A COUNCILLOR convicted of assault has been found to have brought his council into disrepute, and it has been recommended he be removed of any committee titles he holds.

The ethics and standards committee found Labour councillor Steve Melia, who represents Great Barr with Yew Tree, had brought Sandwell council into disrepute.

As a result, any committee titles councillor Melia holds will be recommended to be revoked by the council leader. 

He has also been ordered to make a full apology to Sandwell council at the next full meeting, and will undergo further training into handling vexatious members of the public.

The committee met on Friday to consider whether councillor Melia’s actions had breached Sandwell council’s code and conduct.

It also considered whether councillor Melia had brought the role of councillor and Sandwell council into disrepute.

In his conclusion, Labour councillor Keith Allcock, who is the chair of the ethics and standards committee, concluded councillor Melia had acted in his official capacity as a councillor as he engaged with members of the public on public property.

Councillor Allcock also concluded councillor Melia had breached the council’s code of conduct.

He said: “As a councillor, you are in the public eye and you will be faced with challenging situations. It is up to you to maintain restraint and professionalism at all times when carrying out official duties.

“We are concerned that you have not shown remorse for your actions in proceedings today. 

"Councillors have an important role. We have concluded that your conduct during the incident and the lack of remorse today falls short of the highest standard that is expected of our elected members.”

It comes after councillor Melia pleaded guilty to assault in February this year at Dudley magistrates court.

The assault in question took place last year outside Sandwell council in Freeth Street, Oldbury.

At the time, the court heard Julian Saunders, a blogger who writes under the title ‘The Sandwell Skidder’, was seen filming councillors walking across a car park before entering Sandwell council ahead of a full council meeting.

Mr Saunders questioned the councillors about potential corruption and cronyism.

Councillor Melia then walked past, pointed a finger at Mr Saunders, and knocked his phone out of his hand.

The committee listened to an external investigator, Miranda Carruthers-Watt, concluded her findings.

The committee then invited councillor Melia to ask questions and make representations. No other witnesses were called.

In her investigation, she interviewed both councillor Melia, Mr Saunders, and two other councillors present to the incident – councillors Luke Giles and Sukbir Singh Gill.

Ms Watt said that her and Mr Saunders had contacted via email, rather than via telephone or Microsoft Teams, as Mr Saunders was concerned Sandwell council may “alter or amend any information that he provided”.

She said while there was a “considerable history” between Sandwell council and Mr Saunders – in reference to several articles presented in a media pack about a previous disagreement – she said it “should not affect the decision in this committee with regard to this complaint”.

“I think it’s relevant to this complaint to note, solely, that the relationship between the council and Mr Saunders is not a positive one, and in my view, there is little option for an informal mediate process that would satisfy both the complainant and the council,” she added.

Ms Watt told the committee that although councillors should be “expected to treat other councillors and members of the public with respect”, she reaffirmed any “robust debate, challenge, criticism and disagreement” must be met in a “civil manner”.

She said councillors in turn “have a right to expect respectful behaviour that might extend to them being entitled to stop conversation or engage with people who are being rude or abusive or intimidating”.

She said: “[Councillor Melia] certainly indicated that he felt that there had been significant provocation because of Mr Saunders regular attendance at council’s offices.

“It is the case that citizen journalists have become much more prevalent, particularly in dealings with local bodies and raising local issues.  I think it’s really important that councillors understand that those rights are rights which are exercisable by the people carrying out that type of activity.

“Whilst it clear councillor Melia and others have been subjected to prolonged criticism from Mr Saunders, it’s also clear that the code of conduct sets out expectations of councillors faced with that situation.”

Ms Watt made reference to the assault itself and, in her estimation, believed it to have been “linked to the business of the council and not a private assault”.

She concluded: “Mr Saunders right to exercise free speech is protected by the Human Rights Act. This is particularly important for journalists, that people working in the media, they must be free to criticise the government and our public institutions without the fear of prosecution.”

Councillor Melia, in his representations, claimed he was a “private citizen” and objected three times to Mr Saunders filming “without his consent”.

He said: “I’ve been to court, I pleaded guilty, there was no fine. I was suspended by the Labour party, and there were no sanctions. This occurance took place 12 months and one week ago. I and the council are accused of cronyism and corruption which I object to.”

Councillor Melia denied causing injury to Mr Saunders, referring to local media reports which claimed there was “no reported injuries and no property damage”.

In court, Mr Saunders said he got injuries to his arms and there were chips and damage to his camera.

But Conservative councillor Amrita Dunn said he was acting in his official capacity as the footage showed councillor Melia “had his council pass in hand”.

She said: “Members of the public don’t need a permit to film […] you were walking to a council meeting. I’d say that was probably in your capacity as a councillor, going to a council meeting, to do your duty as a councillor.”

Richard Phillips, an independent person on the committee, asked councillor Melia whether a member of the public would be shocked when viewing the footage of the assault.

Councillor Melia said he asked Mr Saunders three times to stop filming him, adding he objected to accusations of cronyism and corruption.

Mr Phillips asked councillor Melia if was sorry for his actions towards Mr Saunders, but councillor Melia responded he had already “apologised to the court and to the Labour party.”