A longtime CEO has resigned after posting a tweet expressing surprise that a Conservative voter could show “compassion and empathy”.
Steven Pleasant, the head of Tameside’s board at Greater Manchester, commented on a member of the audience at BBC Question Time ahead of last month’s local election.
In the now deleted post sent from her work account, @tmbc_chiefexec, she wrote, “She was good. Voting Tory with compassion and empathy for others. Who knew!”
Pleasant, who has run the town hall since 2009, was also the rector of the authority and oversaw the May 5 local elections, despite anger from area conservatives.
His tweet was due to be discussed at a special council plenary on June 14, but Pleasant announced in advance that he would resign.
Pleasant apologized a few days later, saying the post “was not taken into account” and that “it should have expressed any sentiment very differently.”
However, a report from the council concluded that it had breached the statutory advertising code of local authorities, in which officials must remain strictly impartial.
Tameside Surveillance Officer Sandra Stewart’s report stated: “A politically restricted officer, such as a pre-eminent statutory official, should not speak publicly in a manner that appears to be intended to affect public support for a political party. ”
The report said that non-compliance was exacerbated by his “proximity” to the local elections six weeks later, which Pleasant went on to run as director of the convocation, but concluded that “no further action was needed.”
However, Pleasant resigned on Wednesday in a letter to councilors, MPs and council staff.
He said it had been “a privilege” to serve as CEO and cited “many achievements” such as the authority that was voted Council of the Year and the NHS Tameside group of clinical commissioners, and Glossop was described as “exceptional”.
Pleasant was paid £ 220,000 a year, including pension contributions, to run utilities for the area of about 225,000 people near Manchester. His salary is in line with the chief executives of many other major local authorities, but in excess of the Prime Minister’s £ 164,000 a year.
Gerald Cooney, the Labor leader of the council, said Pleasant had been a “great server for Tameside and the local NHS”.
Pleasant and Tameside have been contacted for comment.