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Lib Dem councillor Martin Mullaney cleared
AN OUTSPOKEN councillor who headed an inquiry into Birmingham's controversial Stratford Road Red Route has been cleared of showing disrespect to traders.
Coun Martin Mullaney has been told by the councillors' watchdog, the Standards Board for England, that he did nothing wrong after complaints were made about comments he made on a website.
The board found that Coun Mullaney had expressed his views on the issue in a "frank and robust" manner, but that he had not breached the Code of Conduct.
Coun Mullaney (Lib Dem, Moseley and Kings Heath) said: "This is a victory for common sense and free speech."
It comes only weeks after he was suspended by Birmingham City Council’s own Standards Board for trespassing on private property to highlight the neglect of a listed building.
He has refused to apologise and lodged an appeal which has yet to be heard.
The appeal postponed his suspension and allowed him to remain a councillor during his recent successful re-election campaign.
The Red Route complaint was made by Abdullah Vanat, of Stratford Road Traders Association, who claimed Coun Mullaney had made disrespectful comments about the traders on The Stirrer website.
Lucy Morris, case manager of the Standards Board for England, said: "It was not considered the alleged remarks were overtly rude or abusive. "He was expressing his views in a frank and robust manner."
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