Carmarthenshire Labour have welcomed the news that the Wales Audit Office are continuing their investigations into the handled of a grant application by the Leader of Carmarthenshire Council.
In an Executive Board Member Decisions Meeting for the Leader, held on the 11th April, a decision was made to approve a grant application for the redevelopment of the former Lloyds Bank, 1 Quay Street, Ammanford, as part of the Ammanford Regeneration Development Fund.
Mr Andrew Owen, an employee of Carmarthenshire Council, received a grant of £145,236.16 to convert the former bank into private accommodation and office space. The Ammanford Regeneration Development Fund has a fixed budget of £300,000 and it is intended to provide prospects of immediate job creation.
Having received the call for an investigation in May from the Leader of the Opposition, Cllr Rob James, the Wales Audit Office have confirmed that their audit team are continuing to carry out further investigations into the matter.
Cllr Rob James stated, “I am pleased that the Wales Audit Office are continuing to investigate our complaint into the handled of the Lloyds Bank grant application.
“We have received a number of queries from those living in the Amman Valley on this matter and I feel that it essential that we ascertain whether public funds were mishandled, whether the applicant has met the criteria for this grant and whether the Leader of the Council has a conflict of interest in granting public funding to individuals that may be connected to him politically.
“I look forward to seeing the Wales Audit Office’s findings into this matter.”
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