We need to differentiate between Vile Trolls and "Robust Criticism",

Abuse of councillors on social media over cuts to public services is "getting out of hand", the Welsh Local Government Association has said.

BBC Wales has heard of councillors being attacked over bin collections and their children bullied over school closures.

WLGA leader Debbie Wilcox (Conservative) said while councillors must be scrutinised, the situation was becoming "unsafe".

Councillor Sadie Vida (Conservative)l was told she would be "torn apart" by fox hounds.

Deputy leader of Flintshire council Bernie Attridge (Labour)said he had received many threats on Twitter, with prolonged attacks after the cabinet closed John Summers High school in 2015.

He added: 

"My children have also been bullied and threatened in school due to decisions I have taken as a councillor."

Which  unacceptable 

However whilst i unreservedly  condemn abuse the people councillors represent  surely have the right to criticise them to their face.

For some reason the BBC claim that 

"While MPs and AMs are contactable through their constituency and party offices, there are concerns anyone can go online and find the personal number of their councillor and their home address".

Many hardworking councillors will provide these details but in most case it is provided on the Councills website as Cllr Attridge  is on Flintshires counciiiiiiiiiiiil webste

Though Cllr Wilcox seems to be only using her council address

Cllr Wilcox said: 

"Everyone's an expert now on how to run this council and what I should be doing, and there's slews of it across social media where everybody knows what we should be doing.
"It's very easy to be a keyboard warrior. Put yourself up for election, get your head above the parapet if you think you can do better than me, but this attack mechanism on us all the time, it's not helpful to anyone, and it puts people off."

It seems Cllr Willcox'ds is trying block debate as well as abuse 


Yes there is abuse as experienced by  Vale of Glamorgan councillor Lis Burnett  (Labour) said she had been sent messages with the words "locked and loaded" at the end of them - which was frightening as her address was public knowledge.

"You just don't know if he has got something at home with him, my address is on the council website," the Stanwell ward councillor said, adding Vale of Glamorgan council had recently given councillors a specific council phone for the first time.

She said a man had turned up at her house just to check where she lived, she had been criticised for her hair style, called an "unemployed, fat, ginger tart", and told her "ugly house" should be demolished to make way for a new hospital.

Ms Burnett claimed the majority of attacks were politically motivated - with women subject to more abuse - and the majority of people just wanted someone to help them.

"If someone phones me, I am often their last resort. Once we have a chat they calm down. It's the keyboard warriors, they are just horrible and post Jo Cox it makes you more concerned," 

I don't know how we stop this and making a clear diffidence between "Robust Criticism" and this sort of abuse.

The WLGA is looking at ways to protect councillors from online and face-to-face abuse, including potential legislation, while making sure they are still accessible to communities.

It clearly is an issue that has to be dealt with, but it would be a victory for the vile trolls who have no real interest in democratic debate if robust criticism falls under the same remit and our elected politicians  no longer come face to face with the imp locations of their decisions on those they represent.