Limited support for Bridgend

We do not currently provide detailed weekly summaries for Bridgend Council. Running the service is expensive, and we need to cover our costs.

You can still subscribe!

If you're a professional subscriber and need support for this council, get in touch with us at community@opencouncil.network and we can enable it for you.

If you're a resident, subscribe below and we'll start sending you updates when they're available. We're enabling councils rapidly across the UK in order of demand, so the more people who subscribe to your council, the sooner we'll be able to support it.

If you represent this council and would like to have it supported, please contact us at community@opencouncil.network.

Chat with this meeting

Subscribe to our professional plan to ask questions about this meeting.

“Why was Councillor Bletsoe suspended for six months?”

Subscribe to chat
AI Generated

Summary

The council meeting primarily focused on addressing allegations against Councillor Stephen Bletsoe regarding breaches of the code of conduct. The committee deliberated on whether Bletsoe had a personal and prejudicial interest in a matter discussed at a previous council meeting and whether his actions constituted a breach of the code.

  1. Decision on Breaches of Code of Conduct: The committee found Councillor Bletsoe guilty of multiple breaches of the code of conduct, including failing to declare a personal and prejudicial interest and attempting to influence a council decision. Arguments centered on Bletsoe's insistence that he acted in the interest of accuracy and transparency in meeting minutes. The decision implies a strict adherence to procedural integrity over individual interpretations of transparency.

  2. Sanction Imposed: After finding breaches, the committee decided to suspend Councillor Bletsoe for six months. The discussion highlighted Bletsoe's lack of remorse and perceived disrespect for council procedures. This sanction underscores the council's commitment to maintaining public trust and the integrity of its processes.

Interesting Occurrence: During the meeting, there was notable tension and emotional expressions from Councillor Bletsoe, who passionately defended his actions as motivated by truth and transparency. This emotional display highlighted the personal impact and the high-stakes nature of council ethics investigations.

Additional Recommendations: The committee recommended that all town and community clerks be advised on how members can apply for dispensations, and that group leaders receive detailed briefings on personal and prejudicial interests, aiming to prevent future misunderstandings and breaches.

Attendees

Profile image for CouncillorGraham Walter
Councillor Graham Walter  Labour •  Porthcawl East Central

Topics

No topics have been identified for this meeting yet.

Meeting Documents

Agenda

Agenda frontsheet 09th-May-2024 10.00 Standards Committee

Reports Pack

Public reports pack 09th-May-2024 10.00 Standards Committee

Minutes

Printed minutes 09th-May-2024 10.00 Standards Committee

Additional Documents

Report Hearing - SB
Representation to Standards Committe1
PSOW Response
Appendix Standards Procedure - Code of Conduct Investigations
FINAL INVESTIGATION REPORT S69 - 202204885
Final Appendices SB 003
APW Sanctions Guidance