Midlothian Councillor Cleared of Breach Over Coffee Machine Comments
Councillor Bryan Pottinger faced allegations but was cleared of any misconduct after a hearing regarding his comments.
Midlothian, Scotland, Councillor, Coffee Machine, Standards Commission
Dalkeith: So, there was this incident involving Councillor Bryan Pottinger. He made a comment to a young staff member while they were both in a committee room. She was busy with the coffee machine, and he said she had a “good hand action.”
Now, this comment made her feel pretty uncomfortable. She described it as having a sexual undertone, which is definitely not cool. But Pottinger insisted he was just trying to be friendly and didn’t mean anything inappropriate by it.
During the hearing, the panel listened to both sides. They acknowledged that the staff member felt uneasy but ultimately found Pottinger credible. They decided he didn’t breach any rules, which surprised a lot of folks.
The incident happened last March when the staff member, referred to as Ms. A, was just doing her job. She explained how she was stripping coffee sachets when Pottinger walked in. After he made his comment, she felt it was more suggestive than complimentary.
Her supervisor even noticed she looked dazed afterward. Ms. A shared her feelings about the comment, saying it felt inappropriate. Pottinger, on the other hand, claimed he was just complimenting her speed and skill.
He was shocked when he heard a complaint was made. He even offered to apologize if his words were misunderstood. Pottinger has been a councillor for nearly two decades, and this isn’t his first run-in with controversy.
In a previous case, he faced accusations about inappropriate comments regarding another councillor. He was cleared then too, but he felt that some staff were treating him differently after that incident.
It’s a tricky situation, and it’s clear that communication can sometimes lead to misunderstandings. But in the end, the panel decided there was no breach of conduct this time around.