We received a complaint that the Member of Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council (“the Council”) had failed to observe the Council’s Code of Conduct for Members (“the Code”).
It was alleged that the Member had sent an email which was disrespectful and bullying in nature to an employee of the Council and that the Member would not discuss the behaviour of concern with Council staff.
It was alleged the Member went on to victimise the employee by lodging a complaint of gross misconduct against them, and it was alleged that this was in retaliation for concerns being lodged with the Ombudsman.
We found that the Member’s email to the Council employee was disproportionate and intemperate and that its tone was intimidating in nature. We found that the Member failed to recognise that his communication may not have been in keeping with the standards of behaviour expected of local councillors and he failed to recognise that his behaviour had caused genuine upset to others. We also found that the Member’s subsequent complaint of gross misconduct about the Council employee had no merit and that it appeared to have been made in retaliation for the concerns which had been brought to the Ombudsman about his behaviour.
We found that this sequence of behaviour was suggestive of a breach of the duty members have to treat others with respect and consideration (Paragraph 4(b) of the Code), to not bully or harass others (Paragraph 4(c) of the Code) and to not bring vexatious complaints against others (Paragraph 6(1)(d) of the Code).