Ex-council leader is suspended by Labour
THE Labour Party has suspended a former council leader who encouraged his PA to send inappropriate and sexual messages to him during working hours.
Aaron Shotton, the former leader of Flintshire County Council, was suspended as a councillor for three months in January after the Adjudication Panel for Wales upheld two allegations that had been made against him.
Cllr Shotton was found to have breached the Local Government Code of Conduct by leaving interview questions on his desk for his future PA Hayley Selvester to see, plus encouraging her to send inappropriate and sexual messages during work time.
At the end of the hearing, panel chairwoman Claire Jones said: “We find that Cllr Shotton did use his position inappropriately to confer an advantage on his PA by providing the opportunity to view the questions before her interview. We find the respondent did send and/or encourage inappropriate messages, to include sexual messages, during office hours.”
His suitability as leader of Flintshire was called into question after allegations of his affair with Mrs Selvester were made public in June 2018. He subsequently resigned as leader but remains a councillor.
The Public Services Ombudsman for Wales had investigated the matter ahead of the panel hearing.
A spokesman for the Ombudsman’s office welcomed the panel’s decision to suspend Mr Shotton.
He said: “Cases of this nature are relatively rare, but it is hoped that this case will further serve to promote high standards of conduct, by elected members both within the council and across Wales. The code of conduct for elected members is intended to maintain high standards in public life, and includes the requirement that elected members should not use or attempt to use their position improperly to confer on or secure for themselves or any other person an advantage or create or avoid for themselves or other persons a disadvantage.”
The Labour Party said it does not comment on individual disciplinary cases, but it is understood that Cllr Shotton has now been suspended pending a party disciplinary hearing.
A Welsh Labour source said: “Almost a month after the panel suspended Aaron for a serious breach of the code of conduct, we have finally seen action from the UK Labour Party. It is disappointing that it has taken so long and that Welsh Labour have had nothing to say about someone being suspended for sending inappropriate and sexual messages during work time, when they have previously commented on cases where guilt had not even been established.
“This is however a welcome development and UK Labour were right to suspend Aaron.”
Cllr Shotton did not respond to messages we sent to him.