A STANDARDS hearing into accusations that a leading East Lancs councillor broke a code of conduct over his behaviour at meetings has been delayed, after witnesses were unable to attend a meeting because it clashed with Eid celebrations.

Lib-Dem Cllr David Whipp, Pendle Council’s deputy leader, faces accusations he broke a councillors’ code of conduct in October 2022 by kicking a Nelson Town Hall door with force, which allegedly physically impacted on other councillors, and in July 2023 by shouting at a rival councillor and waving paper close to his face.

Conservative councillors David Albin, Jenny Purcell, Ash Sutcliffe and Kevin Salter claimed Cllr Whipp behaved badly regarding the door being opened and closed at the 2022 full council meeting. Cllr Sutcliffe made a separate complaint about the 2023 executive meeting,

Two reports into the complaints have been written by an independent officer called Sue Ward.

Cllr Whipp has disputed the 2022 door-kicking allegation in his version of events, contained in written statements so far. He has denied showing disregard for other councillors regarding force used on the door. He said it had previously shown resistance and then ‘flew open’ unexpectedly. He has not responded to the second complaint so far, according to the report.

Pendle Council held a Standards Committee hearing this week into the allegations. But it was adjourned because various councillors were not there.

Melvin Kenyon, an independent person with no link to Pendle Council, was the chairman for the hearing.

Cllr Whipp said: “It is Eid today and I have several witnesses who would be here tonight if they had not been engaged in the Muslim equivalent of Christmas Day.

“I note a number of regular members of this committee who are from the Independents group, are absent. So I am asking the officer, in all fairness, for the meeting to be put back to another day."

The panel agreed to the postponement but Mr Kenyon said: "As chairman I would like to make the point there are people around this table who have travelled long distances to be here, including me. ”

Cllr Whipp denied he had failed to provide the panel with a witness list beforehand and claimed he had made previous efforts to delay the meeting.

A new date will be arranged for the next meeting.