sterry also claimed complaints had been politically motivated and Cllr Rich-
ard Leppington (UKIP, Bream) said there had been a ‘witch hunt’.
She said: “I shall never forget this and there are certain people who will make sure I remember.
“There is a campaign, it is very real and very dangerous – you might see me sat here (in
front of the committee) again.”
There was a total of three complaints, on different matters, against Cllr Sterry.