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| 'Bring back Golliwog' Forest of Dean councillor breached code | 'Bring back Golliwog' Forest of Dean councillor breached code |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A councillor who backed a social media campaign to 'Bring back the Golliwog' has been told to apologise and attend training within three weeks. | |
| Lynne Sterry resigned as chair of the Forest of Dean District Council's standards committee after sharing the Facebook post. | Lynne Sterry resigned as chair of the Forest of Dean District Council's standards committee after sharing the Facebook post. |
| The same committee has now decided her actions breached the authority's code of conduct. | The same committee has now decided her actions breached the authority's code of conduct. |
| Ms Sterry claimed she had shared the post in innocence. | Ms Sterry claimed she had shared the post in innocence. |
| She has since apologised "unreservedly" and has also stood down from Cinderford Town Council. | She has since apologised "unreservedly" and has also stood down from Cinderford Town Council. |
| 'Not racist' | 'Not racist' |
| Ms Sterry had claimed she had backed the campaign calling for the return of the doll and not "given it a thought", as it reminded her of a childhood toy she had in the 1950s. | Ms Sterry had claimed she had backed the campaign calling for the return of the doll and not "given it a thought", as it reminded her of a childhood toy she had in the 1950s. |
| At the committee meeting, she said she had "been in a very dark place for a few weeks". | At the committee meeting, she said she had "been in a very dark place for a few weeks". |
| "Nothing you could do to me today would make me feel any worse than I already do," she added. | "Nothing you could do to me today would make me feel any worse than I already do," she added. |
| "It really was personal to me but of course I wasn't thinking outside the box, I was thinking about me and my childhood at the time." | "It really was personal to me but of course I wasn't thinking outside the box, I was thinking about me and my childhood at the time." |
| She was defended by councillor Paul Hiett, who said: "I've known Lynne for 20 years, she's not a racist. | She was defended by councillor Paul Hiett, who said: "I've known Lynne for 20 years, she's not a racist. |
| "There is not a racist bone in her body. I believe she was perhaps a little bit naive." | "There is not a racist bone in her body. I believe she was perhaps a little bit naive." |
| 'Wisdom and judgement' | 'Wisdom and judgement' |
| However, councillor Sid Phelps said he would need to consider his own position on the committee due to Ms Sterry's "complete lack of judgement". | However, councillor Sid Phelps said he would need to consider his own position on the committee due to Ms Sterry's "complete lack of judgement". |
| He added: "I am just very worried about the public perception of this council. | He added: "I am just very worried about the public perception of this council. |
| "If you have a standards committee where people are on it who do not have the wisdom and judgement that is necessary, it is not going to do our standing as a council any good." | "If you have a standards committee where people are on it who do not have the wisdom and judgement that is necessary, it is not going to do our standing as a council any good." |
| The committee declared by a majority of seven that Ms Sterry breached the code of conduct and agreed by a majority of one to impose sanctions on her. | The committee declared by a majority of seven that Ms Sterry breached the code of conduct and agreed by a majority of one to impose sanctions on her. |
| She will have to issue an apology within seven days and attend 21 days of training with the council's monitoring officer. | She will have to issue an apology within seven days and attend 21 days of training with the council's monitoring officer. |
| A council spokesperson previously said it had been "dismayed at the comments" made by the Labour councillor which "in no way represents the views" of the authority. | A council spokesperson previously said it had been "dismayed at the comments" made by the Labour councillor which "in no way represents the views" of the authority. |