A Newport councillor who contacted a boss after reportedly receiving “provocative and personally offensive” comments from their employee has been cleared of breaching the local government code of conduct.

It was alleged the councillor – who has not been named – “abused his position” by referring to himself as “Cllr” when emailing the employer of a person reportedly involved in a dispute with him.

But the public services watchdog ruled there was “no evidence” of any breach of the code of conduct, and said it was “not unreasonable” for the councillor to sign off his email in that way.

In a report on the case, the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales (PSOW) found the person making the complaint had made “provocative and personally offensive” comments about the councillor “in a public arena”.

Those comments were “serious allegations” which were “personal and had the potential to be damaging” for the councillor, the ombudsman said.

The councillor then contacted the member of the public’s employer to make a complaint – and used his title of “councillor” in doing so, according to the report.

PSOW rejected the member of the public’s claim that the councillor had abused his position, and considered he had “a right to challenge and try to defend himself against such comments”.

It would have been “evident” from the description of the dispute that he “was a councillor, even if the title had not been used”, the ombudsman added.

Following publication of the PSOW report, a Newport City Council spokesperson said they considered the matter closed.

“The Public Services Ombudsman for Wales has concluded that no breach of the code of conduct has occurred,” they said. “The council therefore does not consider any further action to be necessary in this matter.”