Investigation into code of conduct (From Free Press Series)

Investigation into code of conduct

A COUNCILLOR felt "attacked and abused" by an ombudsman's investigation into her breach of the members' code of conduct, she said.

Labour councillor Verona Nelmes of Llanwenarth Ultra, whose trader son sells gardening equipment and tools from his Abergavenny market stall, was found to have breached the code after taking part in a council debate on April 29 last year about the town's regeneration and not declaring an interest.

Mrs Nelmes appeared before the standards committee to make her final representations before it considered whether to take action against her after agreeing with the ombudsman's conclusions that the code had been broken.

But Mrs Nelmes told the committee: "I went to the monitoring officer before the meeting and sought advice on whether I had to declare an interest and refrain from speaking and voting on regeneration.

"I now recognise I should have taken more care in not declaring an interest but feel I need to raise concerns I have with the process I have since endured.

"I wouldn't want any other member to go through what I have been through and I think you need to be aware of what effect this procedure can have on a member.

"I felt abused and attacked by the man from the ombudsman's department who interviewed me for two hours.

"He leant across the table and pointed his finger at me, he spoke over me and interrupted me.

"Nobody told me I could take someone into the interview with me and nobody told me the interview would be taped.

"It caused me tremendous stress." Independent chairman of the standards committee Jeffrey Pritchard said the committee would look into the investigation procedure in the future.

And after deliberating with other members he told Mrs Nelmes: "In light of the fact that you sought advice, we are taking no further action against you.