Notice of a Decision of a meeting of the Standards Sub-Committee held in the Ceres Suite, Worksop Town Hall, on Thursday 23rd October 2025.
The Sub-Committee convened to consider a complaint made by Councillor Jonathan Slater that Councillor Fraser McFarland breached the Council’s Members Code of Conduct in that on 26 November 2024 he made inaccurate, false and misleading statements during an interview with GB New’s Martin Daubney, which was broadcast live on GB News on that date.
The complaint was investigated by an investigator appointed by the Council, Ms Kirsty Cole of Messrs Bevan Brittan LLP, Solicitors.
Before the Sub-Committee Councillor McFarland did not dispute he made the statements complained of but stated that when he made them he honestly believed them to be true.
After (i) considering Ms Cole’s report; (ii) hearing the interview between Councillor McFarland and Mr Daubney; (iii) hearing evidence from Ms Cole and Councillor McFarland; and (iv) after consulting the Council’s Independent Person:
Decision
The Sub-Committee decided that Councillor McFarland did not breach the Code.
In summary, the reason for the Sub-Committee’s decision was that it was satisfied on the balance of probabilities that when Councillor McFarland made the statements complained of he honestly believed them to be true.
Luke Ridge,
Deputy Monitoring Officer.
Last Updated on Friday, October 24, 2025