Pennard Community Council chairman resigns following "bullying" and "frightening" letter
THE chairman of a Gower community council has resigned following a "bullying" and "frightening" letter questioning the "processes and procedures" of the representative body.
Pennard Community Council's January meeting began last week with its vice-chairman, Laurie Irwin, reading out a short letter of resignation from absent chairman, Councillor Mark Smith.
In the letter Mr Smith said: "I may in the future write a full letter explaining my frustration but for now this (his resignation) is with immediate effect."
Mr Smith later told the Evening Post: "The issue had gone on for some time and the letter was the last straw."
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Mr Irwin said in the meeting: "It's a great shame that we are losing someone who was so hard working and put in so much effort for the community." Of the letter, signed by councillors Margaret Smith, Adele Gerke, Arthur Rogers, Christine Lanfear and Ian Ambrose, he said: "I don't understand why all the problems in the letter couldn't have been brought to the council meeting."
He added: "The letter is a bit of a bullying letter. It's a frightening letter."
The five councillors said they had no choice but to express their concerns, which were confusion over which code of conduct they were to follow; when members had to make declarations of interest; the publicising of council business; and a matter relating to a change in pay and hours of their clerk — by letter.
Councillor Ian Ambrose told the meeting that Mr Smith had turned down an offer to meet. He said: "The only option was to address the concerns in a letter." It is understood that the five were also concerned by the pace of meetings.
Mr Ambrose added: "I agree that we are not experts, we are volunteers, but the people of Pennard expect us to provide a good service. I don't want us to make mistakes and I don't think meetings should be speeded up."
Councillor Arthur Rogers said: "My main concern is that there needs to be a formalisation of certain rules so that we know where we stand."
Not all councillors agreed with the contents of the letter, however, with Wes Weeks, who told the five councillors he would be making a complaint to the local government ombudsman on grounds of harassment, saying: "You succeeded in bringing down a good councillor."
The council will invite town and community councils umbrella body, One Voice Wales, to its next meeting to help it move forward.
3 Comments
by weslangdon
Saturday, January 26 2013, 6:13PM
“no one cares, the place is just a golf course and a beach”
by IDASwansea
Saturday, January 26 2013, 5:16PM
“And what was the response from the Ombudsman's Office this week in relation to Community Councillor Weeks' allegation of harassment:
"...I agree with you (and former councillor Mr Mark Smith) that concerns, such as those expressed by the five members about whom you complain, should be aired at a full meeting of the Council. I see nothing wrong in raising those concerns informally with the Chair before discussing the matters in the Council chamber. Those concerns may have been allayed."
"...I have considered the content of the letter sent on 14 January 2013 and I note that Councillor Mark Smith was pressed to explain what action would be taken on a number of issues such as training for members and asked what assurances could be given that the "unsatisfactory occurrences" cited would not arise in the future. I appreciate that the Chair chose to resign on the receipt of the letter but I do not believe that the letter amounts to harassment or bullying."
"...For the reasons stated, the conduct about which you have complained of does not constitute a breach of the code and under the authority delegated to me by the Ombudsman, I have decided that your complaint should not be the subject of an investigation."”
by weslangdon
Monday, January 21 2013, 3:15PM
“trouble in tory-land”