Further to this post, Chief Executive censors debate on press freedom', that well known exponent of transparency, leader of the Independent Party, and aspiring leader of the Council, Cllr Pam Palmer has rushed to the defence of the Chief Executive in today's Carmarthen Journal.
She says " he has done nothing wrong" and was just following normal procedure, "The Plaid group are aware of the council's constitution and the responsibility placed on the chief executive....It's unfortunate that the leader of the group has chosen to attack the chief executive for doing his job in accordance with the constitutional duties placed on him by the council itself."
Remember, this Motion, which the chief Executive refused to put on the agenda was to ask councillors to support a free press, coming after the exposure of the council's withdrawal of advertising from the South Wales Guardian after negative reports. This is a pattern of behaviour by County Hall which is affecting the entire county and there are fears that the only the defiant SW Guardian and a couple of blogs will remain free from local authority editorial control.
The Editor's opinion piece in today's SW Guardian has emphasised the real affect of the council's unofficial boycott; readers have been disenfranchised, the Christmas refuse collections were not advertised and nor was the planning application for the new 1200 pupil school destined for the swampland of Ffairfach.
So what is Pam Palmer saying? Which of the many variations of the Constitution has she been looking at? The officers' version, the councillors? or the one on the website? The one on the website says (my underlining);
12.7 Every motion shall be relevant to some matter in relation to which the authority have functions, or which affects the area of the authority, or part of it, or the inhabitants of that area, or some of them.
12.11 The Chief Executive shall in consultation with the Chair of Council refer, where appropriate Notices of Motions upon receipt to the Executive Board, Executive Board Member or the relevant Committee unless the content requires consideration by the Council.
The motion certainly fits 12.7, the crucial bit is 12.11 which raises the following points;
Has the Plaid Cymru Chair of the Council been consulted and happily agreed that this Motion should not be aired at full council? Could we have a statement?
Who has decided, and why, that it is not "appropriate" for this to be debated by full council?
Which Executive Board Member will it be referred to? None as far as I can see has the Portfolio for Press Censorship...will Pam Palmer discuss it with herself?
And who decided, and on what basis, that the content does not require consideration by the council?
Cllr Palmer says that Plaid are aware of the rules of the constitution, I'm sure she's right, in fact they, and the casual observer, seem to have a much better grip of it than Pam and the rest of the ruling junta.
What a bloody shambles.
(See also 'Ad blackout' council accused of stifling free speech' from Hold the Front Page)
She says " he has done nothing wrong" and was just following normal procedure, "The Plaid group are aware of the council's constitution and the responsibility placed on the chief executive....It's unfortunate that the leader of the group has chosen to attack the chief executive for doing his job in accordance with the constitutional duties placed on him by the council itself."
Remember, this Motion, which the chief Executive refused to put on the agenda was to ask councillors to support a free press, coming after the exposure of the council's withdrawal of advertising from the South Wales Guardian after negative reports. This is a pattern of behaviour by County Hall which is affecting the entire county and there are fears that the only the defiant SW Guardian and a couple of blogs will remain free from local authority editorial control.
The Editor's opinion piece in today's SW Guardian has emphasised the real affect of the council's unofficial boycott; readers have been disenfranchised, the Christmas refuse collections were not advertised and nor was the planning application for the new 1200 pupil school destined for the swampland of Ffairfach.
So what is Pam Palmer saying? Which of the many variations of the Constitution has she been looking at? The officers' version, the councillors? or the one on the website? The one on the website says (my underlining);
12.7 Every motion shall be relevant to some matter in relation to which the authority have functions, or which affects the area of the authority, or part of it, or the inhabitants of that area, or some of them.
12.11 The Chief Executive shall in consultation with the Chair of Council refer, where appropriate Notices of Motions upon receipt to the Executive Board, Executive Board Member or the relevant Committee unless the content requires consideration by the Council.
The motion certainly fits 12.7, the crucial bit is 12.11 which raises the following points;
Has the Plaid Cymru Chair of the Council been consulted and happily agreed that this Motion should not be aired at full council? Could we have a statement?
Who has decided, and why, that it is not "appropriate" for this to be debated by full council?
Which Executive Board Member will it be referred to? None as far as I can see has the Portfolio for Press Censorship...will Pam Palmer discuss it with herself?
And who decided, and on what basis, that the content does not require consideration by the council?
Cllr Palmer says that Plaid are aware of the rules of the constitution, I'm sure she's right, in fact they, and the casual observer, seem to have a much better grip of it than Pam and the rest of the ruling junta.
What a bloody shambles.
(See also 'Ad blackout' council accused of stifling free speech' from Hold the Front Page)
