A joint standards committee has found a councillor did not breach the code of conduct.

An investigation was launched after complaints were made about Chrisy Morris’s behaviour at a meeting of Maldon District Council.

One complaint made by a member of the public claimed Mr Morris showed disrespect to the chairman, “accosted” the member of public after he put his questions forward and was “aggressive” towards former committee chairman Bryan Harker.

But at a meeting of the joint standards committee yesterday (Thursday, September 3) Mr Morris was found to have not breached the code, six votes to two.

The committee discussed a second complaint made by councillor Richard Dewick about Mr Morris's behaviour at council meetings.

But again, the committee found Mr Morris to have not breached the code, six votes to two.

Mr Morris said he had been trying to expose a "culture of bullying" at the council.

"They have come to the right decision," he said.

"If that bullying culture wasn't there I wouldn't have had to say a thing.

"I might not have done it how everyone wanted me to but I did it quickly and effectively.

"If I'd done it any other way I might not have succeeded to root out the bullying culture.

"Now I'm looking forward to doing positive things for the district."

In the meeting, councillor Wendy Stamp suggested that a motion was put forward for all councillors to attend diversity training.

She said: "Could we suggest that we have as a council a massive diversity training for everybody that can benefit this council to go forward.

"I really do feel we need to have more diversity training."

Councillor Carlie Mayes also said: "I do think it is very important that the one thing that we do learn from this is that we do need more diversity training. I think it is absolutely imperative that we do take this forward as a matter of priority."