EditorCouncillor denies being suspended by Labour, says he quit over Skyline
Joe Hale, who represents St Thomas, announced last week that he was becoming an independent councillor. The move came after Swansea Bay News reported that he had been suspended by the Labour Party over allegations of harassment and malicious communications.
In a statement to Swansea Bay News, Cllr Hale said he had not received any notice of suspension from the Swansea Labour Party, and that he had resigned “due to the destruction of our only green space in our ward, Kilvey Hill.”
That directly contradicts a statement issued by the office of council leader Rob Stewart last week, which said Cllr Hale had been suspended on Thursday 19 February — six days before his video announcement — “following serious allegations of misconduct being received.”
The council leader’s office said the allegations, “specifically related to malicious communications and harassment,” had also been raised with police.
Cllr Hale said he was “absolutely opposed to public money being handed over to profiteers” and questioned why the council should “subsidise a private company via the public purse” given the economic hardship facing many residents.
The council leader’s office previously pushed back on Cllr Hale’s financial claims, saying the points he raised were “ones the council has formally answered via the planning process and / or via numerous questions submitted to the council’s technical officers,” and that “Cllr Hale has not accepted the answers given to him.”
Cllr Hale also addressed claims that he should have raised his objections sooner, saying: “I have from day one and even attempted to get the council to have public meetings in St Thomas. It is a matter of record that I spoke against this at planning.”
The council’s previous statement said records showed Cllr Hale “didn’t take the opportunity to attend cabinet meetings when these matters were discussed despite having the chance to do so.”
He also responded to suggestions that his proximity to the development influenced his position. “The fact that I live in St Thomas has been used as a reason as to why I have objected to Skyline, but we have been told by the planning department that St Thomas will not be affected. Or has something changed?”
The council leader’s office had previously noted that Cllr Hale “has continued to voice his opposition to the scheme which is near to his own property.”
Cllr Hale said he had received “huge support” from residents of St Thomas and Port Tennant since announcing his resignation, as well as from work and trade union colleagues.
Cllr Hale’s statement in full:
First can i express my thanks to the residents of St Thomas and Port tennant for the huge support i have received since i announced my resignation from the Labour Party and can i thank my work colleagues and trade union colleagues for the same support and encoragement.
I have not recieved any form of notice of suspension from the Swansea Labour Party.
I resigned due to the destruction of our only green space in our ward, Kilvey Hill. The designated quiet area lost for ever and only one on the Eastside of Swansea.
I am absolutely opposed to public money being handed over to profiteers — why do we have to subsidise a private company via the public purse? Given the economic hardship many of our community are going through, giving our money to this type of venture is not what we should be doing.
Some have said i should have objected earlier and spoke up sooner. I have from day one and even attempted to get the council to have public meetings in St Thomas. It is a matter of record that i spoke against this at planning.
The fact that i live in St Thomas has been used as a reason as to why i have objected to Skyline, but we have been told by the planning dept that St Thomas will not be effected? Or has something changed?
— Joe Hale, Independent Cllr, St Thomas
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