Fife: Standards Commission rap for ex-councillor Linda Holt

Linda Holt was rapped by the Standards Commission in July after a complaint about her behaviour at a public meeting during her time in office. 

Their report and censure, a formal recording of the commission's "severe and public disapproval" of her conduct, was submitted to Thursday's Fife Council meeting.  

The censure of Linda Holt by the Standards Commission was reported to Fife Council on Thursday. (Image: Newsquest)

Ms Holt was first elected as a Conservative councillor for the East Neuk and Landward ward in 2017. She later became an independent councillor but was not re-elected in 2022.

However, her conduct was under investigation by the Standards Commission following complaints of “aggressive”, "inappropriate" and “disrespectful” behaviour from two years ago. 

The panel considered multiple complaints about her behaviour and it was determined that Ms Holt failed to treat council officers with respect in emails from June 2021. 

Another complaint claimed that she “behaved disrespectfully” by speaking to a community council secretary in a “disrespectful and aggressive manner; raising her voice and speaking in an angry fashion to various members of the public, and treating them with contempt; and ignoring attempts by the acting chair to silence her.” 

In particular, the panel noted that her conduct had been described as aggressive, combative and inappropriate during the community meeting. 

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It was determined that Ms Holt had breached the Councillors’ Code of Conduct in regards to her "wholly unnecessary and entirely inappropriate" behaviour towards the community council secretary. 

The panel said she had shouted and "behaved in an aggressive, disparaging and dismissive manner towards him". 

It also noted that "bullying is inappropriate and unwelcome behaviour which is offensive and intimidating, and which makes an individual or group feel undermined, humiliated or insulted".

The panel further noted that "bullying usually arises as a result of an individual misusing their power".

Complaints about Ms Holt's treatment of members of the public or her ignorance of attempts to silence her were not upheld. 

The final complaint claimed that Ms Holt made “misleading and inaccurate statements about the [community council] secretary, and the respondent used provocative language to malign him”.

The statements were published on her constituency Facebook page as an “open letter to St Monans.”

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These complaints were also determined to be a breach of the Councillors’ Code of Conduct.

As part of the hearing, Ms Holt said she considered the complaints to be vexatious and part of a sustained campaign against her. 

She accepted that the community council meeting in August 2021 had been unruly, but advised that the reason she had spoken with a loud voice was because she was partially deaf.