Hucknall MP criticises Ashfield county councillor over disciplinary matter

And Mr Spencer (Con) suggested voters in Coun Zadrozny’s ward should remember the episode when it came to casting their votes in the forthcoming council elections.

A formal complaint was made against Coun Zadrozny after his comments towards council leader Coun Kay Cutts at three separate meetings.

At one, he called Coun Cutts ‘racist’, ‘homophobic’, ‘Islamophobic’ and a ‘mean spirited, grumpy old woman’.

And at the abandoned AGM last year, he said she was ‘arrogant, a disgrace and unfit to be the leader of the council’.

At a private hearing of the county council’s governance and ethics sub-committee, on February 18, it was found that Coun Zadrozny, who also leads Ashfield District Council, had breached a code of conduct.

The committee concluded Coun Zadrozny ‘conducted himself in a manner which brought himself and the council into disrepute’.

Mr Spencer said: “I have read the decision notice from the complaint against Coun Zadrozny, and I have to say, I’m disappointed.

“People expect their councillors to be exemplary in their conduct.

"This is especially true when it comes to the leader of the local council.”

“I’ve already had a number of constituents get in touch to say they feel let down by Coun Zadrozny’s action.”

“When you elect your local councillors, you do so in good faith that they will represent you and your family to the best of their abilities – you don’t expect them to bring your area into disrepute through their actions.”

“With local elections coming up in May, all I would say is that we are once again given a choice on who we think can best represent us on the council. It’s a chance to make your voice heard.”

Coun Zadrozny, claimed the hearing was a ‘Conservative witch hunt’ and said: “I have been found guilty of heinous crime in County Hall of speaking my mind on behalf residents.

“I’ll never apologise for speaking up for Ashfield residents.

"The county council chose to spend a lot of money having an independent person investigate those complaints.

"Those complaints were found to be not guilty.

"A panel was then set up of two Conservative councillors and one Labour and those councillors went against the recommendations of the independent person and found me guilty.

"It was a kangaroo court, it was entirely manufactured about an incident a year ago but carefully timed to go out just weeks before the council elections.

"At a time when we should be concentrating on the response and recovery to the Covid-19 pandemic – the Conservatives have pursued a witch hunt that achieved precisely nothing.

"My punishment was being formally censored – a few lines on a website that nobody reads.

“I would far rather be loud and outspoken on matters in County Hall than be silenced.

"This includes highlighting the chronic underfunding of pavement and road repairs in Ashfield compared to places like West Bridgford.

"The residents of Ashfield deserve somebody who goes out to bat for them day in, day out and that’s me.”