Brent Council’s Deputy Mayor Resigns and Suspended from Labour Party for Abusing Parking Warden
In a shocking turn of events, Brent Council’s deputy mayor, Councillor Diana Collymore, has resigned from her position and issued a public apology for her “unequivocally and deliberately offensive” behavior towards a parking warden who issued her a fine. The incident, which took place on May 20, 2024, in London Road, Wembley, resulted in Cllr Collymore being suspended from the Labour Party pending further investigation.
Incident Details
According to a report presented to Brent Council’s audit and standards advisory committee, the altercation occurred after a civil enforcement officer issued a parking contravention notice to Cllr Collymore for parking on a double yellow line. Witnesses reported that Cllr Collymore became agitated and repeatedly demanded an explanation for the ticket, despite the warden’s attempts to clarify the situation. She asserted her status as a councillor and threatened to report the warden to immigration services, insinuating that he had obtained his immigration status through illicit means.
The complaint lodged by the civil enforcement officer alleged that Cllr Collymore made disparaging and discriminatory remarks, including questioning the legitimacy of his marriage for immigration purposes. The incident was captured on video by the warden’s headcam, providing concrete evidence of Cllr Collymore’s behavior.
Consequences and Apologies
Following the incident, Cllr Collymore contacted council officials to request the cancellation of the parking fine and subsequently filed an appeal against the warden. While her appeal was not successful, the council partially upheld her complaint, citing inappropriate comments made by the enforcement officer during the interaction.
In response to the allegations, Cllr Collymore acknowledged her wrongdoing and expressed deep regret for her actions. She admitted to displaying her Blue Badge while parking on the double yellow line but claimed ignorance of any visible parking restrictions. Despite her frustration at receiving what she believed to be an unfair ticket, she recognized that her conduct towards the warden was unacceptable and offered a sincere apology.
Resolution and Training
The monitoring officer deemed Cllr Collymore’s behavior as offensive, disparaging, and discriminatory, bringing her office into disrepute. As a consequence, she was required to undergo refresher training on the council’s Code of Conduct and equalities policy. Additionally, a transcript of the video evidence was forwarded to the Labour group leader and council leader for further consideration regarding Cllr Collymore’s standing within the party.
Despite initially accepting the findings, Cllr Collymore requested a review, which ultimately upheld the complaint against her. As a result, she chose to resign from her position as deputy mayor and relinquish all committee roles within Brent Council. Furthermore, she was suspended from the Labour Party pending a thorough investigation into the incident.
Official Statements
In response to the incident, a spokesperson for Brent Council emphasized that Cllr Collymore had breached the council’s Code of Conduct and had taken steps to address her misconduct. The Labour Group within Brent issued a statement condemning Cllr Collymore’s behavior and extending apologies to the staff member involved in the altercation.
In light of the ongoing investigation, Cllr Collymore has refrained from making public comments and has cooperated with the necessary authorities to address the repercussions of her actions. The community awaits further developments in this unfolding situation as the Labour Party conducts a thorough review of the incident and assesses the appropriate course of action.
