A councillor is to appear before a disciplinary committee after calling a non-binary child “a boy”.
Argyll and Bute councillor Alastair Redman wrote to council staff about parents’ complaints relating to a secondary school.
In an issue dating back to 2023, those parents had alleged a non-binary child had gained access to the girls’ changing rooms.
The school investigated and concluded this did not happen.
Staff were unhappy with terminology
The parents also alleged that the child had placed a recording device in the girls’ changing rooms.
Police investigated and concluded there was no evidence of a recording device belonging to the non-binary child.
It is understood the disciplinary action was sparked after Mr Redman, an independent councillor, referred to the child as a boy in his correspondence with council staff.
One member of staff took exception to this, believing that the child is entitled to be referred to as “a non-binary” child and “they”.
The Standards Commission for Scotland (SCS) looked into the complaint.
It is now assessing if Mr Redman breached the councillor’s code of conduct relating to discrimination.
A hearing will take on Wednesday in private to protect to the identity of the child in question.
‘Hearing is a sham’
Mr Redman, who believes there are only two genders, said: “This hearing is a sham and a politically motivated attack on me for standing up for the protection of girls’ spaces.
“I did nothing more than relay serious safeguarding concerns of residents, yet I am the one being dragged before a panel.
“If SCS rules against me, it will send a chilling message to any girl or woman who wishes to come forward in the future about a male entering female-only spaces.”
Mr Redman believes the process is biased because staff at the The Ethical Standards Commissioner – a different organisation to the SCS which is involved in the process – have pronouns in their email signatures.
He added: “How can The Ethical Standards Commissioner claim to be impartial when every member I have been in contact with includes pronouns in their email signatures?
‘I will not be intimidated’
“This entire process reeks of bias.
“But, let me be clear: I will not be intimidated into silence, and I will never stop standing up for women and girls’ right to single-sex spaces.”
An Argyll and Bute Council spokesman said: “Councillor Redman was appointed at a by-election and signed the acceptance of office as a councillor on October 6 2022.
“He is by virtue of his accepting office as a councillor, obliged to comply with the code of conduct for councillors.”
‘Serious matter’
An SCS spokesman said: “Councillor Redman’s case relates to an alleged breach of the respect, discrimination and bullying and harassment provisions in section three of the councillors’ code of conduct.”
That code states: “The council’s equal opportunities policy recognises that people might experience discrimination on the grounds of, age, gender (and other factors).
“Any instances of discrimination, harassment or victimisation at work will be viewed as a serious matter.”
However, SCS has not yet specified how Mr Redman’s correspondence with the council staff member breached the code.
We are not identifying the school as to do so would identify the child.
Headteacher’s apology
The issue concerning Mr Redman and the school has been rumbling on since at least 2023.
It is understood that, after Mr Redman spoke to the council about the parents’ concerns, people at the school discovered that he had been involved.
Mr Redman complained about this and the school’s headteacher apologised to him in writing via the council for this.
It is also understood that, when Mr Redman was visiting the school with several other councillors, he asked the headteacher for a tour.
The headteacher said no in a setting and tone that left Mr Redman feeling uncomfortable and somewhat humiliated.
Latest brush with controversy
Via the council, the headteacher told Mr Redman they – as a representative of the school – should have handled Mr Redman’s request in a better manner.
Mr Redman welcomed the headteacher’s reflection and noted that a decision was taken to discipline him but not the headteacher.
The issue is not Mr Redman’s first brush with controversy as an elected member.
We reported in 2021 how he was kicked out of the Scottish Conservatives after “admitted submitting responses” to an election boundary review “purporting to be from other people”.
Mr Redman said he was merely “helping out” his constituents fill out forms.
Suspended from party then kicked out
Previously, he had been suspended from the Tories for alleged Islamophobic social media posts.
At the time, Mr Redman said the allegations were “engineered” and added: “This is happening to me because I’m a very active councillor and a strong Conservative.”
He received 23.1% of the first preference vote in the 2017 council elections.
Mr Redman did not retain his seat but was subsequently re-elected following a by-election in September 2022.
He has helped with various community projects, such as ensuring Kilchatten Graveyard is maintained.
In a separate case, Highlands Green Party councillor Kate Willis has been sanctioned for an alleged breach of the councillors’ code of conduct.
An SCS spokesman said: “Councillor Willis’s case relates to an alleged failure to register an interest in terms of section four of the councillors’ code of conduct.”
It is understood that Ms Willis became a member of an ad-hoc working group campaigning for the creation of a national park in Lochaber.
The role is unpaid and Ms Willis did declare it on the register of interests – but not within a month of joining up, as required by the code of conduct.
Ms Willis’ online hearing is to take place on March 26.
We have changed the article to reflect that Mr Redman accused The Ethical Standards Commissioner of possible bias rather than the Standards Commission for Scotland.