‘I was gaslit by my own council’

Martin Shipton

A councillor claims he has been “gaslighted” by his own local authority after a bizarre incident in which the wrong council report was approved.

Bridgend Independent councillor Ian Williams says he was unfairly made to look foolish by the authority’s deputy Labour leader, Jane Gebbie, when he raised concerns at a council meeting about a report he said had been approved by the council’s cabinet the day before.

The report related to complaints and compliments about the authority’s Social Services and Wellbeing department.

He was told by Cllr Gebbie that he was wrong and that approval of the report had been deferred.

Cllr Williams and other members of the Bridgend County Independents group, to which he belongs, have made a video in which they use the incident as an example of how they claim the ruling Bridgend Labour group has “gaslit” local residents for decades.

A voiceover with an American accent states in the video: “We hear the term gaslighting used. But what does it mean? Gaslighting is a form of psychological manipulation where a person is made to question their own reality.”

An extract from the council meeting held on September 15 is then played, in which Cllr Gebbie states: “Cllr Williams, you are mistaken. This did not go through cabinet yesterday. In fact, we deferred our complaints and resolutions report because the wrong report had been appended to cabinet yesterday.”

The video then contains an extract from the cabinet meeting held the day before, when the social services representations and complaints annual report was considered. Cllr Gebbie is seen stating: “I am pleased to move this report and recommend approval of the social services representation and complaints annual report of 2025-26. This report demonstrates a strong commitment across the directorate …”

Cllr Williams told Nation.Cymru: “I’ve gone through the recording of the cabinet meeting and no reference was made to the wrong report being approved. I was made to look foolish and gaslit by the deputy leader. It’s disgraceful and I’m considering what action to take.”

Incorrect

A spokesperson for Bridgend council said: “The cabinet agenda for 14 September had an item on SSWB [Social Services and Wellbeing] Complaints and Compliments Annual Report.

“The decision record for this item is as follows: ‘That Cabinet approved the Annual Report attached as Appendix. However, later noted that this was the incorrect document. They therefore deferred consideration of the correct document to a future meeting.’

“Council considered the Social Services Annual Report on 15 September.

“This is a separate report from the SSWB Complaints and Compliments Annual Report.

“The wrong report had been appended to the Cabinet agenda item – once that was realised, the item was deferred to the next meeting.

“This was explained by the deputy leader at the council meeting, and the monitoring officer subsequently clarified the position with members who had queried it.”

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