Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke scolded rival council members straight out of the gate during Monday night’s meeting for what she called “unfounded” public allegations and she also had city solicitor Philip Huynh recite the Council Code of Conduct to her fellow politicians.
Locke specifically targeted Councillor Linda Annis, mayoral candidate for the Surrey First slate, and Safe Surrey Coalition Councillor Mandeep Nagra.
“It has been a concern of mine that some on this council continue to put your election campaign in front of your duties as a councillor,” she said. “It is completely unacceptable for elected officials to make unfounded allegations against city staff or spread misinformation in attempt to shift political responsibility onto our professional staff who are carrying out the lawful direction of this council.”
“This last week hit a new low,” Locke said.
She put Annis on the spot, demanding she provide evidence that the City’s finance are “quote ‘in a mess,’” as Locke said Annis told the media. “That is a very serious allegation and so can you please tell council and the public specifically what evidence you have to support a statement like that? Which financial reports, audits, audit findings or financial indicators lead you to conclude that the City of Surrey’s finances are in a mess, or was that simply a political statement rather than one based on facts?”
Annis replied she will “gladly submit a statement to the city manager on what my intention was and I will do that as quickly as possible.”
The mayor had Huynh “remind” council about its code of conduct “and also of the oath of office that we signed.”
Huynh told them that under the code council members must “refrain from conduct that could be construed as bullying or harrassing.
“It includes any conduct that would be contrary to the City’s respectful workplace policy,” the lawyer noted, “and it also includes any unwelcome of objectional conduct that causes an individual to be humiliated or intimidated including making derogatory comments, including questioning the professional competence of staff.”
Locke said that doesn’t cover just finances but also “comments that were made with regard to the land purchase and I think that was completely unfair and so that one is very specifically directed at you councillor Nagra.”
Nagra issued a press release last week calling for a “full police investigation” into the City of Surrey’s purchase of 13.1 acres of land at 7580 152 Street near Surrey Lake. “After becoming aware of the full circumstances of how this transaction unfolded, I do not believe it can be brushed aside,” Nagra said. “Something is not right here.”
Surrey’s civic election is set for October 17.
“I also want to remind all of you that you are the company that you keep,” Locke remarked. “You are all reflection of you team’s rhetoric. This cannot continually be passed off as just ‘it’s politics,’ because it’s not politics – it’s a serious breach of code of conduct.”