COUNCILLORS in Dudley have repeated calls for more powers to deal with members who break the authority’s code of conduct.

Early this year,  the borough’s audit and standards committee wrote to the government asking for changes in the law so councils can impose harsher penalties for breaking the rules.

The authority took the unusual step after the former UKIP councillor for Sedgley and MEP, Bill Etheridge, dismissed the council’s censure of him and said he would rip up a mandatory code conduct if he was asked to sign it.

He had described Labour councillors on the authority as ‘a procession of morons and imbeciles’, ‘commies’ and ‘pinkos’ in the online videos.

He also said Dudley Council House should be demolished and that he ‘wouldn’t care if councillors were inside’ at the time.

An independent board had found he was guilty of a serious breach of the members’ code of conduct and showed a ‘complete lack of mitigation, regret and apology.’

In April, the audit and standards’ committee called for more powers to punish elected members.

Shortly afterwards, Cllr Etheridge lost his seat at May’s election.

This week, Cllr Adam Aston, chairman of the committee said the government’s failure to give such powers to councils was ‘frustrating’.

His remarks came after the committee were told that unless  a breach of the member’s code of conduct amounted to a criminal offence, there was no power to remove or suspend a councillor from office.

Cllr Aston said: “I know I don’t just speak for myself when I say it is incredibly frustrating that the lack of teeth we have as a standards committee in dealing with that issue. 

“It almost felt like a waste of time.”

His comments were supported by vice chairman, Cllr Michael Evans, who added Dudley wasn’t the only authority to call for a change in the law.

“To be fair, the example we are talking of is a one-off.  I think standards of behaviour of members across the board in Dudley is very good,” he said.