COUNCILLOR PROPOSES RECLAIMING MONEY FOR COUNCIL TAX PAYERS & BARRING COUNCILLORS FROM FUTURE ELECTION TO PUBLIC OFFICE

            

All attempts to resolve a matter relating to the allocation of £247,196 of allowances by elected politicians in Torfaen have failed after months of meetings, motions and questions to Council.

      

Since May 2008 Labour, Plaid and the 2 Independent councillors have repeatedly defended their position because their “public vote” recording they allocating themselves £247,196 of council tax payers’ money and that “it could technically be allowed if we had asked, we didn’t ask; but we did take the money”.

      

All 18 Labour Councillors, together with the 3 Plaid Cymru Councillors and Independent councillors Peter Cathcart and Alastair Cunnington came to “an agreement” to enable Labour retain control of Torfaen Council, to nominate and votes all 23 of themselves into positions that attracted special responsibility allowances totalling £247,196.

             

“The Mayor is not gifted with telepathic powers or the ability to read minds; therefore he had to abide by the Constitution and the advice provided for the Annual Council Meeting. Both these directed the Mayor to rule the motion to appoint the Chair of the Audit Committee out of order”.

      

“The Mayor applied the Constitution correctly during the Council Meeting held on 16 December 2008, when the Leader moved a proposal to make appointments (exactly has he had done during the Annual Council Meeting on 22 May 2008), the Chief Legal Officer and Monitoring Officer stated that these matters were not on the agenda. The Mayor ruled the motion out of order and proceeded to the next business on the agenda (paragraphs 20.20 & 20.21 minutes of meeting 16 December 2008).

      

Councillor Paul Williams is progressing action to:

i.     To rescind the decisions taken at the Annual Council Meeting of Torfaen County Borough Council held on 22 May 2008.

ii.     To initiate the procedures (outlined by the Leader at the Torfaen County Borough Council Meeting on 4 November 2008 minutes paragraph 20.2) to recover all monies inappropriately paid to councillors since the Annual Council Meeting of Torfaen County Borough Council held on 22 May 2008.

   

iii.    To instigate proceedings on those councillors who conspired, either individually or collectively, to continually support the “arrangement” for the Annual Council Meeting of Torfaen County Borough Council held on 22 May 2008 that they are barred from contesting future elections for public service.

      

The reality is that in the Local Government election held on 1 May 2008 Labour lost overall control of Torfaen County Borough Council - losing 16 seats, they returned 18 councillors. Prior to this election they had 34 of the total 44 seats on the council. This result left Labour requiring 23 votes if they were to be sure of retaining control of Torfaen County Borough Council (i.e. they had to find a further 5 councillors to support them).

   

At the Annual Council Meeting held on 22 May 2008 Labour secured the required 23 votes (18 Labour councillors, 3 Plaid Cymru councillors and 2 Independent councillors) - each and every one of these 23 Councillors collectively voted for their “arrangement” to allow Labour to retain control of the Council and they also voted all of themselves into positions that receive “Special Responsibility Allowances” totalling £247,196 per year.

   
Since being elected in May 2008, Councillor Williams has consistently voted against increasing allowances and in favour of reducing allowances for councillors. He has not taken any increase in the Councillor allowance or claimed any further payment of allowances.

 

Attached are briefings on back ground to this matter and the relevant constitution rules and guidance.

Backround material (Word Docs) Rules | Briefing

For further information; please contact Paul Williams 07875120491