Ashfield councillor slams 'kangaroo court' after being sanctioned for his comments to county council leader

Comments made by Cllr Zadrozny in three separate county council meetings included calling Cllr Cutts “racist,” “homophobic,” “Islamophobic” and a “mean spirited, grumpy old woman.”

A hearing of the county council’s Governance and Ethics Sub-committee held on February 28 found that Cllr Zadrozny had “failed to show Cllr Cutts respect; behaved in an offensive manner making personal and offensive remarks and conducted himself in a manner bringing himself and council into disrepute”

The sub-committee issued a formal censure for his behaviour, to be published on the county council website for 30 days.

But Cllr Zadrozny, who is also leader of Ashfield District Council, claimed the hearing was a ‘Conservative witch hunt.’

He said: “I have just been found guilty of the heinous crime in County Hall of speaking my mind of behalf residents. A complaint was made against me by the outgoing Conservative Leader of Nottinghamshire County Council – Kay Cutts.

“I’ll never apologise for speaking up for Ashfield residents. The county council chose to spend a lot of money having an independent person investigate those complaints. Those complaints were found to be not guilty. A panel was then set up of two Conservative councillors and one Labour.

“Those councillors went against the recommendations of the independent person and found me guilty. It was a kangaroo court. It was entirely manufactured about an incident a year ago but carefully timed to go out just weeks before the council elections.

"At a time when we should be concentrating on the response and recovery to the COVID-19 pandemic – the Conservatives have pursued a witch hunt that achieved precisely nothing.

"My punishment was being formally censured – a few lines on a website that nobody reads. I would far rather be loud and outspoken on matters in County Hall than be silenced.

"This includes highlighting the chronic underfunding of pavement and road repairs in Ashfield compared to places like West Bridgford. The residents of Ashfield deserve somebody who goes out to bat for them day in, day out and that’s me.”