Councillor shares theory on why council staff are targeted 

ONLINE abuse is unfairly being directed at Dumfries and Galloway Council workers because members of the public don’t know how the council operates, a councillor has argued. As the region’s biggest employer with 6700 staff members, the local authority recently strengthened its measures to protect employees from abusive comments on the council’s Facebook and X (Twitter) pages. This comes after it emerged staff members were being named and vilified in response to issues with controversial council decisions. But Lochar Councillor Linda Dorward reckons some people in the community are firing abuse at department employees because they mistake them as council decision makers. She said: “The online abuse of staff, especially when named, is not on. It shouldn’t be happening and we should call it out if we see it. “For us, as elected members, it’s an occupational hazard as we use social media regularly, even if we don’t want to, but council staff have no right of reply. “I don’t think some people understand how councils operate. Why would they? I didn’t until I came into one.” Councillor Dorward then asked if it would be possible to raise awareness in the public eye of the fact that elected members are the decision-makers – and council staff are simply implementing those decisions. She said: “I think some people don’t understand how the processes work, and that might help to reduce that (online abuse).” Nith Councillor John Campbell added: “And I must say that they should respect us as well. We shouldn’t tolerate abuse.”