TWO parish councillors were today (Monday) judged to have breached the councillors’ code of conduct after being accused of “bully boy” behaviour by a number of residents.

St Helens Council’s standards committee sat to discuss the matter after receiving a number of complaints about Billinge parish councillors Terry McEvoy and Paul Roberts.

Chairing the committee, Councillor Keith Roberts concluded the men had breached two elements of the code – involving treating others with respect and maintaining high standards of conduct.

Cllr Keith Roberts said the pair were “censured by the committee” and were “strongly advised” to write letters of apology to all relevant complainants. Members of the parish council were also asked to undertake “training on Equality Act issues”.

The catalogue of allegations was made in response to behaviour at a number of meetings held last year where the controversial issue of installing a play area in Douglas Avenue was debated.

The complaints put forward against Cllr McEvoy include allegations that he was rude, aggressive, and abrupt at parish council meetings in his capacity as chair.

He was also accused of making a racist remark and repeatedly asking a resident about their residency status, and it is alleged he interfered with democratic procedures by imposing time limits on speakers and mismanaging meeting running orders.

A document about Cllr McEvoy's conduct says after a meeting on August 15, 2016, a woman of Asian descent contacted the council's chief executive, Mike Palin, to complain about "racist, abusive and intolerant behaviour" directed towards her by the chair.

The woman, who has lived in the area for a "significant amount of time", said that Cllr McEvoy is alleged to have asked her a number of times, "Do you actually live here?"

At the committee meeting, Cllr McEvoy said there was an “attack” by the public “on the parish council”, adding “this is why I’m here before you today.”

He said: “The report before you has been compiled by a hardcore group of colluders whose objective is to discredit the parish council.”

He denied being rude, saying a lung illness means he cannot shout or be aggressive. Howver, he did admit to telling an individual to “shut up” after three polite attempts to calm the room down had failed.

He added: “It’s not a racist remark. I do not have a racist bone in my body. I have apologised.”

The councillor was asked why he did not apologise earlier, when he had been given two opportunities.

The report on Cllr Roberts, who was vice chair at the time, alleges that at a meeting on December 14, he made a "physical threat of violence" towards a woman when he told her not to attended any more meetings or he would "take the legs from underneath her". He is also accused of trying to bribe her not to attend further meetings by giving her an allotment.

Cllr Roberts said police visited him over the alleged threats but no further action was taken and he denied ever making them.

In the meeting, Cllr Roberts said he “categorically denied” the allegations.

He added when he stood up during a meeting as he was “trying to get more order”.

Conservative leader Allan Jones questioned who was in control of the meeting after Cllr Roberts said neither they, nor the public, were in control.

Mrs Traynor, who had been present at some of the meetings, said the councillors’ versions of events were “exaggerated”.

Independent person Caroline Kelly, who was asked to give a non-partial view on the reports, said: “Maybe if things were organised in meetings, control would have been maintained.”

She added they “must give some credit to the councillors” for trying to control the situation.