A COUNCILLOR under fire for allegedly cracking a racist joke about pole dancers wondered today what all the fuss was about.

Councillor Kit Owen made the remark to a meeting of Fenland District Council last night as he introduced a new policy on licensing lap clubs.

“I was going to talk about pole dancers but apparently they have all gone back to Warsaw,” quipped the portfolio holder as he asked for the 22 page report to be approved.

But now two fellow councillors plan to report him to the standards committee for his light hearted jibe.

Lib Dem Dave Patrick said: “That is racist. I do not consider that to be appropriate at a public meeting at all. What would a Polish person have thought if they’d have been sat in the meeting?

“Cllr Owen should know how to behave.”

Cllr Owen felt the issue was being blown out of proportion.

“I’m not as good as Jeremy Clarkson but it was a joke,” he said. “If Cllr Patrick can’t get that he’s got a problem.”

Independent Virginia Bucknor said: “As far as I’m concerned Cllr Owen is a legend in his own mind.

“When he said it my eyes met with council leader Alan Melton’s and we both just looked up in horror. I found it so embarrassing.

“I don’t understand why so many of his remarks, which are invariably offensive, rude, sexist and racist, are just accepted by people.

“I think he likes to try and emulate the style of Cllr Melton but he can’t do that.

“It was typical Kit - no depth of thought, trying to be witty and not succeeding. I didn’t like it. It was rude and ill-considered.”

*Councillors approved new legislation entitled ‘The Licensing of Sex Establishments and Sexual Entertainment Venues’.