CHESHIRE East Council has reaffirmed its commitment to combating workplace bullying.

The authority, itself, has suffered from allegations of bullying behaviour in the past and a Local Government Association (LGA) report revealed nearly a quarter of its staff had witnessed the problem in the workplace.

The commitment was made at Wednesday's full council meeting when a motion proposed by Middlewich councillor Jonathan Parry won unanimous support.

It said: "We are committed to providing a caring, friendly, tolerant and safe environment for all of our communities so they can participate in positive work, learning, social activity and enjoy a happy retirement.

"Bullying of any kind is unacceptable for anyone here in Cheshire East."

Conservative deputy leader Cllr Stewart Gardiner said: "We all have to be aware of the fact that bullies lurk among us.

"The best use a look or a comment. We all need to be mindful that we have to behave in an appropriate manner."

Cllr Gardiner then went on to accuse the council's Labour leader Cllr Sam Corcoran of bullying when responding to another Conservative member on active travel in Sandbach.

Cllr Mike Benson claimed that he had not received any communications on the town's active travel scheme aside from one map — which Cllr Corcoran dismissed.

Chair Cllr Barry Burkhill acknowledged Cllr Gardiner's comments, but moved on.

In 2018, the LGA report showed 24 per cent of Cheshire East staff had seen examples of workplace bullying during the second half of 2017.

But Cllr Corcoran said that since then a 'health check' in the early part of this year showed that "things have improved in the LGA's eyes".