Councillors will be sent on anti-bullying courses following complaints from members last year with led to a party split.

Gravesham Borough Council will fork out £600 for each session following a fall-out between its Conservative members.

In August, 10 Tory councillors defected from the group over the claims of "sustained bullying" .

Now, all 44 councillors will undergo mandatory training on bullying awareness, with the first session on July 18.

Senior officers are being encouraged to take part too.

A member of the public asked council leader John Burden (Lab) how much the courses cost and if they would be funded by the public at the full council meeting on Tuesday last week.

Addressing the question, Cllr Burden handed out a written response, which read: “The cost of these courses will be funded from established budgets held by the council for training of members and officers as approved by full council in February of each year as part of the annual budget setting process.

“The cost of the bullying awareness training session, to be delivered on July 18 by ACAS, amounts to £600, with this being delivered as part of a wider programme of induction training for members following the recent elections.

“Based on attendance at this session, it is anticipated that a further training date will need to be rearranged for those who cannot attend on July 18, together with a session for senior officers to attend, and the costs for these additional sessions are not yet known but are anticipated to be of a similar cost.

“The course is being delivered to ensure that all members and senior officers appreciate the types of behaviour that can constitute bullying, and the effect that such behaviour could have upon others, so as to ensure that those individuals can avoid inadvertently being perceived as a bully or causing offence to others through their actions.

“The course will specifically draw the attention of both members and officers to the respective codes of conduct and ethical standards that need to be maintained whilst serving in a public service role.”

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