Bungling councillor β like Perkins, ultimately (5)
I believe the answer is:
crass
'bungling' is the definition.
(both can mean insensitive or clumsy)
'councillor like perkins ultimately' is the wordplay.
'councillor' becomes 'cr' (abbreviation).
'like' becomes 'as'.
'ultimately' suggests the final letters.
The last letter of 'perkins' is 's'.
'cr'+'as'+'s'='CRASS'
(Other definitions for crass that I've seen before include "Coarse" , "Totally lacking in sensibility" , "'Gross, vulgar (5)'" , "Insensitively stupid" , "Blundering" .)