A SENIOR councillor is facing a formal allegation of misogyny from a fellow elected member after a complaint was lodged about his conduct during a recent Municipal Buildings meeting.

An official complaint has been lodged against former local authority deputy leader Jim Clocherty by independent councillor Lynne Quinn, in the wake of the stormy meeting which saw a controversial tax rise approved.

Councillor Quinn has described it as a ‘misogynistic and hostile’ environment and highlighted how she was told to sit down by Councillor Clocherty at one point during it.

She has now also claimed that Mr Clocherty 'wolf whistled' at her in 2018.

Greenock Telegraph: Inverclyde Councillor Lynne Quinn.

Councillor Quinn said: “I apologise to the people of Inverclyde for yet another negative story about our area.

“As a new female councillor, some of the behaviours within the council were a shock. Society had moved on, the council hadn’t. 

“Following the appalling behaviour of Jim Clocherty at last week’s budget meeting I submitted a formal complaint. 

“This demonstrated a pattern of behaviour. 

“In 2018, I reported Councillor Clocherty for wolf whistling at me in the Grand Corridor in front of the previous chief executive.

“I wanted this to be dealt with internally without any public embarrassment.

“The options available to the council were limited. 

“Reporting it externally wasn’t something that I felt strong enough to do, I feared public exposure and the attack on my character that may follow.

“The disrespect at last week’s meeting was a turning point for me. 

“I needed to act, this was no longer just about me. 

“He was censoring the public, using his position to disrespect women. 

“As the [council] Women’s Champion I have a voice, I must use it, for all the women who don’t.   

“These behaviours don’t just stop at the council chambers, they ripple right into our communities. 

“We can’t move forward when the behaviours and outlook of some elected representatives are stuck in a past. 

“The incident was known to many within his party, they did nothing.”

Greenock Telegraph:

In response to the allegations about his conduct, Mr Clocherty firmly denied the claim that his behaviour at the meeting had been misogynistic.

He said: “I would say it clearly wasn’t, if there has been a complaint put in against me, it will be viewed independently, and they’ll judge it and I’m sure I’ll be vindicated in that.

“People have got to look at the context of the budget meeting and what I had seen as an orchestrated event by Lynne Quinn and the SNP members.

“Yes, I was angry, but would I have done the same if it was a male member? Yes of course I would have.

“We have to be very careful about calling things misogynist and quite clearly, I don’t think there’ll be a case to answer for.

“I’m sure I’ll be vindicated.”

An Inverclyde Council spokesperson said: “A complaint was received and will be considered in line with our processes and procedures.”