A report into the conduct and use of council resources by the leader of Merton Council says he ‘damaged confidence’ in the local authority. 

Councillor Stephen Alambritis faced serious criticism over a Labour-backed letter and questionnaire regarding council tax sent to his constituents in St Helier ward last year.

Opposition leader Councillor Oonagh Moulton has called for his resignation.

The council’s Standards and General Purposes Committee voted to investigate Cllr Alambritis after seven formal complaints were received about his conduct between October 18 and November 4. One complaint came from one of his own party’s councillors.

The report by independent investigator Richard Penn was published today and concludes that under the council’s constitution, Councillor Alambritis did breach protocol on the Use of Resources but did not breach the code of conduct in relation to its requirements for ‘leadership’ or ‘objectivity’”.

The report goes on to say that despite this, “it is clear that his actions have damaged the confidence of the complainants in the Council generally and specifically in him as its appointed leader”, particularly considering commitments given by the council leader in 2015 for an open and transparent consultation about potential increases in council tax, and to be bound by the outcome of that consultation.

The letter, sent in October, was headed “Urgent: Consultation on Council Tax increases – please read now!” and the questionnaire began with “URGENT: Have Your Say – Council Tax” and was signed off by the St Helier Labour councillors.

It encouraged residents to vote against raising council tax while Merton Council was conducting its own official consultation exercise on council tax and council spending.

The forms told respondents to include their full name and address to be counted, and included a freepost envelope that would send forms to the consultation team at Merton Council. Complainants said they were given the impression the outcome would determine if the council tax was raised.

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The report says Councillor Alambritis denies the exercise was a deliberate attempt to counterbalance positive support to increase council tax in the council’s official consultation.

The use of the freepost cost the council £1,380, which the Mitcham and Morden Labour Party reimbursed and apologised for at the time of the outcry. The party maintains the use of the council’s business reply service was a mistake.

Merton Council said all 2,942 responses to the Labour consultation were returned to the party and not counted in official feedback Addressing criticism that an apology made by the councillor at the time was not sufficient, the report recommends the council leader make a formal apology to the standards and general purposes committee for the confusion and damage of trust and confidence caused.

In a second recommendation, Mr Penn also concludes protocols on the use of council resources should be reinforced to avoid a future breach.

Cllr Oonagh Moulton, leader of the Merton Conservatives, said: “I welcome the report and recommendations from the independent investigator. They are a damning indictment of Cllr Alambritis’ conduct throughout this whole sorry episode.

“It seems clear now that Cllr Alambritis deliberately set out to undermine the council consultation which he himself had initiated. In the process, he has misled residents in Mitcham and Morden and has cost the council he is supposed to lead considerable amounts of time and money.

“It shouldn’t have taken this investigation for him to recognise the seriousness of the complaints against him. Yet at every stage, by seeking to brush this off, he has only brought the council further into disrepute.

“Cllr Alambritis should now resign as Leader of the Council. Merton is in desperate need of a fresh plan and new leadership."

Peter Walker is a former Labour councillor and lodged one of the complaints against Cllr Alambritis. In light of the report, he said: "[Alambritis] now has no ethical or moral authority to lead a borough like Merton."

The report is due to be discussed at the council’s next Standards and General Purposes Committee meeting on Tuesday, May 9.

Councillor Alambritis has been contacted for comment.