An aggressive councillor who left a young employee in tears has
been publicly ordered to write an apology.

Jane Chitty, 68, has been told to say sorry after an independent
committee ignored the advice of an investigating solicitor that it
was a minor offence.

Cllr Chitty, pictured right, had earlier accepted she broke rules for
public officials when she had an argument with Laura Steward.

Janet Gray, chairman of Medway Standards Committee, said: "The
committee has taken into account Mrs Chitty has not apologised for
her conduct and does not appear to have accepted she was at
fault.

"We do not consider it is acceptable for councillors to be rude
towards staff or treat them with disrespect."

The committee accepted the findings of the independent
investigator, Duncan Milne, that the conservative councillor was
not a bully and gave her seven days to carry out the order.

Laura Steward was Labour political officer at the time of the
incident, in which she was left in tears after being shouted at by
Cllr Chitty in the entrance to the council’s headquarters at Gun
Wharf, Chatham.

During a 40-minute response to the complaint, Cllr Chitty
accused Labour of targeting her and mobbing her at public
meetings.

She was recently cleared of allegations brought by the Labour
leader, Cllr Paul Godwin, of using a false address at the last
elections, and faces further investigations over her recent visit
to China.