Portland Town Councillor Resigns While Under Investigation

Scott Horton has resigned from Portland Town Council, just six months after being elected.

Confirmation of an investigation emerged after Mr Horton stepped down and publicly criticised authorities and what he described as “anonymous individuals.” In his resignation statement, he also referred to codes of conduct. As he has now resigned from his position, the investigation cannot proceed.

Mr Horton had been elected to represent the Tophill East ward as an Independent for Dorset candidate, although he was no longer part of the group at the time of his resignation.

In 2025, he faced criticism after posting comments on Facebook that were described as “shocking and hurtful.” The post criticised King Charles III for visiting an LGBT Armed Forces memorial at the National Memorial Arboretum.

Portland Town Council said no reason was formally given for his resignation. However, in a statement shared on social media, Mr Horton said: “I am a leader, not a follower and do not tolerate fools gladly. As for codes of conduct I have my own and very high standards so it’s not a weapon that can be used against me just personal issues and groundless complaints from anonymous individuals.”

He also criticised Dorset Council, describing it as “sad” that the authority “control Portland and Portland Town Council with their far left and even a distorted green agenda.”

Dorset Council provided a statement through Jonathan Mair, Director of Legal and Democratic Services. He said he was surprised by the reasons Mr Horton gave for his resignation and emphasised that communities expect councillors to uphold high standards of conduct.

Mr Mair explained that councillors sign a declaration of acceptance of office agreeing to follow their council’s code of conduct. Complaints about potential breaches are submitted to Dorset Council, which decides whether to investigate after consulting an independent person from outside the authority.

He added that complaints usually remain confidential until a public hearing takes place. However, Mr Horton’s statement effectively confirmed that he was the subject of a misconduct complaint being investigated by Dorset Council.

Mr Mair also noted that under current national rules, if a councillor resigns during an investigation, the council loses jurisdiction and cannot continue the process.