A Code of Conduct investigation to try and find out who told someone else about a complaint has been described as a waste of time and money and a bizarre process by two of the politicians involved.
Deputy Marc Leadbeater and Deputy Rob Curgenven were both found to be in breach of the Code of Conduct – but neither has faced any sanction for doing so as the former Pan-Island Commissioner for Standards decided it wasn’t worth it.
Her report into the complaint – lodged by Deputy Sally Rochester – was published on Friday after the Commissioner had quit her role in Guernsey following the States decision to ignore her ruling that Deputy Gavin St Pier had breached the Code of Conduct and should be suspended.
Deputy Rochester had initially complained about Deputy Leadbeater after he was rude to another Deputy in an email conversation in July. He was subsequently found to have breached the Code of Conduct but faced no sanction for that error either.
Deputy Rochester complained to the Standards’ Commissioner again after Deputy Curgenven referenced the original complaint on social media.
She accused Deputy Leadbeater of telling Deputy Curgenven that he was the subject of a Code of Conduct complaint, however he denied doing so and both deputies Leadbeater and Curgenven denied telling a journalist about the complaint.
The final outcome, as revealed on Friday, was that Dr Melissa McCullough believed Deputy Leadbeater had probably told Deputy Curgenven, but that both had been naive to the rules when the information was shared between them, and subsequently on social media.
When approached for comment, Deputy Rochester did not wish to say anything, but Deputy Leadbeater was clear in his response.
“In my opinion, it was three months of wasted time and taxpayers’ money when we have far more important issues we should be concentrating on.”
Deputy Curgenven added: “it was a bizarre process” and “in my view, used precious civic resources needed for more important matters”.