A MALDON councillor who was accused of breaching the code of conduct has been cleared by a standards committee.

At a meeting of Maldon District Council's Joint Standards Committee (JSC) yesterday afternoon (Thursday, 3 September), members decided that there was no evidence to support the claims against Independent Councillor Chrisy Morris, published in a report last week.

Posted on Maldon District Council's website, the report had concluded that Independent Councillor Chrisy Morris had showed disrespect to former council chairman Conservative Councillor Bob Boyce at a meeting on February 13 by telling him that he was "too old" and should quit his role.

In the report, written by the council's own deputy monitoring officer, Stuart Jennings, it was also argued that Cllr Morris "could reasonably be regarded as bringing the council into disrepute" by wearing a cap, taking and making mobile telephone calls during the meeting and sitting with his feet on the table.

The report was written after investigations carried out on two separate formal complaints – one by Councillor Richard Dewick and another by a member of the public – Thomas Kelly, a former Conservative county councillor.

The complaint by Cllr Dewick related to council meetings held in October and November last year, where it was claimed he had repeatedly spoken over the chairman of each meeting and behaved in a manner that was disruptive to council business and could be considered as breaching the code of conduct. The complaint by Mr Kelly was made following the meeting in February.

Speaking at the JSC on the first complaint, Councillor Stephen Nunn said: "I think Cllr Morris was very close to the mark – however, we have been living through very difficult times. Therefore, I do not believe Cllr Morris was in breach of the code of conduct."

Cllr Nunn referred to the JSC meeting held yesterday morning, where former council leader Councillor Adrian Fluker was found to be in breach of the code of conduct, when speaking of "difficult times".

On the second complaint, Councillor Karl Jarvis said: "There is an argument that it was the greater good that Cllr Morris was trying to deliver.

"I am hopeful of better times going forward."

The JSC voted to find that Cllr Morris had not breached the code of conduct in the case of both complaints.