Archive for September 2014
Monday’s meeting of PCC’s audit committee was an all day affair with a routine meeting in the morning and an extraordinary meeting in the afternoon. The afternoon session was to discuss the latest developments in the controversial matter of “irregularities” in the the Commercial Property Grants Scheme in Pembroke Dock, so I had always intended... Read More »
The Local Government and Housing Act 1989 introduced some important changes to the way local authorities operate. Section 15 brought in the political balance rules which ensure that all political groups are fairly represented on committees. Previously, it was possible for the majority group, by resolution of the council, to pack committees with its own... Read More »
Following the vote of no confidence in the chief executive at last Friday’s extraordinary council meeting the chairman announced a ten minute break. Old Grumpy took the opportunity to nip out for a quick fag by the riverside. There I was joined by a number of other members – not all of them smokers – including... Read More »
Last Friday’s extraordinary meeting of council was a dramatic affair with a large majority supporting a motion of no confidence in the chief executive and a disciplinary panel being established to investigate allegations that he might have breached the officers’ code of conduct. The public webcast of proceedings can be viewed here. As I have... Read More »
A few months ago, I wrote a piece about the roof at Coronation School Pembroke Dock. The issue here is whether the whole of the roof was reslated, because that’s what was paid for. And, what’s more, it was paid for with Heritage Lottery funds which are supposed to be reserved for “good causes”. It... Read More »
Thankfully, Plaid Cymru are taking an interest in the Pembroke Dock grants business. This is just as well because with a Labour government in Cardiff and the Conservatives in control in county hall, albeit sailing under the IPPG’s flag of convenience, nobody else has any interest in getting at the truth. Plaid AM Simon Thomas... Read More »
The excellent website Y Cneifiwr, which keeps a close eye on our neighbours in Carmarthenshire County Council (CCC), has an interesting post dated 22 August 2014. It concerns an email sent to the WLGA panel looking into governance arrangements in CCC. The author is Sir David Lewis, a lay member of the council’s audit committee, who has... Read More »