Councillor said disabled children should be 'put down': VOTE IN OUR POLL (From This is The West Country)

Councillor said disabled children should be 'put down': VOTE IN OUR POLL

10:59am Wednesday 27th February 2013 in Devon

A Cornwall Councillor has been kicked out of the independent group at County Hall over his comment that disabled children "should be put down".

For the latest click here: Children's services chief calls 'put down' disabled children comment 'cruel and ignorant'

While Collin Brewer has apologised over the incident in 2011, he has refused to stand down, saying he considers he is doing a good job.

The comment, made to a volunteer from Disability Cornwall, has led to a chorus of people calling for him to resign his seat.

Theresa Court, advice services manager at Disability Cornwall, said she remembered Mr Brewer asking what the stall was about and after she explained to him about the parent partnership service he said disabled children should be put down.

He said they cost the council too much money.

Mrs Court said the comments made her feel physically sick.

The charity complained to Cornwall Council and the Standards Committee investigated, before telling Mr Brewer to make a formal written apology to the charity.

The letter read: “I am writing to offer my wholehearted apology for the offence these remarks have clearly caused.

"While I meant no offence by my remarks to you I can see, in retrospect, that they were ill-judged and insensitive and should not have been made at all."

Independent group leader John Wood has said he did not hesitate over the decision to show Mr Brewer the door and that he had the support of the other senior members of the group.

He added that he felt Mr Brewer should stand down as a councillor.

A spokesman for the charity Scope said: “Comments such as this have absolutely no place in modern society and should be consigned to the history books.

“To hear such an ill-judged and insensitive statement from a councillor is deeply disturbing and demonstrates that they are clearly not fit for office.

“Sadly hostility such as this is not uncommon for many disabled people and it is thoughtless comments like this that make it even harder for them to overcome the multiple barriers they face and live their lives just like everyone else.”