Balderton councillor says he would feel safer in a warzone some days after Newark tree protesters 'hurl abuse' at him in London Road carpark

A Balderton councillor says some days he would feel safer in a warzone than as an elected individual.

Johno Lee, who lost his leg after an IED blast in Afghanistan, made the comment at a county council committee after an incident in which he said he was abused by tree protesters in Newark's London Road carpark.

"In three days time it will be 14 years to the day that I was blown up in Afghanistan and some days I feel safer in a warzone than I do as an elected individual," he said.

"Since I was elected as a district councillor and then a county councillor; I've been assaulted twice, harassed and had to get the police involved due to two people stalking me.

"Only on Monday I left the chamber to go to park in Newark town centre where the cinema is and I was harassed, shouted and hurled abuse at by protesters who are protesting trees (due to be felled) in Newark (for a carpark extension).

"I completely fight for their rights to protest but they were abusing council staff members — I will not endorse that."

Mr Lee said he welcomed the roll-out of the Peoplesafe Lone Worker app being endorsed following the death of MP Sir David Amess.

"(In recent times), we've now had two Members of Parliament that have been murdered," he said.

"I'm sure if you speak to elected members across Nottinghamshire, each individual would have stories like mine. We need to do more.

"It's really sad when we see people being murdered and we will find less and less people wanting to sit in these chairs.

"I do welcome the app I would be more than willing to have a conversation with a councillor who doesn't want to download the app, because trust me, when you're laying there dying after a terrorist tried killing you — you will think again.

The meeting heard health and safety officers at Nottinghamshire County Council had recently liaised with police, specifically the Counter Terrorism Security Advisors (CTSAs), to establish lines of communication to enable appropriate action to be taken in the event of any specific or elevated threat to elected members. The general message at present is to remain vigilant.

Members have also been given access to personal safety and beyond conflict resolution seminars.