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Breastfeeding mayor sues Trafford council

17/05/2007

A former mayor is suing her council after she was banned from using the civic car for a month because she liked to breastfeeding her son during working hours.

Dr Pauleen Lane, a councillor at Trafford Council and mayor between 2005 and 2006, told Salford county court how she was forced to use her own car on official engagements because the act of feeding her son offended male attendants.

For the first month of her role as mayor she was banned from using the official car and was only allowed to use for the rest of the year it when she paid an adult to accompany her on a journey.

She claims that her employers treated her unfairly and is suing Trafford council for sex discrimination – a charge the council denies.

The Bishop of Hulme, the Rt Rev Stephen Lowe, who observed a mayoral procession, told the court: "I watched the spectacle of Mrs Lane struggling to get herself, the baby and associated baby paraphernalia out of her little car as the two attendants ceremoniously removed the mayoral chain from the large civic vehicle."

Attendants have said they were concerned that they were being treated as nannies or babysitters.

The case is due to resume today and is expected to conclude next week.



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