Manorbier.com
of 6th December 2007
Request for Information from former councillor Mrs Pat Griffiths.
A letter was received from RTL Solicitors acting on behalf of former county councillor Pat Griffiths who had requested minutes of a meeting held on 16th January 2006 for the purpose of her legal inquiries into the allegation by Cllrs Wales and Neads that she had lied to the court in the ICT Marketing case, committed perjury and stabbed the Community Council in the back.
The solicitors for Mrs Griffiths had requested the minutes under the Freedom of Information Act in July by e-mail. Cllr Calver asked why the request had not been brought to the Community Council's attention Cllr Neads stated that he 'had not received the e-mail' even though he had just made reference to it. Cllr Calver suggested that Cllr Neads had again failed in his role as proper officer by his failure of bringing the issue to the attention of the Community Council and that a duty exists for the information to be forwarded to Mrs Griffiths following her request via her legal representatives. Cllr Coleman was adamant that Mrs Griffiths should be informed that if she wanted a copy of the minutes that she should get them from the Post Office in the village, a seemingly unusual statement from the Councillor with responsibility for access to information under the Freedom of Information Act for the Community Council.
Cllr Calver asked Cllr Neads when the information would be provided to Mrs Griffiths bearing in mind she intimated that she had been waiting since July for the information. Cllr Neads' response was 'when he had time' and suggested Cllr Calver should forward the information to Mrs Griffiths. Cllr Calver responded by saying that there was no point in Cllr Neads providing the information to him, and then for him to forward the information to Mrs Griffiths when it was in Cllr Neads' duty, responsibility and in his power to provide the information directly to Mrs Griffiths.
Website Comment
The allegation made by Cllr Wales and Neads against Mrs Griffiths is extremely serious, it surely must follow that all information that concerns the allegation should be provided to the person so accused without delay. When this item has come up for discussion at past meetings Cllr Wales has used his position as chairman to curtail the discussion on the subject. In addition he has stated that he would not call any special meeting to discuss the issue or attend any meeting if it was called to consider her complaint.
Employment Tribunal Case
Information has finally been forthcoming in relation to the employment tribunal case concerning the former clerk. This ends the formal shroud of secrecy that has enveloped the case for the past two years. Councillors were informed that the case against the Community Council had been rescheduled from 19th 20th and 21st November 2007 to a three day hearing to be held in Cardiff on the 21st, 22nd and 23rd April 2008. This is the first time that councillors have been officially informed of a hearing date by either the chairman or proper officer. When asked by a local resident in the open session of the details of the location, time and date of the staffing committee meetings, Cllr Wales stated that he did not know and when questioned further stated he would find out. This is a concern as no individual councillor can take on such a delegation of information gathering it must be referred back to full council.
This case, which is likely to have financial repercussions on the council and its charge payers, is seemingly following the same pattern as the ITC Marketing case where councillors were not kept fully informed by Cllrs Wales and Neads, a very grave concern as that case cost the Community Council over £20,000.00.
To date a notification has not been placed in the community or forwarded to councillors regarding any staffing committee meeting for over 18 months; no contact has been reported to council over any involvement of ACAS which could have resolved the issue.
Considering the origins of the political party to which Cllr Wales is affiliated the lack of any suggestion on his part to have any direct involvement by ACAS is surprising.
During the ICT marketing case the retained solicitors, Lowless and Lowless, advised the Community Council to settle out of court. One wonders if similar advice has also been given to Cllrs Wales, Neads and Coleman in respect of the forthcoming case prior to the solicitors dismissal on the advice of the staffing committee.
Cancelled Bank Standing Order
Cllr Neads reported that an anonymous person had contacted Barclays Bank and succeeded in stopping the standing order that was in place to make payments to the YHA for the use of the Skrinkle Centre. Cllr Wales had advised the council at a previous meeting that the YHA had sent back the money they were due for the rent of the Skrinkle centre. Cllr Calver queried the contradiction in these statements and asked Cllr Neads if he had sought information from the bank as to the identity of the individual. Cllr Neads informed him that Barclays Bank had failed to provide him with the identity of the person concerned to which Cllr Calver replied that surely a record of the person's identity would have to be provided to Barclays Bank before they would carry out the instruction. If a standing order with Barclays Bank could be stopped without identification it was worrying because potentially it could allow someone to increase the standing order without identification.
Cllr Wales and Neads forward allegations regarding Funds stolen from the Community Council to Police
Manorbier Community Council is set for controversy again as Cllrs Wales and Neads reported to the meeting that they had contacted the local police regarding irregularities in the Community Council finances. Cllr Neads informed councillors that there had been a conspiracy and that funds had been stolen from Manorbier Community Council in 2003 and he had contacted the police. Cllr Calver asked Cllr Neads whether any details were available and was told by Cllr Neads that he would not give any details to fellow councillors as the police investigations are continuing.
Website Comment
It seems that Cllr Wales and Neads act in the name of the entire council making accusations on the council's behalf without providing their fellow councillors with any information as to the substance of these allegations. Surely the inability of Councillors to question the evidence that Cllrs Neads and Wales have given to the police should be very important.
The responsible attitude of councillors, one would suggest, would be to question Cllrs Wales and Neads firstly as to the accuracy of their statements and their actions in reporting the matter to the police and a full disclosure to the Community Council over their findings. The Council makes only corporate decisions and clearly this action by Cllr Neads could not be described as such.
Appointment of A New Clerk
An invoice was received from the Tenby Observer for the advert placed by Cllr Wales for the position of Clerk to the Manorbier Community Council. Cllr Calver questioned why Cllr Wales had worded the advert in contravention of the Community Council's decision to advertise for a temporary clerk by the express wording that the position was temporary. Cllr Wales indicated that he had made a mistake. Cllr Calver stated he felt that Cllr Wales' action had left the Community Council in a position that any applicant who applied for the position would be under the misapprehension that the position was permanent. The existing clerk is at present seeking redress from the Community Council for unfair dismissal through the employment tribunal and if the court rules in her favour it could be seen as an attempt by the council to undermine her right for reinstatement and have further financial repercussions for the Community Council. Whilst accepting there was a need for a temporary clerk to carry out certain duties as, despite Cllr Neads volunteering to take on the responsibilities of the role they had not been fulfilled, Cllr Neads had failed many times to carry out basic instructions given to him by the council with the excuse that he did not have time, this unfortunate situation has continued for almost two years.
Cllr Wales informed the Community Council that he had received three applications for the post and when asked by Cllr Calver if any applicants had been contacted by Cllr Wales an indication was given that they had not. Cllr Neads was asked the same question by Cllr Calver and he admitted that he had bumped into one of the applicants. How this was possible without Cllr Neads knowing the person he bumped into was an applicant is concerning. In the interest for parity for all applicants and other councillors if this information is available to one particular councillor it should be available to all.
The fact that Cllr Neads and the relevant applicant know each other is of concern and perhaps Cllr Neads should declare an interest on the issue detailing how he knows the applicant, the circumstance of the meeting and how the issue of his knowledge of the person being an applicant came to pass.
Star Association
Mr Cochrane wrote to the Community Council in respect of several issues, one of which was a complaint over the state of the roads and the pavements around the estate. In his letter Mr Cochrane indicated that he had complained to Pembrokeshire County Council (PCC) about the issue on an annual basis. Cllr Calver asked that Mr Cochrane provide him with copies of letters or otherwise of details how the complaint had been made to PCC.
Mr Cochrane also queried the bus service through the village in respect of the point that large buses seem to use the route down Pembroke Road and the small buses had stopped using it. Cllr Calver informed the council that he had asked PCC several months ago to raise the issue of contacting First Direct, who operate the smaller buses, to change back to the old route. He further explained that First Direct, which is a private company, had decided to withdraw from part of the route on highway safety grounds. PCC have no authority to force the company to revert back to the old route which some bigger buses still use. First Direct do not receive finance from PCC and therefore PCC has no control over the route used by them.