By Charlotte Hall, Local Democracy Reporting Service
A SADDLEWORTH councillor alleged to have been caught ‘spying’ on a private meeting has been given a ‘warning.’
The Independent revealed how Mark Kenyon had apologised for his behaviour during a ferocious leadership race at the town hall last year.
Now it has emerged the Saddleworth West and Lees Liberal Democrat has been reprimanded by his party.
Cllr Kenyon is believed to have been suspended from the organisation following a complaint about his conduct last May.
That now been lifted after an internal investigation handed him a formal warning but the party stated the councillor had ‘received punishment enough.’
He reportedly admitted to the wrongdoing and sharing the recording with a non-member in front of the Lib Dem complaints panel.
Cllr Kenyon, who declined to comment on any of these matters maintains he is not responsible for the online leak.
The incident took place in May, when opposition councillors formed an alliance in a bid to oust the sitting council leader, Cllr Arooj Shah.
She was negotiating with the independents from Shaw and Crompton and Failsworth as she sought to secure her position after Labour lost their overall majority in the local elections.
The meeting came under fire online because of the presence of then chief executive Harry Catherall, though the council argued he was in attendance as a ‘mediator.’
CCTV footage leaked in May 2024 appeared to show Cllr Kenyon placing a ‘listening device’ outside the leader’s office door.
He can then be seen in the hallway holding what appears to be a phone to his ear and pausing to listen, before entering a nearby room containing a number of other Lib Dem councillors.
An audio recording was later posted online, with claims it led to online death threats and bullying of councillors involved in the meeting.
It featured negotiations with independent councillor Marc Hince, who said he was left ‘concerned for his and his family’s welfare’ because of abuse he received online following the leak.
Cllr Kenyon’s reprimand has still been criticised by political opponents.
An Oldham Labour spokesperson said: “We’re disappointed that the Liberal Democrats took so long to deal with this complaint, only to then decide that the individual in question being suspended for that length of time was punishment enough.
“What happened that day in May last year was scandalous, it was one of the biggest displays of contempt and deceit we’ve ever come across in politics, and we can’t pretend that recording private meetings of political opponents and releasing them to the public is normal.
“This says a lot about the standards in public life when elected members can get away with this type of behaviour, it’s no wonder politics in Oldham are so toxic.”
Complaints were also lodged against four other Lib Dem councillors, who were inside the room Kenyon entered while holding his phone to his ear.
However, these were not upheld by the party and the members were cleared of wrongdoing.
The Oldham Lib Dems declined to comment, saying there is still an ongoing standards complaint against a number of councillors, which were lodged at a similar time but are yet to be concluded.
A spokesperson for the national Liberal Democrats said: “Mark Kenyon has apologised for his behaviour. He is subject to an ongoing Oldham Council standards investigation.“
You must be logged in to post a comment.