CITY of York Council Liberal Democrat leader Steve Galloway has been accused of bullying. It is a claim he strongly refutes.

Rightly, council chief executive David Atkinson has launched an investigation. This is a serious allegation which deserves proper scrutiny.

It is equally important that the complaint is dealt with swiftly. A prolonged procedure serves neither the accused or the accuser. In other areas of public life, we have seen how disciplinary inquiries have dragged on for months, even years, eroding natural justice. That must not be allowed to happen here.

Updated: 10:58 Tuesday, January 16, 2001