Heads must roll – Statement by Plaid Cymru group on Carmarthenshire CC

Three senior Carmarthenshire councillors who unlawfully approved the Chief Executive’s pension and libel payments should resign immediately, say Plaid Cymru.

“We hold the present Leader Cllr Kevin Madge, former Leader Cllr Meryl Gravell and Independent group Leader Cllr Pam Palmer responsible for this disgraceful situation,” said Cllr Peter Hughes Griffiths, who leads the 28-strong Plaid Cymru opposition group on the council.”

“They were, and still are, members of the Labour-Independent Executive Board which in 2012 made decisions about spending tens of thousands of taxpayers’ money in unminuted meetings behind closed doors; expenditure which has now been deemed unlawful.”

“In displaying disregard for proper procedure and statutes, the three members named have shown themselves to be unfit to be part of the administration of this county council and should resign. The fact that the present Executive Board recently backed their stance also calls the Board’s competence as a whole into question.”

“Even after initially being pulled up by the WAO last year they chose to commit even more public money by mounting a legal challenge, before backing down on the pension issue.”

“This is what happens when a weak Labour-Independent Executive Board abdicates its responsibilities by allowing a senior officer to lead.”

“At a time when council services across the board are facing unprecedented cutbacks, how can the public have any confidence in such an incompetent administration? The council, as a whole, urgently needs to take control of the situation. That can only happen if the Labour and Independent groups invite Plaid Cymru to be part of the administration.”