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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| 'Put disabled children down' Cornwall councillor sorry | 'Put disabled children down' Cornwall councillor sorry |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A councillor has apologised for telling a disability charity "Disabled children cost the council too much money and should be put down". | A councillor has apologised for telling a disability charity "Disabled children cost the council too much money and should be put down". |
| Collin Brewer, an independent member of Cornwall Council, made the comments to a Disability Cornwall member at a stall at County Hall in Truro in 2011. | Collin Brewer, an independent member of Cornwall Council, made the comments to a Disability Cornwall member at a stall at County Hall in Truro in 2011. |
| The charity complained and the authority's Standards Committee has reported its findings. | The charity complained and the authority's Standards Committee has reported its findings. |
| Mr Brewer said he had been trying to "provoke a reaction". | |
| 'Ill-judged and insensitive' | 'Ill-judged and insensitive' |
| Theresa Court, who was on the Disability Cornwall stall, said she was "absolutely horrified" when she heard the "depraved comment". | Theresa Court, who was on the Disability Cornwall stall, said she was "absolutely horrified" when she heard the "depraved comment". |
| The Standards Committee ordered Mr Brewer to make a formal written apology to the charity. | |
| His apology letter read: "I am writing to offer my wholehearted apology for the offence these remarks have clearly caused. | |
| "While I meant no offence by my remarks to you I can see, in retrospect, that they were ill-judged and insensitive and should not have been made at all." | "While I meant no offence by my remarks to you I can see, in retrospect, that they were ill-judged and insensitive and should not have been made at all." |
| Steve Paget, chair of Disability Cornwall, said: "It is of great concern to us that anyone with such beliefs, let alone to vocalise them, could be a representative and elected member of our local authority. | Steve Paget, chair of Disability Cornwall, said: "It is of great concern to us that anyone with such beliefs, let alone to vocalise them, could be a representative and elected member of our local authority. |
| "For such a serious issue and multiple breaches of [the] code of conduct, bringing the council into disrepute, we did expect no less than this councillor's resignation be called for." | "For such a serious issue and multiple breaches of [the] code of conduct, bringing the council into disrepute, we did expect no less than this councillor's resignation be called for." |
| Mr Brewer told BBC News he had received no calls to resign from his Wadebridge seat. | |
| He said he had been in a meeting in the morning about council cuts and had been "hot under the collar". | He said he had been in a meeting in the morning about council cuts and had been "hot under the collar". |
| He said: "We had had a difficult morning deciding on budget and job cuts. | He said: "We had had a difficult morning deciding on budget and job cuts. |
| "I listened to one of the ladies on the Disability Cornwall stall and came out with the comment. | "I listened to one of the ladies on the Disability Cornwall stall and came out with the comment. |
| "If only I had not said that. | "If only I had not said that. |
| "I didn't mean it. I did it to provoke a response and debate the issue of service costs provision. | "I didn't mean it. I did it to provoke a response and debate the issue of service costs provision. |
| "It backfired. I was treating her with a lack of respect and I shouldn't have done it." | "It backfired. I was treating her with a lack of respect and I shouldn't have done it." |
| He added: "I meant no offence. I would defend disabled children to the last." | He added: "I meant no offence. I would defend disabled children to the last." |