MISTAKES were made over the saga of disgraced former Worcestershire County Council leader Dr George Lord, chief executive Trish Haines has admitted.

Mrs Haines also said she felt sympathy for the father of one of jailed Lord’s victims: “If this would have been my daughter, I would have said exactly the same thing.”

Her comments came during a two-hour debate at County Hall over the behaviour of the 79-year-old, where new details emerged about his attitude towards female staff.

During one incident in 2010 he led one female worker away from her desk holding hands and directed her to the member’s lounge to “show her around”, which led to Mrs Haines being informed.

Another target of his unwanted attention had to block Lord’s number from her mobile phone to avoid him contacting her.

Lord is now serving four years in jail for groping a 19-year-old worker at County Hall in 2010, and indecently assaulting a teenage girl in the 1970s.

The father of the 19-year-old has since said bosses failed to support her properly.

Mrs Haines and Councillor Adrian Hardman, who replaced Lord as the leader of the council, were grilled during a meeting of the overview and performances scrutiny board (OSPB) yesterday.

She said: “When I read those comments, that we had failed his daughter, I took them very seriously.

“I was shocked because we were offering her a full package of support, which is still ongoing.

“But I absolutely understand why her father made these comments, if this would have been my daughter I would have said exactly the same thing.

“We were all shocked at the allegations that were being made – I as chief executive felt personally responsible and was very aware of the impact it could have on this young woman.”

Councillor Tom Wells, chairman of the board, said: “In those precious hours that followed the complaint, do you honestly feel the council did everything it could?”

She replied: “No, we made a number of mistakes, I won’t pretend we did everything properly.”

She also said her “biggest regret” was the council not communicating enough with the victim in the days after the assault, a criticism made in an independent report which otherwide said the council had dealt with the matter well.

Coun Hardman also defended himself, saying he “acted with speed” on something he found “completely distasteful”, and that he continues to “apologise unreservedly” for earlier comments claiming the matter would not have seen the light of day 30 years ago.

At the start of the meeting a written statement was circulated on behalf of Lord’s first victim from the 1970s, saying she rejected the apology.

The OSPB is to produce a new report in the summer outlining new recommendations for improving the council’s channels of communication between departments.

Submissions by Lord's 1970s victim

AS for some comments made in the press by some members of the county council, I wish to say I found them extremely upsetting and hurtful.

I note George Lord was referred to as a brilliant politician and very able man who has done a lot of good things for the people of Worcestershire.

Is that supposed to be some sort of excuse for his behaviour? I have achieved a lot in my career and have done a lot of good things for the people of Worcestershire, but I wouldn’t argue this entitles me to demand he has a longer sentence.

Can some people not see that because he was in a position of responsibility and trust, this makes his crimes worse?

I am sorry, but I do not accept Councillor Hardman’s apology for his insensitive comments.

The apology only emerged after the independent investigation – does he think members of the public are complete idiots?

My view is that if he is genuinely remorseful, the apology would have come when it was pointed out how innapropriate his remarks were. As for Trish Haines, I read she said the sentencing of Lord draws a line under “a difficult matter” for the council.

I wonder if she thought for one minute how that comment makes me and other victims feel when we have to live with what happened for the rest of our lives?

I can understand that these people may have been very taken in by Lord, he was a very manipulative person, but I feel when the full facts emerged they should have behaved at the level of public responsibility they are paid for.

They should have accepted that they too were manipulated, taken in and they should have shown full support to the victim instead of offering support to him by offering him resignation instead of disciplinary action.

I would like to thank the more genuine members of the council who publicly extended their sympathies towards the victims.

I got a feeling they were genuinely upset for myself and other victims and knew there was more to come.