Mutton resigns from cabinet role after 'breaking Covid quarantine rules'

The Labour councillor said the "honourable" thing to do was stand down



A senior councillor for Coventry City Council has resigned after reportedly breaching coronavirus quarantine rules.

Cllr John Mutton stepped down from his position as cabinet member for finance and resources this evening (October 6).

The Binley and Willenhall councillor is understood to have returned from a holiday in France on Saturday and failed to follow quarantine rules.

He reportedly left self-isolation to visit the hospital and Council House on Monday (October 6).

France is on the list of countries the government advises against visiting, but those who do must self-isolate for 14 days upon return.

Anyone in breach of the measure is liable for fines ranging from £1,000 to £3,200.

Cllr Mutton (Labour) was visited by West Midlands Police following the breach after he was reported by council Chief Executive Martin Reeves.

Announcing his resignation from cabinet in an email to council leader Cllr George Duggins, Cllr Mutton said he was “well aware” of the quarantine rules but understood pre-booked hospital appointments were an “exemption”.

He added: “I attended my hospital appointment and thought that it would be acceptable to call into the Council House to pick up some papers that I needed.

"During the five to ten minutes that I was in the Council House, I observed social distancing and wore a face mask at all times.

“Later that afternoon, I had a meeting, online, with the Chief Executive who informed me that I should not have entered the Council House and that he was going to report me to the police for breaching the quarantine rules.

"The police visited me at home and said that the quarantine rules around medical appointments were confusing and advised me that the only way to not fall foul of them was to now stay at home.

“However, not understanding the rules is not an excuse for falling foul of them, and unlike Dominic Cummings, I believe that if you break the rules then you have to accept the responsibility and the buck stops with me.

“I have enjoyed working with you for all of these years and working on behalf of the Labour group and the city of Coventry as a whole, but feel that the only honourable way forward for me now is to resign my position as cabinet member for finance and resources.”

“Later that afternoon, I had a meeting, online, with the Chief Executive who informed me that I should not have entered the Council House and that he was going to report me to the police for breaching the quarantine rules."

Methinks there's more to this?

I'm with you Dutchman.

Mutton certainly lived up to his name this time. I hope he gets the book thrown at him.

The Tory group must be pissing themselves laughing?

It seems such a silly thing to do. I don't believe Mutton's that thick.

I can't help but wonder if we're about to get some bad news about council finances?

I am not condoning what he did but what about all the illegal immigrants that are entering this country undectected not isolating or tested and what about the coach loads that was entering this country on the last lock down and people flying in from all around the world not being tested but free to rome while we were on lock down.

Also all the immigrants trying to claim assylum put up in our hotels like the Royal Court who took them in were they all tested and isolated ? as when on you tube Nigel Farage visiting these hotels around the UK they all seem to be walking round out side. If they have been tested why above our own people living here that are not being tested.

As I ve said prior if we were nt so densely over populated here in Britain we would nt need to have so many lock downs but then they never learn from history do they when living on top of each other how diseases spread more quickly. Covid 19 is 24th killer disease we have here you can check this fact out on here .

Starting at 10.18. John from Essex a doctor.

Coventry police statement over quarantine-breach councillor

Chief Superintendent Mike O’Hara said: “We received a call on Monday evening (October 5) from someone reporting a breach of Covid-19 quarantine regulations against a man who’d returned from a holiday in France.

“Officers visited the man’s home address where he admitted the breach.

“After considering the circumstances the man was warned about his actions and told he most isolate at home for the full 14-day period.

“Coventry’s infection rates are rising and we face a difficult task policing Covid restrictions.

“These are unwelcome duties as we face the pandemic.

“Our style has been to support the public in facing these difficult challenges. We’re continuing to engage, educate and encourage people to follow coronavirus laws, but we won’t hesitate to fine people who don’t listen and continually flout these restrictions, which are in place to protect the health and wellbeing of the community.”

Anyone like to bet that if I did this I'd be publicly named and shamed and fined to the maximum?

This is already beginning to smell!

[Melisandre]

Anyone like to bet that if I did this I'd be publicly named and shamed and fined to the maximum?

This is already beginning to smell!

Your so right Rebbonk 4 men was recently thrown in jail for braking the rules going to the Isle of Wight yet a Scottish minister travelled back to Scotland recently went to parliament knowing she had tested positive for covid yet nothing was done she has even refused to resign.

Last edited by Melisandre on Fri Oct 09, 2020 4:17 pm, edited 1 time in total.

New cabinet member in charge of Coventry council's finances



A new man in charge of finances at Coventry City Council has been named after the resignation of the previous incumbent due to a Covid rule breach.

Cllr Richard Brown has been named as the ruling Labour group’s new cabinet member for strategic finance and resources.

He succeeds Cllr John Mutton who resigned from the post earlier this week after he was reported to the police by the council’s Chief Executive Martin Reeves for failing to quarantine after a trip to France.

Cllr Brown – who has represented the Cheylesmore ward since 2014 – previously served as chair of the scrutiny co-ordination committee, and was a member of finance and corporate services scrutiny board and a former chair of the planning committee.