A Tory councillor will be ordered to apologise after he posted a “derogatory poem” and re-posted a “distasteful” image of an opposition councillor as the Grinch during a row over the funding of a Christmas tree in Wanstead.

The Standards sub-Committee at Redbridge council will force Conservative Snaresbrook Cllr Colin Cronin to publically apologise after he was found to have breached the council’s code of conduct to “treat others with respect” and not bring the council into “disrepute”.

In September last year Conservative councillors in Wanstead and Snaresbrook launched a crowdfunding campaign to raise £3,000 after the Christmas tree was struck from the council budget.

The crowdfund, for the tree for George Green, hit its target in less than a week.

At the time, Wes Streeting, deputy leader of Redbridge council, responded to criticism by saying the decision to take funding away was purely financial.

But the extent of the row between Labour and Conservatives has emerged with the release of a report due to go before the council’s standards committee on Wednesday.

Wanstead Labour Cllr Sheila Bain lodged an official complaint after a “derogatory poem” was posted about her and fellow Labour Cllr Paul Merry on the crowdfunding page.

The 24-line rhyming couplet, includes the lines:

“Village folk of Wanstead liked Christmas trees a lot,

“But two of their Councillors most certainly did not! 

"Berry and Main hated Christmas trees, the whole Christmas season!”

Cllr Bain also complained about a photograph posted on Facebook depicting her as the Grinch with the caption, “How Labour stole Christmas”.

While not opening a full investigation into the accusations, Cllr Cronin will be forced to apologise to Cllr Bain and on social media.

He will also receive extra training on the code of conduct.

The report concludes: “The poem was inferentially critical of the complainant and disrespectful of her.

“In respect of the Grinch image, the committee felt it was disrespectful and it appeared the subject member had some responsibility in, at the very least, re-posting a link to it.

“This behaviour was contrary to the Members Code of Conduct and not befitting one Member towards another.”

East London and West Essex Guardian Series:

Cllr Sheila Bain lodged an official complaint against Cllr Cronin.

 

East London and West Essex Guardian Series:

Cllr Colin Cronin will be ordered to apologise.