South Warwickshire councillor could find himself in trouble for his comment about the Jewish secret service during a meeting

A south Warwickshire councillor could find himself in trouble after suggesting that a local government computer system sounded like a Jewish secret service.

Stratford district councillor John Fielding, who represents some villages south of Southam in the Red Horse ward, made the comments during a meeting of the district council’s overview and scrutiny committee yesterday (Wednesday).

In discussions surrounding how advice and financial support were given to disabled residents in Warwickshire, he questioned some of terminology used in a report.

The Conservative councillor, who had the Tory whip temporarily withdrawn following an investigation into sexist behaviour in 2019, asked: “What is MOSAIC? It sounds like a Jewish secret service.”

Cllr Penny-Anne O’Donnell (Con Ettington), who was chairing the meeting, immediately asked him to rephrase the question. She said: “Cllr Fielding, I think we have to be very careful how we are describing words. I don’t know if you want to retract that.”

Cllr Fielding did retract his comment but said there were too many phrases like that which he didn’t understand. An officer then explained that MOSAIC was the county council’s customer relationship management system for social care.

Towards the end of the meeting Cllr Fielding apologised if he had upset anyone with his earlier comments but the matter is likely to go further.

Cllr Sarah Whalley-Hoggins (Con, Brailes and Compton) said: “In reference to Cllr Fielding’s comments and the apology that he has issued, I would like to say this - Cllr Fielding, your apology will have been accepted here but that does not mean to say that your words are acceptable and that they do not go unsaid and I will be taking this up further myself. I was deeply offended.”

Cllr Rolfe (Lib Dem, Tiddington) said that she would also be taking the matter further and committee chairman Cllr O’Donnell added: “Words obviously carry weight and meaning and as members of a committee - especially overview and scrutiny - we must be tempered and considerate within our language.”

In 2019, Cllr Fielding was ordered to make a written apology to council staff following an investigation into alleged sexist behaviour in the authority.

A report revealed that there had been complaints that he had made remarks including sexual innuendo to female staff, invaded the personal space of female staff members, stroked a female officer’s neck and informed a female staff member about a sensitive issue regarding his own sexual health.

The investigation followed complaints made by former executive director Isabel Edgar Briançon.