By Anna Whittaker, Local Democracy Reporter
A Broxtowe Borough Councillor says the hate he receives in the role is now worse than abuse he experienced as a doorman in Nottingham’s bars and clubs.
Cllr Richard MacRae, who worked in door security for 13 years, said the hate and intimidation directed towards councillors is “worse than it’s ever been”.
At the Broxtowe Borough Council cabinet meeting on October 11, Cllr MacRae will submit a motion to the council stating the “intimidation and abuse of councillors undermines democracy, preventing members from representing the communities they serve, deterring individuals from standing for election”.
The motion asks the council to “take a zero-tolerance approach to abuse of councillors and officers”.
It adds “increasing levels of toxicity in public and political discourse is having a detrimental impact of local democracy”.
He told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “Councillors shouldn’t be getting abuse from other councillors or members of the public.
“It has been happening to me recently and it’s not nice. I’ve recently had to put complaints in about a fellow councillor because of the way they’ve been acting.
“I’m all for a healthy debate and everyone doesn’t have to agree. But when you leave the room you should be able to be friends again.
“I used to be a doorman and I’ve never known anything like this.
“As a doorman people had respect for you and it should be the same for councillors.
“All councillors are elected to make the area you represent better.
“When I worked in town people would pull out knives and guns on me. I would never not be able to rely on one of my fellow doormen.
“Sadly it is not the same within the council.
“I’ve been a councillor since January 2014 and it’s been going on for years. It’s got to be knocked on the head.”
He said he is concerned that the abuse will deter other residents from wanting to become councillors.
The motion also calls for a clear reporting mechanism to record incidents.
If approved, the council will work with the police to take a “preventative approach” to the issue.
Cllr MacRae added: “There’s a Facebook hate page in Eastwood which directs abuse at independent councillors. We’re constantly having to contact the police about it.
“I can see why people don’t want to be councillors because this will put people off.
“We had a councillor in Stapleford who has stepped down because they couldn’t deal with it. If I don’t take a stand nobody will.”
The motion states: “This Council therefore commits to challenge the normalisation of abuse against Councillors and officers and uphold exemplary standards of public and political debate in all it does.
“The Council further agrees to sign up to the LGA’s (Local Government Association’s) Debate Not Hate campaign. The campaign aims to raise public awareness of the role of Councillors in local communities, encourage healthy debate and improve the response to and support those in public life facing abuse and intimidation.”
It will be discussed at Broxtowe Borough Council’s cabinet meeting on Wednesday night (October 11).
