News

Pembroke Dock: Council staff walk out of meeting

Published

7 years ago

November 2, 2017

THREE members of staff of Pembroke Dock Town Council walked out of their meeting last night (Nov 2).

Cllrs had been discussing a vote of no confidence in three councillors caught up in bullying claims against council staff.

Town Clerk Sarah Scourfield resigned from her position last month because of the alleged bullying she has received.

Cllr Phil Gwyther stated that some people had said something the staff didn’t like and it was that point that Sarah, Deputy Town Clerk Amanda Dillaway and Admin assistant Mandy Hart got up and walked out of the meeting.

It left the Mayor, Cllr Jane McNaughton, with no option but to call the meeting closed.

Cllr Brian Hall said that they needed to show they were not happy with the three members by a vote of no confidence.

He said: “We need to resolve this problem of so-called bullying, harassment in this Town Council. Hopefully it will be resolved full stop. This has been going on and on.

“I personally think that the three councillors who are involved in this could have resolved this by apologising after the debate at the last meeting.

“We’ve got to draw a line under it so I will move that we have a vote of no confidence in them councillors.”

Cllr George Manning seconded the motion put forward by Cllr Hall.

Cllr Hall continued: “I really feel sorry for these ladies. There were loads and loads of emails relating to continual harassment and I couldn’t work in that situation.

“I did make a begging plea that Sarah the Town Clerk stays, I think we will drastically miss her and what’s made matters worse is the last town clerk, she’s already made a similar accusation that that is why she left and that is two, I don’t want to see a third, I don’t want to see it ever again.”

However, Cllr Stephen O’Connor said: If councillors act below the standard that is expected, they should be reported to the Standards Committee. This is an ongoing investigation at the moment. Until that investigation has concluded I don’t think we can take any action.

“The public have elected them so the vote of no confidence has no relevance to it.”

Cllr Dilys Burrell said she didn’t feel they could make that judgement before it was looked at by the ombudsman.

Cllr Manning said: “I have no problem in supporting the vote of no confidence, we won’t be sacking anybody, and they won’t be off the council. All we are saying is that we are not happy with what has gone on. Why can’t we establish that?”

Cllr Hall said most councillors feel they are doing a good job and that they didn’t want to be tarred with the same brush.

Deputy Mayor, Cllr Gordon Goff added that he agreed with Cllrs Hall and Manning and that it was the actions of the three councillors and what they had done to the town in blatantly lying, that made him think he had no confidence in them.

Cllr Phil Gwyther said: “We have three councillors who have complaints issued against them by staff members and what the councillors have said is that they have seen things going on that preceded this council that they think are wrong. Those councillors have spoken out on a number of occasions and the staff have not liked it.”

It was at that point that the three staff members got up and walked out.

Related Topics:Pembroke Dock Town Council

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