Bullies who harass and intimidate councillors are threatening democracy because fewer people are putting themselves forward as election candidates, Cheshire East members said.

The comments came as the corporate policy committee was discussing a report which revealed more than a third of Cheshire East councillors had considered quitting because of abuse and harassment.

Cllr Fiona Wilson (Macclesfield, Lab), who chaired the task and finish group which conducted the survey into the abuse, told Wednesday night's meeting the impact was obvious at election times because 'people are not coming forward anymore to stand as councillors'.

Council leader Nick Mannion (Macclesfield, Lab), who has had excrement posted through his letterbox, said many people feel disconnected from the process.

"There is a role for us to make sure everyone feels they can play a part in the democratic process, whether as a candidate, or choosing who they want to represent them," he said.

"We need people to put their name on the ballot paper… because that is the cornerstone of our democracy in this country and if people are deterred from doing that because of the fear of harassment and intimidation and abuse, we are in a difficult place with sustaining the democratic process in this country."

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Councillors Nick Mannion, Michael Gorman and Stewart Gardiner (Credit: CEC)

Deputy council leader Michael Gorman (Wilmslow, Ind), who had two stalkers, said there was a dedicated campaign across social media, in email and face-to-face, to undermine local councils and local democracy.

"We have keyboard warriors often using what I've been informed are burner accounts, false accounts, spreading misinformation and abuse," he said.

"Councillors don't get gold-plated pensions. In fact, we don't get any pensions at all.

"The basic allowance for councillors in this council is a little more than £12,000 a year.

"You don't become rich as a councillor."

He added: "We have bots attacking councils. I would like to really know, who are these people?…

"We need to educate people about what we do, about the hundreds of services that we provide for vulnerable children and adults, etc.

"We also need the public to reject this – and I believe the vast majority of people in this country do reject it.

"The social media platforms need to get a grip on this. The courts need to back us, and they need to support local democracy."

Conservative group leader Stewart Gardiner said the trolls and people who abuse councillors are bullies.

"And like all bullies, they are also cowards, because if they truly believe what they put in their emails or said in their phone calls or any other form of media they choose to use, well, then they'd join us," said the Knutsford councillor.

"They'd put their name forward to be elected."

He said he hoped that 'where people peddle hate, where people peddle misinformation, and where people peddle untruths, the silent majority couldn't possibly agree and recognise that this is what they're doing'.

"They want to destroy our democracy, destroy our ways of life," he said.

And Cllr Gardiner called on the government to review how this matter of abuse and harassment is dealt with in the courts 'because today's harassment is tomorrow's crime far worse'.

He said there also needed to be a scheme of social education within schools 'that not only tells our children how they should behave, but teaches them the benefits of the democracy that we live in, how they should become engaged in it, and how good it is as a society'.

The committee was unanimous in signing off plans to bring in measures to tackle the threats and harassment.