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| Bristol mayor criticised for remarks about reporter | Bristol mayor criticised for remarks about reporter |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Bristol's mayor has been called "childish" by a newspaper editor after one of his reporters was "publicly ridiculed" during a council meeting. | Bristol's mayor has been called "childish" by a newspaper editor after one of his reporters was "publicly ridiculed" during a council meeting. |
| Local democracy reporter Adam Postans was criticised by some councillors after a Bristol Post article about a new waste site. | |
| At the meeting mayor Marvin Rees quipped no journalists were present. | At the meeting mayor Marvin Rees quipped no journalists were present. |
| Bristol City Council said if "reporters become activists they should not complain if they are tackled". | Bristol City Council said if "reporters become activists they should not complain if they are tackled". |
| The row broke out following a series of tweets made by Mr Postans, who is funded by the BBC and employed by the Bristol Post, during a cabinet meeting on 3 December. | The row broke out following a series of tweets made by Mr Postans, who is funded by the BBC and employed by the Bristol Post, during a cabinet meeting on 3 December. |
| A week earlier he had written a news story about the cost of a "new rubbish dump" almost doubling. | A week earlier he had written a news story about the cost of a "new rubbish dump" almost doubling. |
| During the meeting Mr Postans tweeted: "Mayor Marvin Rees begins with a big smile and a bit of banter aimed at me. 'I wish we had a journalist here.' Nicely done :-)." | During the meeting Mr Postans tweeted: "Mayor Marvin Rees begins with a big smile and a bit of banter aimed at me. 'I wish we had a journalist here.' Nicely done :-)." |
| The comments were made while the microphones were switched off, just before the meeting began. | The comments were made while the microphones were switched off, just before the meeting began. |
| All council meetings are streamed on the council's website. | All council meetings are streamed on the council's website. |
| In it Mr Rees can be heard saying he was "glad" the recycling centre's full name had been used in the meeting, adding: "I saw some really poor writing that described this as a tip, a city dump. | |
| "It's not a dump and I'm sure you'd agree that is an appalling way of describing a critical intervention in the way the city relates to, manages and processes its waste." | "It's not a dump and I'm sure you'd agree that is an appalling way of describing a critical intervention in the way the city relates to, manages and processes its waste." |
| The Bristol Post's editor Mike Norton said the council should have used the "proper channels" if it wanted to complain. | The Bristol Post's editor Mike Norton said the council should have used the "proper channels" if it wanted to complain. |
| "[Mr Rees] started the meeting by saying there aren't any journalists here even though the journalist was there. | "[Mr Rees] started the meeting by saying there aren't any journalists here even though the journalist was there. |
| "[Then] with other people he proceeded to used the meeting to criticise things the journalist had written. | "[Then] with other people he proceeded to used the meeting to criticise things the journalist had written. |
| "We've got a video on our website, the highlights if you like of all the moments... it's just the most extraordinary choreographed, childish, reprehensible behaviour." | "We've got a video on our website, the highlights if you like of all the moments... it's just the most extraordinary choreographed, childish, reprehensible behaviour." |
| Mr Norton added: "The local democracy service is about applying extra scrutiny to the cut-and-thrust of council business, and this is a council which objects to that scrutiny." | Mr Norton added: "The local democracy service is about applying extra scrutiny to the cut-and-thrust of council business, and this is a council which objects to that scrutiny." |
| Mr Rees had previously complained to the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO) over a news story Mr Postans had written about his salary. | Mr Rees had previously complained to the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO) over a news story Mr Postans had written about his salary. |
| The complaint was not upheld. | The complaint was not upheld. |
| A Bristol City Council spokesman said that while the authority welcomed the scrutiny journalists provided, it was important they were "challenged" if the public were "misinformed or confused". | A Bristol City Council spokesman said that while the authority welcomed the scrutiny journalists provided, it was important they were "challenged" if the public were "misinformed or confused". |
| A BBC spokesperson said the network of 150 local democracy reporters performed a "vital public service" and reporters "know the high journalistic standards we expect". | A BBC spokesperson said the network of 150 local democracy reporters performed a "vital public service" and reporters "know the high journalistic standards we expect". |
| They added: "We have no concerns about the reporting here. If others disagree, there are appropriate channels to raise concerns. We note the press regulator IPSO has thrown out a complaint in this case." | They added: "We have no concerns about the reporting here. If others disagree, there are appropriate channels to raise concerns. We note the press regulator IPSO has thrown out a complaint in this case." |
| Since the article was published in the Bristol Post, Liberal Democract councillor Tim Kent has filed an official complaint against the spokesperson at the city council. | Since the article was published in the Bristol Post, Liberal Democract councillor Tim Kent has filed an official complaint against the spokesperson at the city council. |
| He tweeted: "Just made a formal complaint against the spokesperson @BristolCouncil for false and politically motivated statements in breach of code of conduct and law. The politicisation of our council has gone too far. @BristolLive @bbcrb @bristol247 | He tweeted: "Just made a formal complaint against the spokesperson @BristolCouncil for false and politically motivated statements in breach of code of conduct and law. The politicisation of our council has gone too far. @BristolLive @bbcrb @bristol247 |