News
Haverfordwest mayor vote descends into chaos as fiery dispute breaks out among councillors
SCENES of pandemonium, including three councillors resigning and the mayor being called a disgrace to the town, broke out during the election of Haverfordwest’s mayor for the forthcoming year.
For most councils the election of mayor is almost a formality, the deputy mayor traditionally taking on the role.
However, Haverfordwest took a somewhat different view to allowing Councillor Jill Owens, a decorated former police sergeant who was once forced to resign after falling in love with an armed robber, to slide seamlessly into the role.
Despite there being no argument about Cllr Owen’s fitness for the role, the March meeting of the town council contained an agenda item considering applications for the 2023-24 mayor, with both Cllr Owens and Cllr Rhys Evans listed.
Intention
From the outset of the meeting, the “wisdom and integrity” of that decision was questioned, with current mayor Alan Buckfield and town clerk Juliet Raymond coming in for flak.
Former town councillor Peter Lewis was one of several former town mayors present as members of the public, along with county councillor Tim Evans.
Mr Lewis said: “This council is being asked for the first time in its history to break its own rules,” adding that he understood no other nominations could be received if the deputy mayor had offered to stand – a motion in the meeting itself being needed to overcome this.
Citing the code of conduct, members raised concerns of “pre-determination,” with claims some councillors had already made their intention to vote for Cllr Evans clear.
Cllr Evans, formally making a proposal he be considered for election, said: “I have been approached by several members of the community asking if I would stand as mayor,” adding: “I think it would be negligent of me not to stand.”
Cllr Owens said the decision to take additional nominations was against the advice of One Voice Wales – the national representative body for community and tow councils in Wales – and that four councillors had pre-determined their vote by saying they would vote for Cllr Evans.
“There is a procedure in place, for hundreds and hundreds of years in this town, this hasn’t happened before.”
“Ashamed”
She told the mayor: “You, as a council – mayor – are looking to ride roughshod over the Code of Conduct, you will be responsible to the Ombudsman.”
She later added: “I would just like to put on record you should be ashamed of yourself Mayor, you and the clerk have ignored advice. It’s disgusting the way you have conducted this,” adding: “You [Clerk Juliet Raymond] are a clerk on this council and you are not impartial.”
Cllr Buckfield, attempting to steer the meeting along, said: “You should be talking about procedure, not personality.”
He later said: “A chair can only do what council wants me to.”
Cllr Owens replied: “You are duty bound to abide by standing orders and the code [of conduct]; these people [the four said to have made their voting intentions clear] should’ve left. You [Cllr Buckfield] are a disgrace to the town.”
Councillor Jonathan Twigg proposed members actually support Cllr Owens taking over as mayor, a call that was not accepted by the mayor.
Members then voted to consider Cllr Evans take on the role of mayor, which was defeated.
After that vote failed, several councillors were seen leaving the meeting, with Councillor Richard Blacklaw-Jones, Councillor Gareth Roberts, and Councillor Rhys Evans formally resigning the following day.
After the deputy mayor was formally adopted as mayor for the following year, Cllr Evans said: “I just want to say – in the most humble way – congratulations. This council should always remember we are here to serve the people of the town.”
Cllr Owens said: “I am happy for the history of the town that the right result has happened.
“There are clear fractures in this council, let’s now try and move together and work together for the good of this town, and do a good job, let’s all support each other and work to one goal.”
“Change”
Speaking after the meeting, Cllr Owens said: “It’s never, ever happened in 900 years, the town council of Haverfordwest needs to change, it needs to be more open and transparent, at the end of the day justice did prevail.
“It wasn’t about me becoming mayor, it was about more being in the right place for the town, and that history continuing.”
Also speaking after the meeting, Mayor Alan Buckfield said: “I believe in democracy, I believe people have the right to express themselves in a proper and distinguished manner. The whole point of the debate was to test the standing order; to my mind the only way to test that was by voting.”
Relating to comments made about his fitness to drive he said: “In a debate on procedure and the interpretation of Standing Orders, there should be no place for personal remarks or references to illness and disability.”
He also expressed his concern about criticism of the clerk: “What really worried me about that meeting was the way the clerk was spoken to, the duty of care towards the clerk was sadly lacking.”’
Clerk Juliet Raymond said: “Prior to the March full council meeting, I passed on the impartial advice given by One Voice Wales to every member. This advice was requested by Councillor Jill Owens, Councillor Martin Lewis and Councillor Jonathan Twigg.”
Councillors Richard Blacklaw-Jones, Gareth Roberts and Rhys Evans have all been contacted for a comment.
News
More than 2,600 Pembrokeshire council tenants in arrears
A QUESTION over concerns that Pembrokeshire County Council has “serious rental areas of more than £2m” saw members of the council hear that one person had a backlog of more than £18,000.
Merlin’s Bridge councillor John Cole, in a submitted question heard at the May 9 meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council, asked: “In the budget seminars. It was reported that the council has serious rental arrears that are over £2 million.”
In a three-pronged question to Cabinet Member for Housing Operations & Regulatory Services Cllr Michelle Bateman, he asked: “What amount of arrears are attributed to housing benefit not being passed on to the council by tenants?
“What is the highest, lowest and average amount of arrears owed and number of tenants in arrears?
“Would it not be prudent to have a clause in tenancy agreements that tenants agree that housing benefit rents are made directly to the council, thereby negating the arrears occurring in the first instance.”
Responding at the May meeting, Cllr Bateman said tenants did not receive housing benefit directly, unless transferred to universal credit, adding that, as of March 31, there were 2,618 tenants in arrears, the lowest owing one pence, the average £959.10, and the highest £18,058.16.
She told members the highest, which had skewed the average figures, was “a complex case involving a vulnerable individual”.
Members heard that 60 per cent of the rental arrears figures were under £500 owing.
News
Ruling against language campaigner over English-only parking notice
A COURT in Aberystwyth has this week (May 13) ruled against the language campaigner Toni Schiavone and has allowed parking company One Parking Solution to claim costs in an extended legal dispute over an English-only parking notice. However, Toni Schiavone said he will continue to refuse to pay until he receives a copy of the notice from the parking company in Welsh.
According to the judge, there was no legal basis to force the parking company to provide a Welsh language service. Language campaigners insist that this demonstrates a “serious flaw” in the legislation that protects the rights of Welsh speakers.
Toni Schiavone received the original charge in September 2020 for parking in a private car park in Llangrannog, but refused to pay as he did not receive the charge in Welsh or bilingually, despite sending the company two letters as well as calling them.
The first two cases were thrown out over technical issues, but at a hearing on 26 January this year, One Parking Solution won an appeal to continue to prosecute Mr Schiavone, after the judge ruled that there were no grounds to throw out the first two cases of the court.
Speaking during today’s court proceedings, Toni Schiavone said: “The Welsh language is an official and equal language in Wales and we as Welsh speakers have rights according to the law, and in principle, that should be respected. The request for a Parking Charge Notice in Welsh or bilingually is reasonable and practical. It would have cost around £60 to translate.
“This case could have been resolved very easily and very quickly by providing a Welsh or bilingual Parking Charge Notice. Does not doing so show prejudice against the Welsh language? In my opinion, it does.”
Mr Schiavone told the court that the claimant had behaved threateningly, sending him a letter claiming £10,156.70 in legal expenses a day before his hearing in January as well as another letter with additional costs of over £4,000 two days before today’s case. According to research by Cymdeithas yr Iaith, translating the fine into Welsh would have cost only £60.
The judge Lowri Williams said that Toni had behaved in an “honest, principled” manner during the case, and had shown an “unwavering dedication to the Welsh language and the cause for the language.”
However, she said during her verdict that there was nothing in the 1967 Welsh Language Act, the 1993 Welsh Language Act, or the 2011 Welsh Language Measure to compel the parking company to provide a Welsh language service.
She therefore ordered that Toni pay the £100 charge, as well as £70 for administrative costs, £11.90 interest and £85 for the court fee within 21 days.
After explaining her ruling and order, Toni Schiavone said “I understand, but I refuse to pay.” His statement was met by applause from his supporters in the public gallery.
Following the case, Siân Howys, Chair of Cymdeithas yr Iaith’s Rights Group, said: “Today’s judgment shows that – despite the Welsh Government’s claim – the Welsh language does not have equal status in Wales. The judge has done her work thoroughly and found that there is nothing in the legislation that ensures that Toni’s right to use his own language in his own country is respected.
“It is clear, therefore, that the Welsh Government needs to correct the serious flaw in the legislation in order to ensure that the people of Wales can use the Welsh language in all aspects of their lives.”
News
Cllr Jon Harvey elected Leader of Pembrokeshire County Council
CLLR JON HARVEY has been elected as the new Leader of Pembrokeshire County Council.
Cllr Harvey, who represents the Pembroke St Mary North ward, was elected as Leader at the Annual General Meeting of Council held on Friday May 10.
A Town Planner by profession, Cllr Harvey spent 12 years in various Planning Officer roles in Local Government before moving into the private sector and a career at senior level planning, housebuilding and development.
More recently, he was the Head of Development at a Swansea-based Housing Association.
With a love of music and theatre, Cllr Harvey has managed an indie rock band, promoted a number of gigs locally and has staged managed plays including at the Edinburgh fringe.
Married with four grown-up children, Cllr Harvey served as the Cabinet Member for Planning & Housing Delivery under former Leader Cllr David Simpson.
Cllr Harvey, who is not affiliated to any group, was first elected to Council in September 2018.
He said: “I am deeply honoured to stand before you today as your new Leader and the responsibility is not one I take lightly.
“I pledge to lead with passion, dedication, integrity, transparency and compassion.
“I am convinced that if we all work together with common purpose and work towards common goals we can make a real difference to the lives of those residents that we serve.”
Cllr Harvey will name his Cabinet in the coming days.
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