Labour councillor quits after being told to attend meeting instead of cancer appointment

Twm Owen, Local Democracy Reporter

A Welsh Labour councillor has resigned after claiming she was told to attend a council meeting rather than attend a cancer appointment.

Cllr Sue Riley quit her council’s Labour group last week over bullying claims and said a complaint she’d made to the party hasn’t been acknowledged.

She said: “I found it intolerable that I was told to cancel an essential medical appointment in order to attend a council meeting. This I found totally unacceptable and have been asking for redress, which has not been properly forthcoming.”

Monmouthshire council’s Labour whip, Cllr Steven Garratt, said he had asked Cllr Riley if she could change the appointment which clashed with the council’s budget meeting in March 2025. The Labour-led cabinet’s budget passed due to a “pairing” arrangement with an opposition councillor missing the vote to make up for Cllr Riley’s absence.

Cllr Riley remains the Monmouthshire County Councillor for Chepstow’s Bulwark and Thornwell ward but her resignation from the Labour group has left the party’s leadership of the council in a perilous position as it only has 21 of the 46 seats.

The councillor attended the council’s annual general meeting, in May, where she voted as part of the Labour group for Mary Ann Brocklesby to continue as council leader, which was approved by just one vote, but resigned the following week.

She said though members were aware of her intention to leave the group no formal attempts were made to persuade her to remain within it, leading her to switch to the Independent Group.

She said: “I don’t countenance bullying and I have done everything I can to address what I feel is unfairness and bullying and after a year of trying to get it addressed I have decided enough is enough.”

Asked if she held Labour group leader, Cllr Brocklesby responsible, the councillor said she did and said: “It is either very poor leadership or it is the leadership.”

Missing meetings

The councillor, who was diagnosed with a stage four cancer three years ago, said she had made the group aware she had appointments at the Velindre cancer hospital, in Cardiff, that could only take place on Thursdays meaning they would clash with the monthly full council meetings.

But she said despite her treatments she has continued to play an active role as a councillor and in the community and also regularly attended meetings, including by video link. She said: “I’ve pulled over beside the A465 to get the laptop out on the way home from Velindre.”

Cllr Steve Garrett said he wasn’t aware of any formal complaint having been made against him but said Labour’s numbers on the council make it dependent on every vote, including from its single Green Party coalition partner, and said: “That is why I asked Cllr Riley if she could change her appointment.”

Cllr Brocklesby said since the request ahead of the March 2025 budget meeting there had been no further contact between Cllr Riley and the whip, Cllr Garrett, and said: “As a group, and as Welsh Labour, we do expect councillors to turn up on key votes and when there are reasons they can’t do that, and we’ve had more than one occasions with councillors with serious illness or dealing with serious illnesses within family, we find ways to deal with it and will continue to do so.”

Cllr Brocklesby added: “We are very sad Cllr Riley has chosen to leave the party but we respect her decision.”

Welsh Labour was contacted for comment.