Councillor to be Censured and Barred from Chairing Committees After Breaching Code of Conduct

A Gloucestershire councillor faces formal censure and a three-year ban from chairing committees following serious breaches of the code of conduct. Forest of Dean District Councillor Philip Burford, representing Hartpury and Redmarley as an Independent, was found guilty of misconduct in a standards panel hearing held in Coleford on November 4.

Although the exact details of the three complaints against Cllr Burford were initially kept confidential with the public and press excluded for much of the hearing, the panel later publicly confirmed multiple violations. Burford was found to have failed in his duty to treat others with respect, neglected to declare a conflict of interest, and abused the public’s trust placed in him.

Significantly, the panel uncovered that Burford improperly used his position to influence a planning enforcement officer and attempted to undermine the impartiality of the process. Additionally, he was judged to have misused his role as chairman of the overview and scrutiny committee to gain personal advantage.

During the hearing, Cllr Burford advocated for transparency, insisting the proceedings be public. He stated, “Whatever happens within a council should not be private, it should not be secret… I’m quite happy to defend my position in public.” Despite his stance, legal advice and panel concerns over the sensitive nature of personal data relating to multiple individuals led to much of the hearing being conducted behind closed doors. Nonetheless, the panel’s final conclusions were shared openly after more than five hours of deliberation.

Chair of the standards panel Gilmour Frew acknowledged a “difficult relationship” between Burford and one complainant, indicating that problematic behavior may have existed on both sides. Nonetheless, with corroborating witness testimony, the panel upheld the independent investigator’s findings that Burford breached the code of conduct.

Asked about possible sanctions, Burford expressed disappointment in senior council officers, claiming they failed to intervene before situations escalated. He contended that his treatment of the planning officer was tolerant given the circumstances, and he believed no sanctions should apply. Yet, the panel recommended a formal censure and suggested Burford be barred from holding chair or vice-chair positions on committees for three years.

The panel’s decision and report will be officially presented to the full council and published, marking a significant reprimand and restriction on Burford’s local government roles.