Correct disciplinary procedure against councillor.

Question

I am a town councillor and also secretary of our Residents Association. As a residents group we are trying to get a community park/skatepark project off the ground and to this end our residents group treasurer and I have done several presentations to local schools and neighbouring councils to let them know of our plans and ask for letters of support.

During a recent presentation to a neighbouring council we were told by their clerk that one of our own councillors, (who is also the vice chair and who sits on our residents steering group and reports back to the council) had telephoned them about the project that same day and expressed that his council had "reservations" about it. This undermined us as a residents group and the vice chair had no authority to give his opinion as he did not have the full backing of our council.

The residents group now want him removed from the steering group and reprimanded accordingly by the council.

This incident has been reported to our council but because the vice chair has a "close" relationship with our chair and clerk I would like to know the correct disciplinary procedures they should be following and how can we have him removed from the steering group?
N.B The councillor also sits on another neighbouring council (3 in total) and has previously been suspended from their meetings for harassment of a female colleague.

Answer 1

Your council can take absolutely no "disciplinary" action what so ever in relation to a Cllr.  The council has no such power.

If the residents association is an entirely separate entity from the town council it should follow its own constitutional process in relation to expelling members.

If the presentations you have done have been on behalf of the residents association so be it.  

Neither you nor your vice chair should be 'representing' the view of the council unless it has formally been recorded and delegated that you may.  Of course each of you may enthusiastically express your personal opinion.

For exactly the opposite reason you seem keen to impose "discipline" upon your vice chair via the council for representing a view which [you say] is not that formally of the council, you are being hypocritical by expecting your council to discipline the vice chair where there is no mention of the council formally endorsing your personal aspirations.

From what you have written, it reads like neither of you have the mandate of the council... 

Comments

Thank you for your answer. Regarding either the vice chair or the residents group having the mandate of the council I can confirm that we are only representing our residents group aspirations. The council have agreed to give us funding for a feasibility study (circa £25k) to help move the project on and we are seeking a letter of their support as an agenda item next week.
Am I to assume from your answer that if any councillor "steps out of line" as it were regarding mis representation then no action can be taken?