Tribunal finds Flintshire Councillor used bullying and harassing behaviour to undermine council officer

A tribunal has ruled a Flintshire County Councillor used bullying and harassing behaviour to undermine a council officer so much so he was forced to take time off work due to stress.

The Adjudication Panel for Wales ruled Ewloe Councillor Alison Halford, who has since retired, breached Flintshire County Council’s Code of Conduct following allegations made against her by the council officer.

The complaint against Ms Halford stems from two emails she sent last year regarding a large unlawful traveller encampment in her ward of Ewloe.

The camp was on the land adjoining the former Alyn and Deeside Council offices, the building is still owned by Flintshire Council but at the time was leased to another company, it was the occupant’s responsibility to evict the travellers.

The council said they were dealing with a large number of complaints about the encampment at the time and Enforcement Officer Mark Jones received an e-mail from a member of the public about the issue on 26th April 2016.

A report by the Case Tribunal published on Flintshire Council’s website this week says Mr Jones responded on the same day with a lengthy telephone call to the member of the public who had sent the email.

Ms Halford a former Merseyside Police Assistant Chief Constable was unhappy with the officer’s actions and wrote an email to his boss on 27th April 2016, Mr Jones, who the report states is registered disabled was copied in on the email along with six other councillors.

Cllr Halford wrote:

“Andy, my resident has raised a genuine concern about Jones and would like an answer. Who us [sic] protecting him?” He’s arrogant, lazy, mentally challenged & has been useless for years. Why do you not call him to account. He is not worthy of his salary. Alison.”

Ms Halford forwarded a second email on 5th May 2016 to Mr Jones and again copied it to his boss and another councillor.

It said:

“I’m sure you [sic] aware I don’t rate you at all & I have made this clear to your senior officers.

What about surprising this member of the public who does contribute to your salary & actually get back to him. Of course, this may be something of a record for you but you must be accountable to someone just for once. – Alison Halford.”

Mr Jones complained to the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales about the emails, they investigated and in turn referred the matter to the Adjudication Panel for Wales.

The Case Tribunal report says Ms Halford’s e-mails led Mr Jones to seek medical, counselling and occupational health support.

They also affected the “officer’s confidence in relation to dealing with certain councillors.” and he has been off work with stress.

Ms Halford took to Twitter after she had been referred to the Ombudsman saying;

Ombudsman’s file collected from post office.Passport & utility bills required as proof. Weight 4.3oz. My sin; ticking off LAZY officer.Ugg!

— Alison Halford (@HalfordAlison) March 27, 2017

A three-person panel was convened on 6 October 2017 in the absence of Ms Halford who had “failed to properly and meaningfully engage with the adjudication process” and didn’t intend to attend the hearing.

The panel found Ms Halford had failed to comply with Flintshire County Council’s Code of Conduct and comments made in the e-mails and on “twitter” were “highly offensive, extremely insulting, malicious and unwarranted and the use of the words “mentally challenged” particularly shocking.

The Case Tribunal disqualified Cllr Halford for 14 months saying:

“The Case Tribunal had found that these were blatant and deliberate or reckless breaches of the Code, which did not stop at one e-mail but which continued after the Respondent (Ms Halford) became, or should have become aware, that the Officer did not have responsibility for dealing with the traveller encampment in question.”

“This was further exacerbated by a “twitter” message posted in March 2017 which showed a complete lack of insight or remorse as to her behaviour and as to the further impact it might have on the Officer.”

The Case Tribunal considered that disqualification was an entirely justified and proportionate sanction and considered that it was a particularly serious example of bullying and that the disqualification had to be sufficiently long to enable the Respondent to properly reflect upon her actions before considering re-entering local politics.”

Ms Halford did not stand for re-election in the local government elections last May choosing instead to retire from the council.