Hertfordshire councillor Ron Tindall suspended from group 

Cllr Ron Tindall, former leader of Dacorum Borough Council, was suspended from the Liberal Democrat group at the borough council level in July last year after an independent report concluded he had sexually harassed another borough councillor – an allegation he denies.

The borough council’s standards committee, which considered the findings of the independent report during its meeting, dismissed complaints against Cllr Tindall from two councillors.

Eight female Liberal Democrat councillors resigned the whip in September after accusing the council’s leader, Cllr Adrian England, of failing to deal with allegations of bullying and sexual harassment against Cllr Tindall.

A recent Liberal Democrat regional investigation report into the party’s Dacorum council group, seen by the Local Democracy Reporting Service, said “significant additional information and evidence consistent with allegations of sexism and misogyny” against Cllr Tindall, 80, had come to light from “multiple new sources”.

The report led to Cllr England being told to consider his position, with a group of senior regional party officials saying they did not have confidence in his leadership. He confirmed his plans to stand down as leader shortly afterwards.

As a result of the regional report, a formal complaint against Cllr Tindall – who denies all allegations – will now be considered by the party’s national complaints process, and he has been suspended from the party.

It means that he has also been suspended from the Liberal Democrat group at Hertfordshire County Council.

A party spokesperson said: “Mr Tindall has taken no part in activities pertaining to the Liberal Democrat Group on Dacorum Borough Council or Hertfordshire County Council since his suspension from the party.”

Cllr Tindall was suspended from the Liberal Democrat group on Dacorum Borough Council in July last year, though he remained a member of the party’s county council group.

As a result of the party investigation, Cllr Tindall has also been barred from standing as a Liberal Democrat candidate in this May’s county council elections.

Cllr Tindall told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that he had already decided not to stand again for his county council seat.

He said the decision was not related to “internal politics”, but to his age and to his desire to focus on his Dacorum Borough Council ward – though he has only attended one of the last four borough council meetings.

Cllr Steve Jarvis, leader of the Liberal Democrat group at Hertfordshire County Council, did not respond to a request for comment.