Councillor threatened violence in parking row

Twm Owen, local democracy reporter

A councillor found to have made a threat of physical violence during a meeting claimed another member had shaken their walking stick at him. 

Geoffrey Cowan allegedly told a colleague to “shut up” before threatening to come “over there” and made a gesture as if to punch Cllr Malcolm Skinner during a row that erupted over parking arrangements at a community hall. 

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Interrupted

A panel to consider a code of conduct complaint found Cllr Cowan had made the threat after being “repeatedly interrupted” by Cllr Skinner during the council meeting two years ago. 

But Cllr Cowan’s accusation Cllr Skinner had waved his walking stick at him wasn’t supported “on the balance of probabilities”. 

Monmouthshire County Council’s standards committee had held a panel hearing to consider the code of conduct complaint and found Cllr Cownan had breached the code and “on the balance of probabilities had made a threat of physical violence towards Cllr Skinner at a meeting of the Llantilio Pertholey Community Council on July 20, 2022.” 

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Volunteer councillors

Both represent the Croesonen ward as volunteer councillors on the council serving an area on the outskirts of Abergavenny. 

A summary report of the panel meeting outlined how things became heated between councillors and stated three others in attendance supported the allegation Cllr Cowan had made a threat of physical violence. 

It also stated the incident was also recorded in the minutes of the meeting, which were later approved as an accurate record at the council’s next meeting in August that year. 

Cllr Cowan had made it “absolutely clear” he was against allowing parking for the neighbouring Ysgol Y Fenni Welsh medium school at the community hall. 

The minutes stated: “There was an angry exchange between Councillors Cowan and Skinner, during which Councillor Cowan threatened that, if Councillor Skinner did not ‘shut up’, he (Councillor Cowan) would come ‘over there’ and made a gesture as if to punch Councillor Skinner.” 

Monmouthshire County Council’s standards committee was presented with a summary of the panel’ hearing, held in August, for the first time when it met, at County Hall, in Usk, on Monday, December 16. 

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Thorough

Committee member Ruth Price, who chaired the panel, described the investigation by the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales as “so completely thorough and ably presented on the day the finding of facts was very straightforward with very little ambiguity and no challenge to the evidence,” 

She described Cllr Cowan, who didn’t attend the hearing but had provided a written submission, with having “appeared at times quite difficult to engage with.” 

The panel found Cllr Cowan had breached the code due to a “clear failure to show respect and consideration to Cllr Skinner” and his  conduct “could reasonably be regarded as bringing both himself and the community council into disrepute.” 

It took into account Cllr Cowan’s long service at the council, and also noted the incident occurred two years ago and no further incidents have taken place since but said making a threat of physical violence was “entirely unacceptable, falling far below the standards expected of a community councillor.” 

It resolved Cllr Cowan should be censured and he is required to complete training in relation to the member code of conduct. 

Committee member Mike John asked how would it know Cllr Cowan has completed the training which the clerk said he would check with the county council’s top legal officer.  

Chairman Peter East said such standards hearings are “so infrequent” it was the first he could recall in some three or four years.