A Moray councillor will be reminded of his responsibilities after joking in a public meeting that a colleague’s wife would benefit from a gym membership.
Derek Ross also suggested that fellow councillor Tim Eagle had bought his wife an iron and ironing board for Christmas.
The acting commissioner for Ethical Standards in Public Life in Scotland referred a report to the Standards Commission after a complaint was raised against the Speyside and Glenlivet councillor.
Acting commissioner Ian Bruce ruled that councillor Ross’s joke was “inappropriate, disrespectful and gender-based”.
What exactly did he say?
Mr Ross made the comment during Moray Council’s education, communities and organisation development committee last November.
During a discussion about Fit Life – Moray’s sport and leisure membership scheme – he said: “Just to say to councillor Eagle, the Fit Life card for Christmas is a very good gift for his wife.
“And possibly a lot better than the iron and ironing board combination he got her last year.”
There was no immediate reaction to the comment.
But around 20 minutes later Elgin North councillor Paula Coy criticised the joke.
She said: “I would just like to distance myself from the sexist joke made earlier on.
“Gender-based jokes are not appropriate on a public forum. They are not representative of Moray Council.
“They are not appropriate anywhere. This is not the 1950s.”
How did councillor Ross respond?
In the Standards Commission’s report, it was noted that councillors Ross and Eagle had become friendly and familiar with each other.
However, as the comment was made during a public meeting it was available to be viewed by anyone.
The report said: “Stereotypes surrounding gender often appear in jocular discourse.
“Or to use the popular term ‘banter’ and regardless of intent can cause offence or lead to others feeling belittled.
“The Standards Commission is of the view that, those in public life, including councillors, should lead by example and be aware of the potential impact of their conduct on others.”
Councillor Ross was asked to apologise for the joke by Moray Council leader Graham Leadbitter.
But he did not do so.
The report notes that he later “expressed regret for any offence caused” and accepted his comment was “perhaps unfortunate and ill-judged”.
When asked by the Press and Journal if he now accepted the findings of the Standards Commission’s report, councillor Ross replied: “I have nothing further to add.”
‘His comments form part of a landscape which throws up extra obstacles for women’
This is not the first time in recent history that comments made by Moray councillors have come under the microscope.
Last October, the council’s head of governance Alasdair McEachan said he would run a training session on the councillors’ code of conduct after a rising number of complaints.
Mr McEachan categorised the problems as:
- Councillors showing a lack of respect for each other
- Councillors showing a lack of respect for officers
- Language used on social media
- Inappropriate use of council facilities
He said he was spending an increasing amount of time sorting out squabbles between councillors.
The author and journalist James Millar co-wrote a book chronicling the unwritten rules imposed on each gender from birth.
The Gender Agenda offered ideas on how to challenge the gender stereotypes that are ingrained in our society.
Mr Millar said: “Councillor Ross’s ‘joke’ may seem like banter but the Standards Commission are right to take it seriously.
“This sort of locker room talk shouldn’t happen anywhere and it certainly has no place in a public forum.
“The Standards Commission process may have come to an end but I really hope that councillor Ross will take the opportunity to understand why some people found his comments offensive.
“While it may seem a small thing to him it’d be good if he could conceive how his comments form part of a landscape that throws up extra obstacles for women.
“And particularly women in public life.”
What is the Standards Commission?
The Standards Commission for Scotland is an independent body that focuses on ethical standards in public life.
It promotes and enforces a code of conduct for councillors, which has been approved by the Scottish Parliament.
This sort of locker room talk shouldn’t happen anywhere.”
Author James Millar
The commission decided not to progress councillor Ross’s case to a formal hearing and instead concluded: “The respondent should be reminded of the importance of adhering to the respect provisions in the code [of conduct].”
A spokeswoman for Moray Council added: “Councillors are reminded of their obligations and responsibilities under the code of conduct during meetings if, and when, the need arises.”
