‘Sick joke’: Stirling councillor suspended for bullying to continue as anti-bullying tsar

A councillor previously suspended for bullying will keep his position leading Stirling Council’s children’s committee and an anti-bullying group after attempts to oust him failed.

SNP councillors called for a special meeting of Stirling Council on Thursday to remove Danny Gibson, Labour Councillor for Stirling North, as convenor of the Children and Young People Committee.

His recent appointment as chair of a short-life working group looking into violence, aggression and bullying in schools was also described as a ‘sick joke’ by opposition councillors.

But their arguments were dismissed as ‘mischief making’ by Labour council leader Margaret Brisley, who defeated the motion thanks to an amendment.

Five-month suspension

In June 2023, Councillor Gibson was found to have breached the Councillors’ Code of Conduct for behaving disrespectfully towards council officers and for having bullied a senior council officer.

Mr Gibson was given a five-month suspension and later, at a full council meeting, was banned from representing Stirling Council on any outside bodies for the duration of the current council.

During the offences, which took place between 2018 and 2019, Mr Gibson was deputy leader of Stirling Council.

A motion, led by SNP Councillor Scott Farmer, called for Mr Gibson to be removed as convenor, a role he was appointed to on September 12.

He described it as “totally and utterly inappropriate” for Mr Gibson to have such a “sensitive position”.

In addition, Councillor Farmer said it “beggars belief” that he would chair a short-life working group looking into violence, aggression and bullying in schools.

“Bullying is a major source of stress and mental illness for our young people and it should be treated with the utmost seriousness,” he said.

SNP councillor Susan McGill questioned the example it was giving to “impressionable” young people in Stirling, while others described it as a “shockingly bad example”, “appalling” and “shameless”.

‘Sick joke’ for Councillor Gibson to lead anti-bullying group

Alasdair MacPherson, who independently represents Bannockburn, backed the SNP motion.

He described it as a “sick joke” and “truly despicable” for a committee scrutinising bullying to be “chaired by a bully”.

Labour council leader, Margaret Brisley, viewed the SNP motion as “mischief making”.

The Bannockburn representative said the matter should be “finished”, not raised to “suit political purposes”, as the Standards Commission for Scotland had already dealt with the issue.

She described Councillor Gibson as a “very good councillor” who “worked very hard”, saying he had already served his punishment.

Councillor Brisley proposed an amendment, that was seconded by fellow labour councillor Jen Preston.

It read: “Council believes that it is the role of the Standards Commission for Scotland to determine case outcomes and apply sanctions.

“Council notes that those applied in this case last year.”

The amendment was voted through, meaning Councillor Gibson will continue as convenor of the Children and Young People Committee and chair the anti-bullying working group.

‘Wrong not righted’, says councillor

After the meeting, Councillor Farmer told The Courier: “The Labour Tory coalition had the chance to right a wrong and they refused to do so, that speaks volumes on their lack of integrity and leadership.”

A Stirling Labour spokesperson said: “Stirling SNP Councillors are sadly continuing their obsession over historical matters and it’s nothing more than politically motivated spite in trying to apply that to current circumstances.”

It comes after Gerry McGarvey, a Labour councillor for Forth & Endrick, was banned from attending the next full council meeting after a ‘”verbal altercation” over nursery provision with another elected member.

He was found to have behaved disrespectfully towards another elected member during the recess of a council meeting on March 2 2023 by the Standards Commission.

For more Stirling news and features visit our page or join us on Facebook.