Former Councillor banned from Public Office Following Claims of Bullying and Harassment

A former Pembrokeshire town councillor has been banned from public office for three years following claims of bullying and harassment, the second banned from the same council in less than a month.

The Adjudication Panel for Wales received a referral from the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales in relation to allegations made against former Neyland town councillor Brian Rothero.

The referral was made in relation to four complaints received about his conduct.

“The allegations were that he had breached Neyland Town Council’s Code of Conduct by treating and/or communicating with the council’s clerk and fellow councillors in a manner which was suggestive of breaches of the Code including the need to treat others with respect and consideration, to not bully or harass any person, to not make vexatious, malicious or frivolous complaints and to not conduct themselves in a manner which could reasonably be regarded as bringing their office or authority into disrepute,” the panel’s report said.

It added: “The Case Tribunal determined its adjudication at a hearing which was convened by remote video technology on February 12. The Case Tribunal unanimously found that the councillor had acted in breach of the Code.

“The Case Tribunal concluded by unanimous decision that former Councillor Rothero should be disqualified from acting as a member for any relevant authority, as defined by section 49(6) of the Local Government Act 2000, for a period of three years.”

Last month another Neyland Town Council member, Councillor David Devauden, was banned from public office by The Adjudication Panel for Wales.

In that case for a period of four years for having breached the code by “repeatedly treating and/or communicating with the council’s clerk and fellow councillors in a manner which lacked respect and amounted to bullying and/or harassment,” he had “brought his office and/or the council into disrepute,” and “had failed to comply with the Public Service Ombudsman Wales’ requests in respect of her investigation into those matters”.