Former town councillor facing bullying allegation

Richard Evans Local Democracy Reporter

A former town councillor sent “unpleasant” messages to a female colleague and indicated he would “expose her alleged wrongdoing” if she failed to resign, an investigation found.

The Public Services Ombudsman for Wales launched an investigation after receiving a complaint of “bullying and harassment” at Llandudno Town Council.

The Ombudsman said communitication had been sent to and about the complainant via “letter, texts, and on social media.”

The complaint was ultimately dropped by the Ombudsman when considering the “personal circumstances” of the former town council member, who was not named.

Consequently, Conwy County Council’s standard’s committee was not involved.

Statement

A statement posted on the Ombudsman’s website read: “It was alleged that the former member of Llandudno Town Council (“the Council”) had bullied and harassed the complainant, a fellow colleague, and that he also failed to treat her with respect, and had acted in a way which brought his office as (a) member, and the local authority into disrepute.

“We found that the former member had sent some unpleasant communications by letter, texts, and on social media to/about the complainant.

“He indicated that if she did not resign from her position on (the) council, he would expose her alleged wrongdoing publicly.

“When the complainant did not resign, he continued to write and post about his concerns on social media.

“While he did not name the complainant on social media, it was clear that his posts related to her, and they caused considerable upset and worry to the complainant.”

“Suggestive”

The statement concluded: “We found that the former member’s behaviour was suggestive of breaches of the code (of conduct).

“While such matters would ordinarily be referred to the local authority’s standards committee to determine any breaches and sanction, on this occasion, given the particular personal circumstances of the former member, we decided it was [sic] not be in the public interest to pursue matters further.”

Llandudno Town Council was contacted for a comment.