A COUNCILLOR who posted a sweary video to social media that was viewed thousands of times before it was deleted has resigned her seat.
Sue Malson had been a Labour councillor representing Pontypool’s Trevethin and Penygarn ward on Torfaen Borough Council before quitting the role earlier this month.
No mention of her resignation was made at the full council’s most recent meeting, on November 19, but a notice declaring the vacancy had been posted by the council a day earlier.
When contacted by the Local Democracy Reporting Service Ms Malson responded with “no comment” when asked if she had resigned. The council’s Labour leader, Anthony Hunt, said she had stepped down “for her personal wellbeing”.
The video emerged in January this year and Torfaen Borough Council confirmed its monitoring officer had been made aware and given advice to the then councillor.
It said it understood the video had since been removed and that no official complaint had been made. The video appeared to be addressed towards male trolls in response to comments about her.
Cllr Hunt appealed for people to remember “councillors are human beings with their own battles and burdens” when he was asked, in February, if social media training should be provided to members. He said: “Sometimes social media can bring out the worst in people and the goading and abuse of councillors I’ve seen over the years doesn’t help anyone or anything.”
Ms Malson is also the chief executive of the community charity TRAC2, which provides furniture, clothing, bedding, white goods and other essentials to people on low incomes. It has been visited and praised by actor Michael Sheen.
In September last year Ms Malson was appointed to the voluntary role as the council’s Gypsy Traveller champion, to advocate for the community, and said she believed she was the first first councillor with a Gypsy, Traveller, Romany background to have been elected in Torfaen.
At the time she said “I know my mouth can run away with me. I know I’m liked by some and hated by others but that doesn’t bother me.” In September this year she called former Labour councillor David Thomas, who had been an independent before forming the first Reform Party council group in Wales with two other independents, “Pinocchio” after claiming he had earlier sought to rejoin the Labour group. Cllr Thomas didn’t deny the claim at the council’s September meeting.
Cllr Hunt praised Ms Malson’s contribution. He said: “I’ll miss Sue as a colleague but respect her decision to stand down for her personal wellbeing.
“Sue was a pioneering councillor in her role as Gypsy Traveller Champion and as a fierce advocate of her community and residents.”
Torfaen council chief executive and returning officer, Stephen Vickers, said: “A vacancy in the Trevethin and Penygarn ward has arisen due to the resignation of the former councillor Sue Malson.
“A notice of vacancy was published last week and a by-election will be triggered when two electors from within the local authority submit a written request. As returning officer, I will set a date for the by-election to take place within 35 working days of the requests being received.”