A COMPLAINT lodged against a councillor over use of a language during a borough council meeting has been thrown out.

The complaint by a resident was made against Sherborne St John ward councillor Tristan Robinson after he was accused of calling Labour councillors anti-Semitic during a Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council meeting.

The incident happened during a full council meeting in July last year, but a decision was soon made to take no further action on the complaint.

However, this was appealed for further investigation which has now concluded with no further action against Cllr Robinson.

The complaint revolved around a response to a speech being made by South Ham ward member Collin Regan in which Cllr Robinson shouted words across the chamber to the effect of “at least we are not anti-Semitic.”

The comment was made as Cllr Regan was making a speech about national government cuts made by the Conservative Party.

In a letter, the complainant said Cllr Robinson had “failed to show respect to other councillors” and it was a “stupid and wrong statement causing upset”.

Cllr Robinson later apologised for the comment saying it was “inappropriate”, before saying he does not consider any Basingstoke Labour councillors to be anti-Semitic.

Even though the deputy monitoring officer at the borough council and an independent person assessed the complaint and concluded that the Code of Conduct had not been breached, there was criticism of Cllr Robinson using the language in the first place.

Deputy monitoring officer Ann Greaves wrote: “It is agreed that the statement made by the subject member was indeed stupid given the sensitivity of the subject matter.”

The decision notice goes on to read: “I consider that in making these remarks, Cllr Robinson was reacting to a political comment about the actions of his own political party.

“Although I do not in any way condone, agree with, or have any sympathy for the sentiments Cllr Robinson expressed in making those comments, they were in my view a comment on Cllr Regan’s political party, rather than Cllr Regan.”

Cllr Robinson said: “Things are often said in the council chamber as part of the cut and thrust of debate. I am pleased to see that this baseless complaint has been dismissed.”