A COMPLAINT about a Plaid Cymru councillor accusing Labour members of being "corrupt", has been thrown out by the Public Services Ombudsman who said that the councillors involved are be expected to have "thicker skin".

The complaint, made by Councillor Bronwen Brooks against Councillor Steffan Wiliam, stems from a comment made during a meeting of Barry Town Council in February.

During the meeting cllr Wiliam and fellow Plaid members lambasted the Labour group for failing to elect a non-Labour member as town mayor for the 33rd consecutive year.

During the heated discussion, cllr Wiliam referred to the Labour group as being "corrupt" and stuck in "some sort of Stalinist time warp".

Following the meeting, the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales received an official complaint about the comments.

In a letter sent to both partie,s investigation officer Helen Morgan rejected the complaint as constituting a breach of the councillor code of conduct.

The letter reads: "It is not the purpose of the code of conduct to inhibit free speech and the robust expression of political differences.

"Criticism of opposition ideas and opinion is considered to be part of democratic debate.

"In this context it is not uncommon for elected members to say things about political opponents or organisations which others may consider to be rude or offensive.

"The Ombudsman will only investigate cases of this nature where comments made are highly offensive or outrageous, in other circumstances elected members are expected to have a 'thicker skin'."

Cllr Wiliam called the situation a "childish waste of public money”.

“Public Money and officer time has been wasted," he said. "The paperwork generated by such petty complaints wastes the time of officers. The Ombudsman’s office is busy enough without being pestered in this way, this is perhaps why the Ombudsman suggested that these Labour councillors ought to grow a thicker skin."