Further to reports this week over her approval of a £2.6m grant to a company in Cross Hands things seem to be taking a turn for the worse this evening for former leader and Executive Board member Cllr Meryl Gravell.
You will recall that the grant was signed off by Meryl, in a fifteen minute secret meeting back in June, she was accompanied by just two officers.
BBC Radio Cymru have been investigating and have found out that Meryl awarded the grant after the director of resources had reported it to the Wales Audit Office and before the recipients JBCH Ltd had signed a contract with Celtica/Castell Howell to build the food processing plant and before anyone had even decided to move to the site. It appears to have been entirely speculative.
She must have been well aware of the involvement of the Wales Audit Office as she wielded her rubber stamp. She should go.
Meryl spoke to the BBC Radio reporter this evening and naturally claimed that everything was rosy, a "Good news story" in fact. Oh dear.
The council statement to the Western Mail last week, attributed to regeneration director Dave Gilbert, reeked of council spin and glossed over the issue. Everything was fine and the WAO had merely recommended they tidy things up a bit.
The Wales Audit Office are still investigating.
The Pembrokeshire Herald reports today that the scandal surrounding certain EU grants awarded by Pembrokeshire Council appears to be escalating.
It would appear from this evenings's revelations that Carmarthenshire can always be relied on to go one better...
(See also Wednesday's post Roger's parting shot which links to the Western Mail)
You will recall that the grant was signed off by Meryl, in a fifteen minute secret meeting back in June, she was accompanied by just two officers.
BBC Radio Cymru have been investigating and have found out that Meryl awarded the grant after the director of resources had reported it to the Wales Audit Office and before the recipients JBCH Ltd had signed a contract with Celtica/Castell Howell to build the food processing plant and before anyone had even decided to move to the site. It appears to have been entirely speculative.
She must have been well aware of the involvement of the Wales Audit Office as she wielded her rubber stamp. She should go.
Meryl spoke to the BBC Radio reporter this evening and naturally claimed that everything was rosy, a "Good news story" in fact. Oh dear.
The council statement to the Western Mail last week, attributed to regeneration director Dave Gilbert, reeked of council spin and glossed over the issue. Everything was fine and the WAO had merely recommended they tidy things up a bit.
Tonight's revelations bring the honesty of that council statement, and the integrity of Cllr Gravell, into question.
The Wales Audit Office are still investigating.
The Pembrokeshire Herald reports today that the scandal surrounding certain EU grants awarded by Pembrokeshire Council appears to be escalating.
It would appear from this evenings's revelations that Carmarthenshire can always be relied on to go one better...
(See also Wednesday's post Roger's parting shot which links to the Western Mail)