A mayor, who was forced to travel separately from the civic limousine afforded to her position for official engagements, has been awarded damages from the council that banned her from breastfeeding in the car.
Reported by the Times, Dr Pauleen Lane successfully sued Trafford Council in Greater Manchester for sexual discrimination, claiming that she would not have received such treatment had she been a male mayor.
Dr Lane was reportedly ordered to follow the council limousine carrying the mayor’s chain of office and two attendants in her own vehicle so that she could breastfeed her two-month-old son.
According to the report, the court was told that some staff did not want to be seen as ‘babysitters’ and disapproved of her breastfeeding her son on mayoral duties.
Dr Lane was awarded £7,000 for damages while the council was ordered to pay legal costs, estimated at up to £170,000.
The lady mayor gave birth two months before she took up the position in June 2005, and decided to breastfeed her son for the first 12 months.
