A MAN who handcuffed himself to the railings of The Guildhall in Chard said he was protesting against the town council’s “bullying culture”.

Andy Webb, who was arrested on Friday, January 19, added he was also calling on Chard Town Council to implement the recommendations highlighted in a report into allegations of bullying.

He “was arrested on suspicion of aggravated trespass” and “was later de-arrested,” Avon and Somerset Police said last week.

Chard & Ilminster News: Andy Webb in The Guildhall last Friday (January 19)Andy Webb in The Guildhall last Friday (January 19) (Image: Contributed)

Mr Webb spoke to the Chard and Ilminster News and said: “Everybody knows about the report [Rolley Report] that came out last year saying there was a bullying culture at Chard Town Council. Nothing has been done about it.

“Since then I was harassed in the streets, my wife has been harassed.

“On Friday I was harassed in town, and I just came to the idea I had to do something different and that’s why I handcuffed myself to the railings in The Guildhall.

“Many people in Chard have been harassed and bullied. They have taken it upon themselves to come after me because I have been reporting that these individuals are bullies.

“Those people have been elected for the community, but they are not building the community and people are suffering because of that. People should not live in fear.

“On Friday, people were coming up to me saying they experienced bullying.

“The Rolley Report suggested regulations that had to be implemented. None of them were.

“We are in the same place we were last year.

“Now it needs to go a little further than that. There needs to be a full report and it needs to include the public.”

A Chard Town Council spokesperson said: "We are unable to comment on the contents of the original report and the events that happened on Friday, January 19.

“Following the report, we can confirm that recommendations were made within it and that the council has implemented and completed the majority of these including adopting a new civility and respect policy for the council.

“Those recommendations that have not been completed have been started and will take time to complete, this includes qualifications for staff that take over 12 months to complete.

“This has been actioned by resolutions made at council meetings during 2023 and documented in minutes of these meetings.”

The Rolley Report was commissioned last year was commissioned in October 2022 to “investigate current and historical working processes” at the council, with the councillors noting that “a change in the organisational and behavioural culture” may be needed.

Chris Rolley, who runs a Sussex-based consultancy firm, interviewed a large number of past and present employees as well as councillors – though some declined to take part, which he described as “disappointing”.

Mr Rolley noted the council had a “chequered” history, having had seven clerks (including locum and temporary appointments) since 2015 – three of which had left under some form of settlement agreement.

This high turnover of staff led to the council being seen as “a toxic, confrontational environment, with the same councillors consistently identified as being central to the relationship difficulties”.