CHESHIRE West and Chester Council leader Mike Jones says he ‘regrets’ calling two of his own ward members ‘d***heads’ during a public meeting.
Cllr Jones, who represents Tattenhall, made the offensive comment at the Barbour Institute on Tuesday night.
More than 50 residents had turned out for the meeting organised by Tattenhall Parish Council over plans by Redrow Homes to build up to 70 houses in the village on land at the rear of Harding Avenue.
Towards the end of the meeting residents wanted to ask questions of Mike Jones that were not relevant to the proposed development.
As a result parish council chairman Graham Spencer informed villagers they could ask Cllr Jones – sat at the back of the hall – questions once the meeting had finished.
At this point, Tattenhall resident of 40 years and former Sportsman’s Arms pub landlord Colin Oats, who sat next but one to Cllr Jones, said he heard the council leader respond saying he did not want to talk to ‘them d***heads’.
Mr Oats told the Chronicle: “I think it was disgusting.”
"I was very angry and I challenged him. I think his position is untenable."
Parish councillor Jonathan Kershaw added: "He has overstepped the line of decency."
It was unclear to councillors and residents who the offensive comment was aimed at, but in a statement issued yesterday Cllr Jones said it was directed at two unnamed individuals.
Cheshire West and Chester Council spokesman, Ian Callister, said: "The leader of the council regrets the expression used in connection with two individuals but felt he was being wrongly inveigled into a situation in which he would have been expected to discuss a current undetermined planning application with the applicant.
"This would have been highly inappropriate.
"The application concerned was not the subject of the meeting and has already been the subject of potentially defamatory allegations being removed from the council’s website."
