Deputy Victoria Oliver's been told she didn't breach the States' Code of Conduct even though she handled her attempt to oust Deputy Andy Taylor as Vice President of the Development and Planning Authority badly.
He lodged a formal complaint asserting that she had breached eight sections of the States Members code.
As President of the DPA she had tried to have him removed as her Vice, after he had previously tendered his resignation and then withdrew it.
Pictured: Deputy Andy Taylor.
Deputy Oliver had told the other members of the DPA that there was precedence for removing a vice president mid-term, saying that it had happened while she was previously a member of the Committee for Home Affairs.
That was incorrect and Deputy Oliver was cautioned by the Code of Conduct panel earlier this year in relation to her misstatement concerning the relevant Committee for Home Affairs meeting, the way she handled an apology to former Deputy Mary Lowe who had been the President of Home Affairs at that time, and Deputy Oliver’s failure to correct the DPA’s records which had included incorrect information.
On that occasion Deputy Oliver accepted a caution and the case was closed.
That complaint had been made by Mrs Lowe, while Deputy Taylor lodged his own complaint alleging Deputy Oliver had breached sections 1, 3, 6, 8, 9, 11, 12 and 16 of the code.
Deputy Taylor's complaint centred around concerns that Deputy Oliver had not acted in good conscience, had not treated him with respect, had damaged the public's trust and respect in elected members, nor acted in the public interest.
His complaint was filed in April and the judgment was published yesterday.
The Code of Conduct panel had decided there was prima facie evidence to support the complaint - meaning there was enough evidence to raise a presumption of truth/fact - so the Chairman registered an Investigation Panel to consider the complaint in detail.
That Panel - led by the Very Reverend John Guille as Chair - said it "considered the matter carefully and met the complainant and Deputy Oliver" before making a decision.
"After considering all the evidence provided to it, both written and verbal, the Panel decided that, although matters could have been handled more astutely, Deputy Oliver’s conduct did not amount to a breach of any part of the Code of Conduct. The matter is therefore now closed."
Pictured: Deputy Victoria Oliver.
At the time of writing, Deputy Oliver remains President of the DPA with Deputy Andy Taylor her Vice President.
Deputies Sasha Kazantseva-Miller, Chris Blin and John Dyke are also committee members.
Deputy Taylor remains DPA Vice-President
The question of DPA's Vice-President remains
President of DPA receives caution for 'misstatement'
OPINION: Open letter from Deputy Andy Taylor
OPINION: Deputy Oliver responds
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