A COUNCILLOR has been found guilty of bringing Bolton Council into disrepute by making a racist remark.

Cllr Ray Barrow was condemned by ethics watchdog, The Standards Board for England, which polices the behaviour of councillors.

The board ruled the Tory councillor's comments, reported by another councillor who overheard them at a housing seminar, were "offensive." Blackrod Cllr Barrow was heard telling other councillors during a lunchtime discussion about the allocation of carnival funding: "I wonder what would be the case if the people running the carnival had brown faces."

But no further action will be taken against Cllr Barrow because of a loophole in the system.

His words were not considered serious enough to refer to a national Administration Panel, which has the power to disqualify councillors from office for a fixed period of up to five years.

But his case could not be passed back to the council's own standards committee because regulations governing this procedure have not yet been drafted.

Cllr Barrow does not deny the words he used but maintains that they were not racist.

But members of a Standards Board panel disagreed. Their published case summary said: "Cllr Barrow made an explicit reference to the preferential treatment of one racial group over another...such a comment demonstrated a lack of understanding and judgement what constitutes a racist comment.

"The Ethical Standards Officer concluded that Cllr Barrow's comment brought his office and authority into disrepute."

Cllr Barrow said: "I still do not consider it a racist remark. It has been a stressful time for me since the allegation was made and I am just glad it is over now. I have no further comment to make about what the Standards Board said."

Tonge Labour councillor Elaine Sherrington, who made the original complaint against Cllr Barrow, welcomed the Standards Board finding against him and called on him to demonstrate better racial understanding.

She said: "I took great exception to what he said. I thought it was not a wise comment to come out with."

Today Bolton Council chiefs were reluctant to discuss the case. Council leader Cllr Bob Howarth said he would not comment on the case until he had read the full adjudication.

A Council spokesman said: "We are aware of the complaint and the outcome and decision of the board has been noted."

Cllr Ebrahim Adia, who represents Derby ward, said: "I'd be hesitant to comment on a fellow councillor. If the Standards Board has already come to a judgement I'd rather not elaborate on it."

Tory group leader Cllr Norman Critchley was unavailable for comment.

No one from Bolton Council for Racial Equality was contactable to speak about the case because its office was closed for Eid.

It is understood all councillors who were present at the housing seminar last July when Cllr Barrow made his remarks were interviewed for their version of events before the six-month long investigation was concluded.

A full version of the Standards Board for England ruling can be found on its website at www.standardsboard.co.uk under case summaries.