By Patrick LowmanA COUNCILLOR who received a police warning after shoving her disabled neighbour during a “tiff” at a bingo session will not face disciplinary action.

By Patrick Lowman

A COUNCILLOR who received a police warning after shoving her disabled neighbour during a “tiff” at a bingo session will not face disciplinary action.

Great Cornard Parish Council said it would will not be taking any action against Carol Beer, 57, unless instructed otherwise by the Standards Board for England, which regulates the conduct of councillors.

Miss Beer, a Conservative councillor, was given a police warning following the incident at the Community Drop-in Centre in Poplar Road, Great Cornard, on May 25.

She became embroiled in a tiff with her 56-year-old neighbour, Molly Kirby, who suffers from Multiple Sclerosis, over refreshments for a bingo club held at the centre every Tuesday afternoon.

Ms Kirby, who lives two doors away from Miss Beer in Great Cornard, claimed the councillor her shoved her, sending her crashing into tables and leaving her shaken and bruised.

Miss Beer has accepted she overreacted, but denied the shove had been hard and said the incident had been nothing more than a “tiff between two women”.

The incident was discussed at a Great Cornard Parish Council meeting on Monday.

Initially it was proposed the parish council should discuss the incident in secret by excluding the press and public, but it eventually decided the matter should be talked about in an open forum.

Both Miss Beer and her brother, Peter, who is chairman of the parish council, took no part in the meeting after declaring a personal interest in the matter.

Humphrey Todd, the council's vice-chairman, said: “On May 25 an incident occurred at the drop-in centre and it is alleged Miss Beer assaulted another lady.

“The police gave Miss Beer an informal warning, but are taking no further action.

“We have sought advice and have been informed it would not be appropriate for the parish council take any action unless the Standards Board for England indicate otherwise.”

Following the incident Great Cornard Parish Council suspended the bingo club from using the centre, but after a meeting with volunteers it has now agreed to let a new committee continue using the facility for the sessions.

Meanwhile, Ms Kirby has complained to the Standards Board for England about Miss Beer's conduct.

patrick.lowman@eadt.co.uk