Councillor accused of falling asleep calls anonymous social media account ‘cowardly’

Richard Evans – Local democracy reporter

A councillor, accused of falling asleep during a council meeting, insisted she had closed her eyes to “rest them”.

Towyn councillor Bernice McLoughlin was seen closing her eyes and tilting her head back during a Conwy County Council education and skills overview and scrutiny committee meeting last week.

The webcast footage of the meeting in Coed Pella, Colwyn Bay last Tuesday, was posted on an anonymous social media account.

Cllr McLoughlin, who attended the meeting remotely, said it was “cowardly” to post the footage on an anonymous account.

The committee was discussing the potential of a consultation to consider the closure of Ysbyty Ifan. Around 45 minutes into the debate, Cllr McLoughlin is seen closing her eyes for several minutes with her head resting on her hand.

The Towyn councillor, who is waiting for cataract surgery, said she was just resting her eyes at home as a viewer of the hybrid meeting.

Cllr McLoughlin, who also wears glasses, says her eyes were strained as she had been switching between looking at the meeting on her iPad and viewing the minutes on her laptop.

“I admit that in council meetings, I will sit back and close my eyes, just to rest them,” she said. “It doesn’t mean I’m not present mentally in the meeting, and whoever has put it on social media anonymously is cowardly, and I’m surprised at how little traction it got.”

She added: “I’m surprised by the amount of support I have had from constituents and other councillors, some of which I expected and some I didn’t.”

Cllr McLoughlin doesn’t sit on the education and skills committee, and her attendance at the meeting wasn’t compulsory.