A councillor has accused his fellow councillors of being “deliberate liars.”
Sandy Town Council has strongly rebutted town councillor Ken Lynch’s claims that it purposely misled people about its No Cold Calling Zone (NCCZ).
Last week the Chronicle reported that Sandy Town Council does not want more NCC signs in Sandy.
Councillors decided, at a meeting on Monday, November 4, which Mr Lynch was unable to attend, that there are already enough NCCZ signs in the town and that the scheme could be better forwarded through other means, such as by leafleting and giving out door stickers.
But Mr Lynch said that there is only one sign, at the entrance to New Road – a statement that the town council disputes. Mr Lynch said that he was speaking not as a councillor but as the NCC community champion for Sandy.
He said: “There are no other signs in Sandy or Beeston. The council gave the impression that are other signs. One could call them liars.
“I went on a course at Central Beds Council to be a champion for cold calling because in this area we have had so many people knocking on doors trying to con the public.
“Cold calling signs are definitely needed in Sandy. Those councillors know nothing about cold calling.”
He added: “I’m not running the council down because they are not against NCC but as far as suggestions are concerned they have told a deliberate lie because there’s only one sign.”
But Sandy Town Council said that the scheme is already well signed across many streets in Sandy, although cold calling is a legal business so the scheme is not legally enforceable.
Mayor Susan Sutton said: “Councillor Lynch is unhappy because the council did not agree with his proposal to introduce more signs because we already have these installed around the community.
“We want to see the NCCZ champions actively engaging with vulnerable members of the community, not giving the impression that more signs would make us all immune from unwanted visits.
“Councillor Lynch must accept that the council makes its decisions in a democratic way. We vote on the merits of propositions put before us and have the best interests of the whole community in our minds.
“Councillor Lynch is a member of this corporate body and is bound by our code of conduct whenever he speaks whatever other roles
or titles he may use.
“Making accusations that his fellow council members are “deliberate liars” in intemperate statements to the press is unacceptable behaviour.”