YEOVIL NEWS: Tie-gate was a misunderstanding says council

A COMPLAINT about the Mayor of Yeovil not wearing a tie during an official engagement has been put down as a “misunderstanding over protocol.”

The Yeovil Press reported earlier this week that a complaint had been made about the Mayor, Cllr Darren Shutler, for failing to wear a tie at a charity fete hosted by St Margaret’s Somerset Hospice – a charity being supported by the Mayor over the next 12 months.

The apparent etiquette faux pas at the hospice fete in Yeovil on Saturday, May 14, 2016, and subsequent complaint resulted in St Margaret’s community fundraiser Mark Flower writing a letter to the Mayor and the Mayoress, Anna Shutler, thanking them for their attendance and that Cllr Shutler’s attire was “spot on.”

The letter was attached and published in the agenda for Yeovil Town Council’s full monthly meeting which was held last night (Tuesday, June 7, 2016) – much to the obvious dismay of some council members who probably would have preferred “tie-gate” to have remained in-house.

The town council’s ruling LibDem group met ahead of the full open meeting of the authority where it is believed there was a discussion about the non-wearing of a tie by the Mayor.

PHOTO - TOP: The non-wearing of a tie by the Mayor, Cllr Darren Shutler,  at an official engagement prompted a complaint. (To clarity - the photo above is not that of the Mayor without a tie).

PHOTO – RIGHT: The Mayor, Cllr Darren Shutler, wearing a tie!

The matter was listed under “correspondence” on the agenda and the council leader, Cllr Tony Lock, said there was a protocol for the Mayor to adhere to at functions and that there had been a “misunderstanding” on this occasion with the hospice.

Cllr Lock added that he was delighted that the hospice fete was a great success and raised a great deal of money and looked forward to the council supporting St Margaret’s in the future.

Nobody else spoke on the issue with it – almost definitely – having been spoken at length in the meeting held beforehand behind closed doors.

Hospice community fundraiser Mark Flower, in his letter, had said that the dress code for the fete had been discussed with the Mayor prior to the event.

“The day was about family, the patients and the local community,” he said. “We wanted a relaxed atmosphere and your (the Mayor) attire was spot on.

“I had a lot of feedback about how nice was that you (the Mayor and Mayoress) both stayed so long and spent time with the staff, volunteers and patients.”

The Mayor, Cllr Shutler, declined to comment on the matter following the meeting. That in itself speaks volumes.

The tie-gate issue has been discussed at length on social media, however, with many people supporting the Mayor, although some have said that he should have worn a tie.

Others, however, have questioned the startling yellow trousers the Mayor wore at the fete – even though they backed down after finding out that he wore those to represent the chosen colour of St Margaret’s Hospice.

The previous story about tie-gate published by Yeovil Press on Monday (June 6, 2016) – please see here: http://www.yeovilpress.co.uk/blog/2016/06/06/yeovil-news-mayor-criticised-for-failing-to-wear-a-tie-at-st-margaret-s-hospice-fete/ .

PHOTO – ABOVE: Tie-less Mayor of Yeovil, Cllr Darren Shutler (left), with the Mayoress, Anna Shutler, South Somerset District Council chairman Cllr Mike Best and town crier Bruce Trigger at St Margaret’s Hospice summer fete in Yeovil on Saturday, May 14, 2016.

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