Death threats, casual misogyny and a swathe of insulting comments, all in 280 characters.

That’s what local councillors and leaders say they face when they log on to Twitter to share information or views with constituents.

Councillors say they assume that in response to a tweet or a Facebook post, they will be targeted with hateful and personal insults.

It comes following a column by Bromley Town councillor Nicky Dykes, who said social media has a dark side – one she says is worse for women.

“There’s a difference between disagreement on a policy and issue,” Cllr Dykes said. “But now you get rinsed – for want of a better word – whatever you write.

“It’s so emotive, people get carried away when they’re typing away and it becomes abuse.”

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Cllr Dykes is married to fellow ward councillor Will Harmer, who she says doesn’t receive the same insults despite holding similar views on local issues.

“It’s a weird thing about women but it’s undeniable. Me and my husband are a classic example of that.”

During the controversial Bullers Wood debate, during which hundreds of parents pushed for a new school to be built, Cllr Dykes said female colleagues who disagreed were targeted with hateful, misogynistic language.

“I was on the right side of the Bullers Wood debate but those who didn’t received really, really nasty comments. Women were ‘evil’, or a ‘bitch’, or ‘soulless’ – one female councillor was told she shouldn’t be allowed children.

“It’s always in the back of your mind when I post something. If I’m putting it on Twitter it is to be helpful, but you know people are going to complain or say it isn’t what they want.

“No one is beyond criticism or being held to account but being abusive on social media won’t achieve that at all.”

Twitter has become an essential part of communication for councillors to interact with constituents, but some are being driven off due to abuse.

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The leader of Greenwich Council revealed he, and cabinet colleagues, have received death threats over the sensitive topic of a memorial to Lee Rigby.

“I think that definitely the expectations of what people want from their members are changing,” Cllr Dan Thorpe said.

“There is a difference between debating on the issues and trolling and abuse.

“You tend to attract a lot of negativity – there’s a difference between not agreeing and being outright rude. We are expected to be robust and engaging as politicians, but just because we are accountable doesn’t mean people can use targeted attacks.

“With the Lee Rigby stuff we had a lot of death threats, that was fairly grim and the police got involved.

“Being constantly called a liar gets a bit wearing. You’re so publicly available. I’ve never had any homophobic stuff but it’s out there and it happens. The really sad thing is for some members it has driven them off social media.”

Neighbouring Bexley Council leader Teresa O’Neill told the Local Democracy Reporting Service social media has taken access to local officials to another level.

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“People expect you to be available all the time. I don’t respond on Twitter because some of it is a bit nasty. Some of it is a bit uncalled for. People don’t check their facts. People don’t necessarily think about what they’re saying before they say it.”

Bexley Council recently debated a new social media policy for councillors, setting out dos and don’ts for the elected officials as they interact with the public and each other online.

Councillor Danny Hackett quit the Labour party only a few weeks ago, becoming Bexley’s only independent member.

“I was dreading announcing it – dreading what was going to happen. The abuse I got was from anonymous trolls mainly. I have a folder full of screenshots of abusive messages I got, around my appearance, my height, bringing my family into it.

“I had one a few days ago who asked if I preferred to w*** over Tony Blair or dead Iraqi children – vile nasty human beings.

“We put ourselves in the public eye and expect to be criticised, to have your policies ripped apart –what I don’t expect or deserve is people bringing your family into it.”

The Thamesmead East councillor said he has had his address published on Twitter by trolls and following the elections last year had his car damaged in a hammer attack.

“I’m struggling to put it into words. I expect it all the time. It becomes second nature, I tweet out – I say what I am thinking and what I believe is the right thing to say – you just get a load of abuse. It needs to be taken seriously – we need more tolerance and respect.”