A PEMBROKE DOCK Councillor has been cleared by The Public Services Ombudsman for Wales.
The complaint surrounded Cllr Josh Beynon’s decision to “keep getting involved with protests” because “We are told not to get in big party’s due to Covid [sic].” Referring to the asylum seekers centre at Penally Camp, the complainant said that the councillor should not be taking “either side” in local matters relating to “the immigrants effects.” [sic]
In support of the complaint, the Ombudsman was provided with a screen shot of Beynon’s Facebook account showing him at Penally camp alone in a mask, with seven protestors nearby. The Ombudsman said that he thought it seemed from the pictures that social distancing was being adhered to and that no breach of the Code had occurred.
Investigation Officer Julie Anne Quinn said: “Cllr Beynon is entitled to attend protests and to support and/or have an opinion on local matters. This is the same democratic right that is afforded to all members of the public.”
The Ombudsman said Beynon had been social-distancing, but even if he had not that this should have been reported to the “relevant authorities in the first instance.”
