We received a number of complaints that a member (“the Member”) of Neyland Town Council (“the Council”) had breached the Code of Conduct for Members of Local Authorities (“the Code”).
The complainants alleged the Member had failed to treat the Clerk, former Clerk and councillors with consideration and respect; that the Member had bullied and harassed the Clerk and councillors and that he had made malicious and vexatious statements publicly about councillors and the former Clerk.
The incidents of concern occurred in Council meetings, in various email correspondence and in a public statement the Member published.
We gathered various documents including minutes, recordings and transcripts of Council meetings, and copies of emails and correspondence. We obtained witness statements from the complainants and Council members and we interviewed the Member.
We found many instances of behaviour towards the Clerk, former Clerk and other councillors to be unacceptable and out with the standards of behaviour expected of members in office. The Member resigned from the Council shortly before we concluded our investigation. We referred our investigation to the Adjudication Panel for Wales (APW) for adjudication by tribunal.
The tribunal found that the then former Member’s behaviour, in respect of a number of separate instances, breached the Code of Conduct. The tribunal found the former Member had failed to treat others with respect and consideration; had bullied and harassed others; had made vexatious, malicious or frivolous complaints about others; and he had conducted himself in a manner which could reasonably be regarded as bringing his office or authority into disrepute.
The Tribunal concluded, by unanimous decision, that the former Member should be disqualified from acting as a member of any relevant authority for a period of 3 years.
The APW’s full decision can be found on its website here.