An anonymous letter has been sent to Derby City Council, but Cllr Phil Ingall says it ‘holds no credibility’
Councillor Phil Ingall, taken as he became the city’s first independent councillor(Image: Derby Telegraph)
Several employees at a Derby supermarket where a city councillor was banned have allegedly written to the city council, asking if the authority intends to carry out an investigation.
Councillor Phil Ingall, who is also Derby’s deputy mayor this year, previously told Derbyshire Live that the supermarket mistake – which he says was corrected immediately after it was pointed out to him – has left him “embarrassed” and “shocked” and all he wants to do is “forget the whole thing”.
But the anonymous letter, allegedly from the Sainsbury’s employees to city councillors, about the situation, makes other claims about the incident and also expresses their frustration that “contractual obligations” prevent them from “discussing incidents that occur within the store”.
The letter says: “We believe that the council has an obligation to ensure transparency and accountability when serious concerns arise involving any individual in civic office.”
They are asking the council to clarify “whether any internal review or standards process has been initiated”.
It is understood that members of the public have also written to the city council expressing their concerns.
Earlier this week, Cllr Ingall, who represents Chellaston and Shelton Lock as an independent councillor, told Derbyshire Live that he had been shopping in Sainsbury’s in Osmaston Park Road towards the end of August or the beginning of September and had been through the self-scanning check-out.
He said: “As I was about to leave, a security person stopped me and said I hadn’t paid for everything, and when I realised I hadn’t, I went straight back to the check-out and paid for everything. It was a mistake that, when pointed out to me, was corrected immediately.
“As I went to leave the store, the security person told me I was banned from the store. I was in so much shock from the incident that I just couldn’t believe it.
“I am acutely embarrassed by the situation. I haven’t been back to the store to discuss the situation. I really want to forget about the whole thing. It was a mistake. I have been so upset about the whole thing and just want it to go away.”
Derbyshire Live asked Mr Ingall about the letter, and he said: “I have been made aware of a letter that has been circulated to group leaders and its contents.
“An anonymous letter holds no credibility and clearly could have been written and delivered by anyone.”
Derbyshire police have confirmed that they have not been involved in any incident concerning Mr Ingall and Sainsbury’s – and a Sainsbury’s spokesman previously said that the company did not discuss individual cases.
Derbyshire Live has approached the city council to ask how it is planning to react to any letters it has received and if it will investigate.
A Derby City Council spokesperson said: “The council maintains robust procedures for investigating alleged breaches of the Councillors’ Code of Conduct, which applies when councillors are undertaking their official duties.
“However, local authorities hold no legal powers to investigate the private conduct of elected members.”
Mr Ingall, who is likely to become the city’s mayor next May, was originally a Conservative councillor but was deselected in 2017 by the group.
He lost his seat in 2018 but made a comeback as the city council’s first independent councillor when he took a seat in the Chellaston ward from Tory cabinet member Alan Grimadell.
