Ken Tranter, who was elected Hampshire county councillor for Aldershot South on May 7, wrote that he had spoken to police about “non white persons taking over the Municipal Gardens and the strong pervading smell of canabis [sic]”.
Tranter, an army veteran who served 29 years in the regular and Territorial Army and later became mayor of Dover between 2005 and 2006, said he had promised residents he would raise concerns about the park if elected, reported The Times.
In the post, he said police told him they were “aware” of the situation. He added: “I don’t want them to be aware, I want them to stop it and return the park to family use.”
The comments drew criticism from residents and campaign groups. Rushmoor Stand Up to Racism called the language “racist rhetoric”. Labour borough councillor Gaynor Austin described the comments as “disgraceful”.
Aldershot resident Kate Turner said the remarks showed “how little he knows about Aldershot and the vibrant mix of people who live here”.
After deleting the post, Tranter apologised and said: “Referring to the group by skin colour was a poor choice that I deeply regret.” He added: “Racism has no place in our community or in my politics, and I condemn it in all its forms.”
Hampshire county council said complaints against members would be dealt with under council procedures. The story was first reported by The Times.
