Councilor suspended for six months, claims he was punished for ‘telling the truth’

A local councilor has been suspended for six months after he was found to have failed to assert personal and prejudicial interests. He told a committee he was punished for “telling the truth.”

Councilor Steven Bletsoe, of Bridgend City Council, appeared before a Bridgend District Council standards committee on Thursday where he was found to have breached the code of conduct. He was found to have failed to declare a personal and prejudicial interest in a matter involving his wife and fellow councilor Freya Bletsoe.

The committee heard that there was a “difference of opinion” between Cllr Freya Bletsoe and the Bridgend City Council clerk during a regeneration committee, which led to her being accused of “harassing and intimidating” the clerk and the meeting to have left. At the next committee meeting, Cllr Steven Bletsoe is said to have questioned the draft minutes of the previous meeting and commented on the issue without expressing interest.

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After he was found to have breached the code, Cllr Steven Bletsoe told the standards committee: “What was important to me at this meeting was the reputation of Bridgend City Council, making sure those protocols were correct and that’s all. “ The Ombudsman Maybe I feel like I had motives – I know what my motives were. I really have real fears…

“I am accused of telling the truth and trying to make the truth public. I feel like the public has more trust in councilors who want the truth to be told because I’m just stumped. I sacrificed my time for the good of the community without compensation. I’m interested in city councils, I’m interested in local councils, I’m passionate about the truth. If I broke the rules, then the rules are wrong. I’m sorry… The rules are wrong when you can’t tell the truth.”

The committee concluded that Cllr Steven Bletsoe, who also sits as a councilor on Bridgend County Borough Council, “tried to undermine the process” and was vocal about his disagreement with the rules, even though he signed an official declaration. It was also felt he showed “no remorse” and his comments suggested he would “do the same thing again”.

Bridgend City Council handed him a six-month suspension. The city council has the right to appeal the decision.