As reported in my previous post the Chief Executive of Carmarthenshire Council, Mark James CBE, has 'stepped aside' from his various roles within the Welsh Government, including his position as Non-Executive Director, pending the police investigation. Those roles include;
• Member of the Public Service Leadership Group as regional lead for the Mid and West Wales collaborative service area.
• Member of the 21st Century Schools Programme Board as representative of the Society of Local Authority Chief Executives
• Chair of the Monmouthshire Education Recovery Board and
• Chair of the Welsh Government’s Central Services Corporate Governance Committee
Mr James 'standing down' as Chief Executive was, we understand, entirely voluntary, whether the same applies to the Welsh government roles we do not know. Mr James remuneration for these positions has never been made entirely clear although for the last role as Non-Exec Director of the CGC he's entitled to £347 per day plus expenses. In the two years ending March 2012 he received £5601.50
Still Mr James remains, according to local news reports, on full pay from Carmarthenshire County Council despite choosing 'not to undertake his duties'. Had he been suspended of course, he would have been entitled to full pay pending the outcome of the police investigation. Efforts are currently being made to determine the exact Terms and Conditions of Mr James 'leave'.
I'm sure that if other employees of the council, or anywhere else for that matter, decided not to undertake their duties, maybe for several months, they would not get paid.
The Terms and Condition are also significant as many wonder whether he will still be pulling the strings from his potting shed. Jonathan Edwards MP has asked Cllr Madge to confirm that Mr James will now have no contact with elected members or employees and no access to any of the council's computer and telephone systems whilst the police investigate.
It remains unknown whether he's had to hand over his corporate mobile phone.
There will be considerable chaos within County Hall in the lead up to next week's Extraordinary meeting and there may be determined efforts to reject the Auditor's findings, as well as resistance against the Plaid group's calls for no confidence in Executive Board Members. Let's hope there is no undue influence brought to bear from inside the castle walls, or from any potting sheds either.
• Member of the Public Service Leadership Group as regional lead for the Mid and West Wales collaborative service area.
• Member of the 21st Century Schools Programme Board as representative of the Society of Local Authority Chief Executives
• Chair of the Monmouthshire Education Recovery Board and
• Chair of the Welsh Government’s Central Services Corporate Governance Committee
Mr James 'standing down' as Chief Executive was, we understand, entirely voluntary, whether the same applies to the Welsh government roles we do not know. Mr James remuneration for these positions has never been made entirely clear although for the last role as Non-Exec Director of the CGC he's entitled to £347 per day plus expenses. In the two years ending March 2012 he received £5601.50
Still Mr James remains, according to local news reports, on full pay from Carmarthenshire County Council despite choosing 'not to undertake his duties'. Had he been suspended of course, he would have been entitled to full pay pending the outcome of the police investigation. Efforts are currently being made to determine the exact Terms and Conditions of Mr James 'leave'.
I'm sure that if other employees of the council, or anywhere else for that matter, decided not to undertake their duties, maybe for several months, they would not get paid.
The Terms and Condition are also significant as many wonder whether he will still be pulling the strings from his potting shed. Jonathan Edwards MP has asked Cllr Madge to confirm that Mr James will now have no contact with elected members or employees and no access to any of the council's computer and telephone systems whilst the police investigate.
It remains unknown whether he's had to hand over his corporate mobile phone.
There will be considerable chaos within County Hall in the lead up to next week's Extraordinary meeting and there may be determined efforts to reject the Auditor's findings, as well as resistance against the Plaid group's calls for no confidence in Executive Board Members. Let's hope there is no undue influence brought to bear from inside the castle walls, or from any potting sheds either.