Clare Golby breaks silence on ‘horrible time’ as SEND inquiry clears her

A Nuneaton councilor caught in a SEND row has broken her silence following the findings of an investigation. Warwickshire County Council last night revealed the results of an independent investigation into three councilors who sparked hundreds of complaints by making comments about special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in Warwickshire.

After a lengthy investigation costing thousands of pounds, complaints against councilor Jeff Morgan, Brian Hammersley and Clare Golby were dismissed. Reacting to the result, Cllr Golby, who is a representative for the Arbury ward in Shire Hall, released a lengthy statement on her councilor page on Facebook.

In it, she explains that the last six months have been “a horrible time for me, my family and some of my friends”. The former deputy leader of the borough council claimed “smear campaigns” resulting from complaints, a “disgusting” viral TikTok video and press sensationalism caused her to lose her seat in the recent local elections of Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council.

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She also explained how her own children had been targeted at school due to the “vicious and targeted” campaign against her – in person and online. In the statement, she said she had to receive “MP” level police protection due to the abuse and threats she received.

“I believe that those responsible and all those who repeatedly engaged in the campaign must now be held accountable for their actions,” the statement said. “You can’t cause this much destruction to someone’s life, knowingly, repeatedly and so completely, without there being consequences.

“They should at least hold themselves to the standards they demanded I be held to.”

What the notices of investigation say

Opinions have been issued regarding the results of the investigations into each of the three councilors. The investigation found that Cllr Morgan and Cllr Hammersley failed to show respect, failed to advocate for the needs of the wider community and failed to uphold the reputation of the council.

But he ruled they had the right to make the comments under free speech protections. At the same time, Councilor Golby’s comments were not seen as disrespectful, “reputationally damaging”, or evidence of a failure to advocate for the needs of the wider community.

This meant that his right to free speech, invoked to exonerate the other two councilors, was not necessary. Yet the findings of his case confirmed that the investigator had “considered this matter and concluded that enhanced protections would have been afforded to Cllr Golby had the findings been different”.

The conclusion on the advice relating to Cllr Hammersley and Cllr Morgan said council monitoring officer Sarah Duxbury – Shire Hall’s most senior legal professional – recommended that chief executive Monica Fogarty “consider ways in which councilors can be supported to fully engage in the debate during scrutiny. and other committee meetings while ensuring that the language used is respectful, courteous and sensitive to the issue at hand.”

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