Tracy Moore, who represented Park ward until the local elections last May, acted as the Cabinet’s head of Economic Development & Communications.
For several years the councillor was personally targeted by opponents to the theatre who:
* Stuck menacing posters up of her on trees in Calverley Grounds, a park in which her children regularly played.
* Created pictures of her in the guise of a pig.
* Falsely accused her of financially benefitting from the development or ‘hiring friends’ to Council positions.
Tracy Moore admitted her time as a councillor seriously affected her health.
She said: “Truthfully, the constant trolling took a real toll on my well-being.
“I lost sleep and friendships – we had family stress as well as health consequences for me from my time in the cabinet.”
She said the attacks often came from anonymous twitter accounts.
“Social media feels like the Wild West. Those opposed to the Calverley Square project, especially those with vested interests, spread lies, disinformation or insinuated incompetence or corruption – all without consequences.
“It felt like there were no rules for them.”
She continued: “In the run up to the local elections friends commented that it seemed like a ‘witch hunt’. It did feel like relentless attacks and the personal abuse was corrosive over time.
“All because I believed in change and progress and dared to accept the advice and evidence of professionals in their fields.”
She concluded: “The public have been lied to by the TWA and their motives have been hidden for too long. The result was they poisoned the minds of many in the public, who now refuse to believe the weight of evidence that supports Calverley Square.
“I genuinely believe that this kind of personal attack will put good people off public service.
“It certainly has done so for me.”
