AN East Lancashire town councillor should apologise for her ‘offensive and disrepectful’ comments made in arguments about jubilee celebrations this summer and be removed from any committees roles, a standard hearing has ruled.

Yvonne Tennant, a Nelson town councillor, became embroiled in social media arguments about the standard of celebrations, flags and bunting displays marking the late Queen’s platinum jubilee in the town.

She described one Facebook community group as ‘arseholes’ and suggesting another group wanted a ‘flag-shagging orgy’ in the town centre, a Pendle Council standards committee hearing eas told. 

Cllr Tennant, who did not attend the hearing and requested a postponement, did not dispute writing the comments.

But she claimed the posts were written in her personal capacity, not as a town councillor for public sight, and her Facebook account was hacked, putting the posts into the public arena.

Referring to findings by then-monitoring officer Philip Mousdale, Howard Culshaw, the borough council's legal services head, said: "The report found Yvonne Tennant was acting in her capacity as a town councillor when she made her posts regarding controversial events surrounding the platinum jubilee celebrations.

"Those jubilee events are not relevant to this hearing. What is relevant is the alleged conduct of Cllr Tennant.

“She would maintain this was her personal Facebook account intended for friends and associates. Therefore, she was not acting in her capacity as a town councillor. However, Mr Mousdale’s report concludes she was acting in her capacity as a councillor.”

From Yvonne Tennant’s perspective. Mr Culshaw added: “She says she was subject to all kinds of unpleasantness with posts on social media. She does not think she has done anything wrong and has not breached the code of conduct. She says the stuff she had to put up (with) was awful.

“The panel is not here to judge if the stuff was awful. But it might have some relevance in mitigation for Yvonne Tennant? However, it would not amount to a ‘defence’ of the breach, for want of a better word.”

Labour's Cllr Faraz Ahmad, a borough and town councillor, said: “It’s quite alarming because we are all representatives of the local community and local authorities, such as councils. But it’s about how we deal with the personal things and also be a representative. If you are a councillor then you are partly representing yourself.”

The panel met in private to determine the issues and their ruling was announced by legal officer Emma Barker.

She said: "(The committee) finds that, in making the posts on Facebook referred to in the report, Cllr Yvonne Tennant was acting in her capacity as a town councillor.

"The posts she shared on Facebook, albeit on her private Facebook page, mentioned the town council. Whatever the intention, those posts became public.

“The hearing committee consider these posts to be a breach of the code of conduct for members [councillors] as the language used was offensive, disrespectful and falls short of the high standards of behaviour expected."

The committee said Cllr Tennant should be 'censured' for her conduct, recommended to apologise to the town council and removed from all committees or sub-committees.