‘I’ve never put the safeguarding of anyone at risk,’ says Hackney Mayor as he faces questions over disgraced former councillor

Tom Dewey at the election count in May 2022. Photograph: Julia Gregory

Hackney Mayor Philip Glanville faced his first public grilling about disgraced former Labour councillor Tom Dewey at a Town Hall meeting on 24 July.

Dewey pleaded guilty on 18 July to making five Category A indecent images of children, a further charge of making four Category B indecent images, as well as making 203 Category C indecent images of children. He also admitted possessing 78 extreme pornographic images of children and possessing 1,523 prohibited images of children.

The hearing took place a little over a year after Dewey’s resignation, just 10 days after he had been elected as a De Beauvoir councillor on 6 May 2022, left many onlookers scratching their heads.

Some Labour activists are angry that they spent time canvassing for the July by-election without knowing the reason for the resignation.

Green leader Zoë Garbett told the council meeting that she had “a duty to raise concerns of residents” who approached her group.

She has previously asked for an independent inquiry into the circumstances surrounding Dewey’s resignation and the subsequent by-election, in which the Green candidate finished second by just 27 votes.

Cllr Garbett had said: “An independent inquiry is needed to establish what the mayor, councillors and Hackney Labour knew about the circumstances surrounding Dewey’s resignation, and why Hackney residents were kept in the dark while they were voting in the council elections and the subsequent by-election in De Beauvoir.”

She said it was concerning that Dewey had attended the election count while under police investigation.

Mayor Philip Glanville has said: “I was not made aware of the police investigation until after the May 2022 elections when I was told by the council.”

The National Crime Agency contacted the council on 13 May regarding safeguarding concerns and it took legal advice. Dewey resigned as councillor on the following Monday, 16 May.

The London Labour party said it was told of the arrest by the council’s chief executive on 16 May and suspended Dewey, who also resigned as a party member.

Cllr Garbett said at the meeting: “Residents have the right to understand that process has been followed. This must include transparency in terms of how issues have been handled by the Labour Group and council – it is the council’s duty to be honest – or risk integrity.”

She added: “Which is why I invite the mayor to provide reassurance to residents that there will be an independent investigation to confirm who knew what and when, as well as what actions have been taken to safeguard and support the welfare of residents, officers and councillors – in light of the raid and arrest of ex-councillor Dewey – who has now pleaded guilty to very serious offences.”

Speaker Anya Sizer told Cllr Garbett her questioning was “inappropriate”.

In her speech, Cllr Garbett said: “As holders of public office, it is of the utmost importance that we conduct ourselves in line with the Seven Principles of Public Life (known as the Nolan Principles) – which include principles of accountability, openness and honesty.”

She explained: “We’ve heard the mayor speaking of the ‘safer’ commitment within his manifesto. This includes ensuring that safeguarding and welfare checks are carried out after any safeguarding situation. To not do so puts our community at risk, undermines this council’s commitment to the safety of residents and shatters credibility.”

In response, Mayor Glanville said: “The Nolan principles mean a huge amount to me. No action that I have ever taken as mayor has ever put the safeguarding of anyone, in this council or in our community or beyond, at risk. That’s all I am going to say on the matter.”

The Mayor previously told the LDRS that the charges against Dewey were “shocking and deeply disturbing”.

Dewey was arrested at home in Hackney on 29 April 2022 – just three working days before voters went to the polls in last May’s local council elections. According to electoral law, people can only withdraw as candidates up to 19 working days before an election.

Dewey is expected to be sentenced on 15 August.