Mayor rapped for saying 'Hitler had the right idea' about dealing with gypsies as he addressed equality meeting

• Mike Eckersley condemned for 'offensive and disrespectful' behaviour
• Former councillor formally censured by Adjudication Panel for Wales

Condemned: Mike Eckersley was rapped for his 'offensive and disrespectful' behaviour

A mayor who provoked outrage by claiming Adolf Hitler had the ‘right idea’ about dealing with Germany’s gipsies, has been rapped by a top government watchdog.
Mike Eckersley was condemned for his 'offensive and disrespectful behaviour' after he twice made inappropriate remarks during an equality meeting.
The 72-year-old had been accused of breaching Denbighshire County Council's code of conduct following the comments made during meetings of its Corporate Equalities Group.
At one meeting in when referring to gypsies and travellers, Eckersley was said to have exclaimed: 'As far as I’m concerned they are just legalised squatters and scroungers and I think Hitler had the right idea.'
An estimated 220,000 gipsies were murdered in the gas chambers or worked to death during the Second World War.
At an earlier meeting of the same group, Eckersley made another comments which sparked offence.
During a discussion about an ancient bye-law which allows individuals to be hanged for speaking Welsh in Chester after 9pm, Eckersley - then a sitting Conservative councillor - blurted out: 'Maybe we should take a load of Welsh Muslims to Chester to test this out.'

Mr Eckersley provoked outrage by allegedly claiming Adolf Hitler had the ‘right idea’ about dealing with Germany’s gipsies

Company director Mr Eckersley - who has since lost his council seat but is the mayor of Prestatyn, North Wales -  was formally censured by Adjudication Panel for Wales.
The panel considers whether elected members of councils and other authorities in Wales have breached code of conduct rules.
Gwyn Davies chairman of the Case Tribunal said: 'It was incumbent on Councillor Eckersley to use language and to express his opinions in a way that would not cause offence or be disrespectful to others.

 

'Councillor Eckersley used language that was clearly offensive to others and his apology was an admittance of this fact.
'Clearly Cllr Eckersley could have been more humble in providing a more fulsome apology. The Case Tribunal finds with regard to both allegations that Cllr Eckersley did make the alleged remarks.
'It is not acceptable for any Councillor to use language and express opinions in a way that would be inappropriate or offensive to others.'

Mr Eckersley's outburst took place during a 'corporate equalities meeting' at the offices of Denbighshire County Council (pictured)

The first incident took place in July 2010 when the council held a meeting of its Corporate Equalities Group.
After the meeting Mr Eckersley made his remark, about Welsh muslims as reference was made to an old Chester bye-law that permitted the hanging of anyone who spoke Welsh at night.
Council officials reported the remark to a senior colleague but no further action was taken again Mr Eckersley after the comment was not minuted.
However, at a second meeting the following October Mr Eckersley made his Hitler remarks and was rebuked by the committee chairman who called the meeting to a temporary halt saying other members of the group did not support his 'prejudice views'.
Although the remark was, again, not minuted Mr Eckerlsey was later hauled before the council chief executive who referred the matter to the local Government Ombudsman which in turn referred it to the Adjudication panel.

'My remarks were addressed towards those who have suggested that travellers should be returned to their country of origin'

The mayor later issued several grovelling apologies one saying: 'I understand that certain views I expressed may have been insensitive and misinterpreted.
'I wish to apologise for any distress that may have been caused by it happening.'
Another read: 'I do not hold the views that the remarks might suggest that I did hold. Again can I offer my sincere apologies for the unacceptable remark and any offence caused.'
The panel heard written evidence from Tony Ward, the Corporate and Improvement Manager at Denbighshire council who said of the Welsh Muslims remark: 'Clearly, that comment is open, potentially to interpretation.'
He added: 'I am aware that others may interpret the comment differently however my views on the comment were that it was an extremely inappropriate comment to make particularly in the context of a Corporate Equalities Meeting and even if my interpretation is wrong, if it was meant in the way I have interpreted it, it goes beyond inappropriate and becomes an expression of some very dangerous views.'
Mr Ward said he attended the later meeting and was said to be 'shaken' by Mr Eckersley’s 'Hitler' remark and made a formal complaint.

Mr Eckersley has since lost his council seat but is still the mayor of Prestatyn, in North East Wales, pictured

Independent councillor Christine Evans who chaired the meeting said in a letter to the inquiry that the remark by Mr Eckersley was 'crass, inane and a stupid remark'.
She added: 'I rebuked him there and then and told him to shut up. I spoke to him at the coffee break to reprimand him. I could see Tony Ward was shaken.
'Cllr Eckersley said he had made the remark in the heat of the moment and he did not mean it. Incidentally Tony Ward did not comment at the meeting but phoned me up a couple of days later and he said he wished to complain. So I said he should go ahead.'
In a statement sent to Prestatyn Town Council, Mr Eckersley who survived a vote of no confidence in January last year said: 'I want to be categorically clear that the words used are not those I said.
'My remarks were addressed towards those who have suggested that travellers should be returned to their country of origin.
'These views are clearly wrong and I do not regret saying that those views are tantamount to extremism and intolerance which I have always opposed.'
Referring to the Hitler slur, a later statement said: 'I understand that certain views I expressed may have been insensitive and misinterpreted. I wish to apologise for any distress that may have been caused.'
Following Mr Eckersley’s remarks, the Welsh Conservative Party said it investigated immediately and had found no wrong-doing.