AN INFLUENTIAL and colourful district councillor bullied a member of staff at Teignbridge Council, a report has revealed

Former deputy leader George Gribble also made ‘inappropriate comments’ – and has been given a slap on the wrist after an investigation found he had broken the authority’s code of conduct.

The Bovey Tracey member was at a social event representing the council, when he made ‘several over-familiar and inappropriate comments’ to an employee of the authority.

The member of staff – who wants to remain anonymous – also claimed Cllr Gribble acted in a ‘bullying and intimidatory manner’ when the pair had a later meeting.

Independent investigator Mr G Barnicott probed the complaint and decided Cllr Gribble had breached the code of conduct as he was representing the district authority at the time.

The information, which surfaced today, was revealed in an agenda which will go before next week’s Standards Committee at Teignbridge Council.

The report states: ‘The investigator found that Cllr Gribble did not behave respectfully towards a member of staff.

‘He therefore failed to follow paragraph 1 of the Code of Conduct.

‘Cllr Gribble was bullying and intimidatory towards the same member of staff.

‘He therefore failed to follow paragraph 2 of the Code of Conduct.’

Cllr Gribble, who also sits on Devon County Council and Bovey Tracey Town Council, was ordered to take a training session about code of conduct matters as well as behaviour relating to the breaches.

He also wrote an apology to the person involved and gave an undertaking about his future behaviour.

Speaking to the Mid-Devon Advertiser this morning, Cllr Gribble explained he was at Exeter University in April this year when he described a group of women as attractive – but was told he couldn’t say that.‘I apologised for what I said but the officer said she was still going to complain,’ Cllr Gribble added.He told the Mid-Devon Advertiser that he later met the complainant to ask her why, if she had accepted his apology, she was still pursuing the matter.He said: ‘I asked her three times and left – I was then accused of bullying.‘I admitted to it, pleaded guilty and had a training course.’Cllr Gribble apologised for his actions and when asked said he would not identify the employee because he didn’t want to embarrass her.