Brighton councillor cleared of misconduct

A Brighton councillor has been cleared of breaking the code of conduct that governs the way local politicians are supposed to behave.

Lynda Hyde, who represents the Rottingdean Coastal ward on Brighton and Hove City Council, was accused of being rude about the volunteers running a community association.

She faced a disciplinary hearing at Hove Town Hall today (Thursday 8 November) to answer the charge.

It was claimed that she said that members of Saltdean Community Association were “only in it for themselves” as she left a meeting at the end of May.

Councillor Hyde told the investigating officer that she had been misunderstood amid the noise.

In reply to a colleague she had said: “Residents have said to me they are only in it for themselves.”

Her accusers include two Liberal Democrats, Liz Lee and Simon Doyle, who help run Saltdean Community Association.

But Liz Lee has insisted that the complaint was not motivated by party politics.

Councillor Hyde, a Conservative, had offered to apologise for any misunderstanding.

The independent investigation concluded that she did not breach the councillors’ code of conduct by failing to treat others with respect.

And a cross-party standards panel, which included an independent member, agreed with the independent investigator.

The comments were made against a backdrop of a long-running row about Saltdean Lido.