'It's making my life hell' Derbyshire town council slams 'vile' and abusive social media comments

Staveley Town Council had heralded a ‘new era’ after a critical report outlined how its financial shortfalls had led to a £400,000 Chesterfield Borough Council bail-out loan to help the town council get back on its feet.

The same Improvement Board panel’s report recognised Staveley Town Councillors want to make the town council effective for residents, and it acknowledged lots of potential and opportunities at the council, and praised the current, experienced town clerk.

However, Town Cllr Paul Mann claims he and the council are continuing to be subjected to insulting, abusive, and inaccurate social media posts at a time when the National Association of Local Councils has called for respect and as many reflect on the anniversary of the politically-motivated murder of Labour MP Jo Cox in June, 2016.

Cllr Mann, a former Royal Navy Falklands serviceman who has revealed that he is currently under-going counselling after he, his wife and his son were involved in a horrific road traffic collision, said: “A lot of councillors here do the job for nothing and there are certain individuals who say things and it is all lies.

“Some of it is vile and it’s got to the point where my counsellor rang the police because they feared for my safety and another individual’s.”

Cllr Mann added that some are making his life ‘hell’ because he no longer feels ‘thick-skinned’ enough to take the abuse after his son suffered a brain injury and had to have part of his skull removed and was placed in an induced coma after the road traffic collision in November.

The nature of the social media posts aimed at Cllr Mann and the council have allegedly included abuse, insults, false accusations and unfounded and misleading information that can surface most prominently at the time of council-organised events which can subsequently become jeopardised.

Cllr Mann said: “It’s got to the point where we fear doing our job because of what is said on social media and it is all lies. We are wrongly accused of trying to stop ‘this and that’ and of bullying.”

He added that concerned residents have also become too scared to object or get involved with council plans because they are worried about being targeted by the alleged social media abuse.

Cllr Mann said: “I can’t do my job as a councillor and deal with genuine concerns because of the flak I am getting on social media from a certain quarter. Despite all the flak, all I have done is try to help.”

The Improvement Board panel’s report stated councillors have struggled to work well together in the past and there has been an atmosphere of antagonism and complaints and the councillors have been urged to apply selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty and leadership.

It also stated public disputes in social media had previously done nothing to enhance the reputation of the council and leading members needed to set a mature and positive example by not engaging in social media any further and the council clerk has urged councillors not to respond to certain types of social media posts.

The report had also stated: “This toxicity has had a detrimental impact on individuals, parts of the community and the council as an organisation. It simply needs to stop.”

Staveley Town Council agreed to sign up to the national Civility and Respect Pledge and it has been working towards Peer Reviewed Accreditation to demonstrate good governance, policies and procedures but Cllr Mann is concerned about alleged, external social media abuse aimed at the council.

Town council clerk Sabrina Doherty explained that when residents see comments on social media they tend to think they are factual when often they are unfounded, inaccurate and misleading such as false claims that the council is back in debt.

Ms Doherty said: “The thing with social media is that someone will go on there and think it is fact and think that is what is going on.”

She added: “Residents have picked up these comments and they believe this information is suggesting we are back in debt and we are not back in debt.

“At the end of the day when all these comments are out on social media, I am not going to respond, but then people call me out to say why I didn’t respond and it makes me feel like I want to resign.

“I have gone through 18 months. I have had praise from the panel that I have been efficient and then I get individuals stirring up nonsense that others believe without looking at the facts.”

Ms Doherty added that she has spent the last three months working 55 hours a week rectifying the town council’s difficulties for the community and she has been left thinking what has been the point when the council continues to be on the receiving end of alleged social media vitriol?

Cllr Mann said: “I think, personally, when this kind of constant flak starts to affect someone like me – who is trained to ignore it – it is going a step too far.

“I admit I have had a traumatic accident that has thrown me off and at some points I have been tearful with what is going on. My emotions have taken over.”

Cllr Mann, who has not ruled out seeking legal advice over some social media comments, was also distressed to see his name daubed on the back of a road sign with the comment ‘Paul Mann resign’ which he claims has been motivated by lies on social media.

He added: “I am still being treated like crap but I am in a position to keep ignoring them and despite the hatred towards me I still try to help them because I think of the community and they still try to get me into trouble with lies.”

Reflecting on how two elderly residents thanked Cllr Mann for his efforts on the council, he insisted he does not do the job for praise or titles and he welcomes measured, constructive arguments but no one working for councils, communities or in politics deserves to be subjected to abuse and insults.

After Reform UK General Election candidate Nigel Farage has had a milkshake and objects thrown at him, Cllr Mann said: “Farage – they have got people throwing things at him, and people feel they can totally insult someone in politics and people like myself with my own mental health issues are getting flak.

“There are bound to be MPs, councillors and council staff with their own personal issues getting abuse from people on social media and they do not put in any evidence to prove anything.”

The town clerk, Ms Doherty, said the council is eager to follow NALC chairperson Keith Stevens’s advice about the importance of councils upholding high standards of behaviour and conduct but social media abuse is making it harder for authorities and council staff to do their jobs.

Ms Doherty, who pointed out that those complaining on social media have not submitted any formal complaints, added: “The Civility and Respect Pledge has been agreed and we have said we will tackle bad behaviour and that is what is going on and I can raise any grievance and it can go through due process.”

She also said: “Professional criticism is fine, but when we have all this going on as well it takes time away from you to do your job.”

Ms Doherty said the social media abuse can surface at any time 24 hours a day and it not only affects and upsets her and the council but it has an impact on relatives and family members of councillors and staff.

She added: “You look at your phone and there is no going back and it impacts on your family life.”

Both Cllr Mann and Ms Doherty welcome polite, reasonable input with any concerns and measured arguments but they are urging people to refrain from making abusive, insulting, vindictive comments and from making misleading and unfounded statements aimed at the council or councillors on social media.

Offensive misuses of social media, according to the Government, include cyber-bullying, trolling by starting arguments, and virtual mobbing where a number of individuals use social media or messaging to make comments to or about another person often because they are opposed to that person’s opinions.

Illegal social media comments are those which have been deemed to have involved harassment, malicious communications, stalking, threatening violence or incitement which are all forms of crime.

The Protection from Harassment Act 1997 can also provide civil remedies with injunctions and damages to protect a person from harassment against those who have been deemed to have breached the Act with offensive comments, and defamation remains privately actionable in the High Court.