The news that the EU Commission has decided, after an informal assessment, not to investigate Carmarthenshire Council over illegal State Aid (unfair competition) funding to Scarlets Regional Ltd, will be greeted with smug satisfaction in County Hall.
The chief executive announced this, somewhat prematurely it turned out, back in July.
Interestingly, the EU Commissioner looking at this matter based his assessment "On the basis of available information..."
"Available" being the key word I would imagine. Presumably there was some information which was not available...
Anyway, EU rules or not, what we do know is that the Carmarthenshire taxpayer has forked out over £18m, plus a £2.6m loan so far, let alone the back door subsidies and the 'Marston's deal' etc etc.
Back in 2007 Councillors were warned by external auditors it was all a bit too risky, but this was one of those visions of the chief executive and no troublesome councillors or pesky auditors were going to stand in the way.
Even earlier, in 2001, in Boston, Lincolnshire a similar vision for a stadium was born and councillors were told by their chief executive, Mark James, it 'wouldn't cost the taxpayers' a penny'. By 2002 he'd jumped ship and moved to Carmarthenshire. Unfortunately, as we know, Mr James brought his visions with him.
So far, the taxpayers of Boston have stumped up over £6m towards the Princess Royal Sports Arena (a snip compared to PyS but a bit more than a penny) and with a row currently raging over yet more funding, which will take the taxpayers' contribution over the £7m mark, many are wondering when it will ever end.
In 2007 a damning auditors' report into the Boston fiasco pointed much of the blame on those that led the initial project. At the time, the local newspaper, the Boston Standard and also the Western Mail both reported on the matter but as those who were involved at the start had long left, they escaped accountability.
The legacy left by Mr James in Boston continues to bleed the taxpayers to this day - the same legacy we can look forward to when he eventually leaves Carmarthenshire.
The chief executive announced this, somewhat prematurely it turned out, back in July.
Interestingly, the EU Commissioner looking at this matter based his assessment "On the basis of available information..."
"Available" being the key word I would imagine. Presumably there was some information which was not available...
Anyway, EU rules or not, what we do know is that the Carmarthenshire taxpayer has forked out over £18m, plus a £2.6m loan so far, let alone the back door subsidies and the 'Marston's deal' etc etc.
Back in 2007 Councillors were warned by external auditors it was all a bit too risky, but this was one of those visions of the chief executive and no troublesome councillors or pesky auditors were going to stand in the way.
Even earlier, in 2001, in Boston, Lincolnshire a similar vision for a stadium was born and councillors were told by their chief executive, Mark James, it 'wouldn't cost the taxpayers' a penny'. By 2002 he'd jumped ship and moved to Carmarthenshire. Unfortunately, as we know, Mr James brought his visions with him.
So far, the taxpayers of Boston have stumped up over £6m towards the Princess Royal Sports Arena (a snip compared to PyS but a bit more than a penny) and with a row currently raging over yet more funding, which will take the taxpayers' contribution over the £7m mark, many are wondering when it will ever end.
In 2007 a damning auditors' report into the Boston fiasco pointed much of the blame on those that led the initial project. At the time, the local newspaper, the Boston Standard and also the Western Mail both reported on the matter but as those who were involved at the start had long left, they escaped accountability.
The legacy left by Mr James in Boston continues to bleed the taxpayers to this day - the same legacy we can look forward to when he eventually leaves Carmarthenshire.