A REFORM UK councillor has issued an apology after he was spotted urinating in a residential area of Alcombe while on the campaign trail for the upcoming Dunster by-election.

However, the leader of Reform UK at Devon County Council said while he doesn’t condone the councillor’s actions he does believe they are “understandable” and that it “highlights the shortage of public toilets”.

Cllr Neale Raleigh, a councillor at Devon County Council, was seen urinating in an alleyway next to a home on Victoria Street — the act being captured by a Ring doorbell camera.

The incident, which took place on Thursday, October 2, occurred as Cllr Raleigh was canvassing in Alcombe on behalf of a candidate ahead of the upcoming Dunster by-election for Somerset Council, due to take place on Thursday, October 23.

The video was uploaded to the social media platform X, where it has been viewed more than 46,000 times.

Leader of the Reform UK group at Devon County Council, Cllr Michael Fife Cook, told the Free Press that Cllr Raleigh has since apologised.

He said: “Neale came back to me and has apologised, I don’t condone his actions but there are understandable circumstances.

“Tramping the streets delivering leaflets for what you believe in has its ups and downs and he was caught short as there was no public facility available, so he looked for an alleyway, the chap he was delivering with kept a look out, so as not to offend anyone.

“He hadn’t thought about a ring doorbell but was desperate and that was the only option. This was not someone’s property this was an alley way.

“This is an unfortunate incident but highlights the shortage of public toilets, and this is what can happen when you close 50 per cent of public necessities/public toilets.

“I personally think we have all been caught short and we should give credit to Neil’s honesty in apologising.”