2014 kicks off: Next week's agendas
Whilst backbench councillors and observers wait interminably for reports on 'unlawful payments', email 'snooping', consultants fees, ombudsman reports, freedom of information requests and the like,...
View ArticleLibel case - Executive Board meeting
I was not present at today's Executive Board meeting where the libel proceedings were being discussed but there is an early report from the Carmarthen Journal which I have copied in full below.I have...
View ArticleJanuary Council meeting
Yesterday's meeting has now been archived for you to view at your leisure, so I only need to provide some commentary...Over an hour was taken up with a presentation from the ladies from the Care and...
View ArticleLiving Wage and other stories
There's an interesting response to an enquiry concerning the Living Wage on the What Do They Know website. Out of 8744 Carmarthenshire council workers, a staggering 2876 are currently paid less than...
View ArticleGarnant Golf Club...and yet another inquiry?
(Update 4.04pm; There is now confirmation on Garnant Golf Club website that it has run out of cash and gone into liquidation)A couple of years ago Carmarthenshire Council decided to offload Garnant...
View ArticleEmail snooping...still avoiding the issue
At a recent meeting of the Policy and Resources Scrutiny Committee concern was expressed as to the mysterious whereabouts of the promised report into council email snooping.Readers will remember that...
View ArticleWho runs the council?
A couple of weeks ago the Plaid opposition group put forward a set of alternative budget proposals and the residents of Carmarthenshire have, according to the council, been busy responding to the...
View ArticleWales Audit Office - a brief update
I understand that, with regards to the two 'unlawful' payments, the Wales Audit Office and the appointed auditor are still considering the issues and taking advice.If he should decide to publish public...
View ArticleThe Williams Report - Carmarthenshire
The much anticipated Williams Report has just been published and can be found here although I'm sure there will be plenty of media comment and endless expert analysis throughout the coming days. The...
View ArticleSchools...and dinners
The Education and Children Scrutiny Committee meets next Thursday (23rd Jan) and will be considering the proposal to delegate school closures to the Executive Board.You'll remember that this further...
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Back to June 2011, a police response
Someone sent me a link this morning from the September 2011 Quarterly Report for the Dyfed Powys Police Authority, before the 2012 Police Commissioner elections. It contains this extract;'Protest - At...
View ArticlePenny pinching
There is precious little spending information published by Carmarthenshire Council and the councillors' expenses 'database', which sometimes works and sometimes doesn't, is about all you get....
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Cuts, closure and...oh, a PR revamp
As the final decisions on the council budget are fast approaching many residents are now realising that, as usual, the County Hall cuts steamroller fired up long ago.One striking example is the...
View ArticleThe Care Homes...and the £7m mystery
In February 2011 a proposal to close two care homes in Llanelli, Caemaen and St Pauls suffered a rare defeat in the council Chamber. The campaigners and residents who had fought a bitter battle, were...
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Libel and Pension scandals - Auditor issues damning reports
The Appointed Auditor (Wales Audit Office), Anthony Barrett, has today published two damning Public Interest Reports relating to Carmarthenshire County Council. One concerns the libel indemnity and the...
View ArticleCounty Hall Meltdown; Plaid opposition to discuss 'No Confidence' votes -...
Following yesterday's revelations here's a press release from the Plaid Cymru opposition on Carmarthenshire Council calling for heads to roll, further updates and links can be found below;Opposition...
View ArticleCounty Hall Meltdown - The police, a parallel, and the question of legal advice
Back in November Cllr Darren Price asked at a full council meeting whether or not the police had been in touch, or whether this was going to be a possibility. At the time, those involved were sworn to...
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Press release: MP calls in police to investigate Chief Executive's possible...
Published press release from Jonathan Edwards, MP for Carmarthenshire East and Dinefwr, 2nd February:PRESS RELEASEJonathan Edwards MP www.jonathanedwards.org.ukPlaid Cymru – The Party of WalesMember...
View ArticlePlaid calls on Leader to suspend Chief Executive
Update 14.55; Kevin Madge has responded to Plaid's requests (see main post) and refused to consider calling for immediate suspensions, he insists that the matter of the libel indemnity should not be...
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"Where do we go now Mr James?"
Update 20:38Plaid Cymru Carmarthenshire have issued a statement this evening in response to the publication of the council's legal advice. Full text at the end of this post. The council have also...
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