‘No confidence’ vote by Port Erin Commissioners
BROUGHT MOTION: Commissioner Lorna MacKellar was successful in having a notice of motion of no cofidence in the commissioners vice chairman Phil Crellin passed. PHOTO: Mike Proudfoot MP110405 (6).
AMIDST accusations of bullying and aggressive behaviour towards other commissioners, a notice of motion of no confidence in Port Erin Commissioners’ vice chairman Phil Crellin was passed by the authority last week.
Mr Crellin completely denied accusations about his conduct and said if the motion passed, it was a ‘sad day for local government democracy’.
Commissioner Lorna MacKellar first proposed the notice of motion two weeks ago, in response to Mr Crellin quizzing commissioners’ chairman Ged Power about alleged ‘secret meetings’, which Mr Power said weren’t secret.
Ms MacKellar explained the motion was in relation to Mr Crellin’s role as vice chairman, not commissioner and it is not ‘for personal reasons’.
She said: ‘Phil’s attitude to other commissioners, especially new members, has been variously patronising, disparaging, needling, bullying and argumentative. I confess, having been a target for almost two years, I personally am inured to such boorishness, but others find it distressing.’
She added: ‘Phil appears to be conducting a personal campaign against the chair. On two occasions he has publicly documented a series of questions inferring inappropriate behaviour by the chair. These appeared to have the intention of undermining the reputation and credibility of the chair.
‘As vice chair, with the responsibility of providing back-up and support to the chair, those questions – apparently based on unsubstantiated gossip – would, in the first instance, more properly have the subject of a private conversation with the chair. If clarification was actually required.’
She said it is ‘hard to support a vice-chair who has on three, or possibly four, occasions abruptly exited a board meeting when the majority of the board did not support his point of view.
‘The business of the commissioners has been impeded by this behaviour.’
She added: ‘I do not believe Phil has earned the respect or the confidence of the majority of the board and therefore do not support him continuing in the office of vice-chair.’
Commissioner Godfrey Egee seconded the motion and said: ‘I have found him [to be] aggressive at times.’ This aggression is ‘stifling other people coming forward’.
Commissioner Steve George said he was shocked at Mr Crellin’s, ‘aggressive behaviour’ and said people feel ‘humiliation’ when ‘attacked’. In his ‘long experience’ in business he said he has never ‘had this kind of aggression’.
Mr Power said: ‘It is a shame we have come to this breakdown in communication between me and Phil. I do not know why. It has made meetings awkward and difficult.’
He added aggressive behaviour, ‘will stifle creativity and people coming up with ideas. You sit there and feel am I going to get humiliated’.
The majority of the board’s members were voted in at last April’s election. He said they were ‘very green’ and wanted change, they were in juxtaposition to the ‘old stalwarts’ and this perhaps ‘caused conflict’. He added: ‘I do not know if we wanted to change things too quickly.’
Mr Power – a former policeman – said: ‘I am thick skinned after my previous occupation. If people were rude maybe I should have censured it a bit quicker.’
He added: ‘I can understand that round this table you do feel like you are treading on egg shells. Maybe that is something that can be reflected on in the future. It’s how we deal with other people and key stake holders. I would like to think there would be the freedom in a more relaxed atmosphere to discuss things.’
Given Mr Crellin’s vast experience as a commissioner, Mr Power said commissioners haven’t felt they’ve had any support.
Commissioners Martin Norbury and Barbara Guy abstained from voting.
The notice got the support of Ms MacKellar, Mr Egee, Mr George and Mr Power. Mr Crellin and Nick Watterson voted against the motion. Commissioner Gerry Callister was absent.
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Thursday 23 May 2013
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