A council member from Newport faced a complaint to the Welsh public services ombudsman regarding claims of rude and threatening conduct directed at an employee.

The local authority’s standards panel was presented with allegations that the elected member had acted in a rude and threatening way on two separate instances.

Oversight official Mike Wallbank explained that the ombudsman could not move forward with the matter since the worker at the centre of the claims declined to participate in the inquiry.

The inquiry concerned matters of respect, intimidation, harassment, confidentiality or sharing private information, as well as whether the member had brought their position into disrepute, Mr Wallbank informed the panel.

He continued that because this crucial witness was unwilling to cooperate, the ombudsman’s ability to investigate was considerably restricted, and consequently the ombudsman determined that without direct testimony it was impossible to reliably determine what had taken place.

A document on the ombudsman’s website describes a case that was abandoned after allegations were made that a member of Newport City Council had acted in a disrespectful and threatening manner towards an employee at a rented property on two separate occasions.

Efforts to interview the principal witness proved fruitless, leaving the ombudsman with no other individuals who could provide accounts of either incident, and no additional avenues to explore.

Consequently, it is not feasible to reach a conclusion on these allegations, even with additional inquiry, as to whether the member’s conduct indicated a breach of the code of conduct, the ombudsman determined.

For these reasons pursuing the investigation further was deemed neither proportionate nor in the public interest. However, should additional witness evidence become available later, it may serve the public interest for the ombudsman to reconsider the matter.

The ombudsman recommended that the member give careful thought to their conduct and ensure they understood their responsibilities under the code.

At the committee hearing, Cllr Debbie Harvey inquired whether the employee had received support following the alleged occurrence.

The employee received appropriate care, Mr Wallbank responded. The manager was actually the one who lodged the complaint with the ombudsman, so assistance was provided and managers within the relevant service raised their concerns.

Cllr Harvey stated this was reassuring to hear, since harassment and bullying in the workplace receives absolutely zero tolerance, as it should.