How Accountable is the Seaside Town Civic Leader?

Let's concentrate on local matters now and those issues that concern the pleasant environs of Bournemouth (in the south of England for those that weren't sure). This particular case however is not necessarily one that merely affects the corridors of power in this tourist destination.

A few weeks ago, it emerged that the Tory leader of the council, Cllr. Stephen MacLoughlin, had accessed pornographic material on a council computer, albeit not during office hours nor on council premises. So is Cllr. MacLoughlin's crime merely failing to abide by the council internet policy, or is it, as the leaking of the story would suggest, a more contemptable mistake, punishable by the local populous? Readers from the paper complained that viewing 'top-shelf' material was not the appropriate behaviour of a civil servant who should be promoting stronger family ties, not indulging in the ephemeral pleasures of the flesh.

So what should happen to MacLoughlin? In the eyes of authority, he has committed the sin of causing embarassessment to the Conservative Party, an offence that could deem expulsion and he failed to comply with the council's internet policy. Fellow councillors are also exasperated as to why the investigation into the affair was not previously made known to them with hints of an attempted cover-up.

As previously stated, some readers won't be surprised by these revelations. This type of story has probably been told in some guise since the beginning of time except the means and technology have now changed. Most of us though may still have misgivings that they centre around a man responsible for upholding morally decent civic values. Leering at women on the internet doesn't come under that umbrella although it is an activity that many members of society, no matter their standing, are guilty of indulging in. MacLoughlin has expressed sorrow for the incident but refuses to stand down despite pressure from his colleagues. The first meeting since the news became public, held on Friday 30th October, may have changed his mind.

From a moral perspective, what standards do we still demand from our leaders and can they be forgiven and afforded another chance when they fall short? Or are we right to yearn for strong figures, neither tempted or swayed by external distractions and always willing to assume responsibilty for their failings? The distinction needs to be made that there are moral misdemeanours and there are genuine crimes, punishable by law. Perhaps Cllr. MacLoughlin should fall on his sticky sword if his colleagues and those whom he serves view his behaviour as disreputable. Whether this lapse is an indictment of whether Cllr. MacLoughlin is capable of fulfilling his civic duties is subject to debate.