Manorbier.com
There had been rumours in the Manorbier Community Council ward that several councillors including the Labour candidate for the County Council elections Tony Wales and the Proper Officer Mr David Neads had decided not to sign the acceptance of office forms which would automatically disbar them from becoming community councillors. It was rumoured that Cllr Lloyd the ex policeman and Cllr Coleman would also be refusing to sign the acceptance of office forms as well as Ms Gourley. This turned out to be 80% true as Ms Gourlay admitted that she had considered her position and would 'try and make a go of it'. One remembers that Ms Gourlay had tried many times to be elected by ballot and had failed, this time she has succeeded in becoming a community councillor as no ballot was held.
The losing candidate Mr Anthony Wales informed councillors that the proper officer Cllr Neads had resigned on 2nd May 2008.
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It should be noted that David Neads resigned on the 2nd May 2008 after attending the count at Haverforwest when Cllr Malcolm Calver was elected as County Councillor. David Neads has now left Manorbier Community Council with major problems as he was part of the group including Mr Wales and Mr Coleman that had held secret meetings in a concerted effort to remove the clerk, Mrs Davies, that has resulted in a court case now before an employment tribunal. After putting his name forward and then by refusing to sign the acceptance of office forms he may not have to face the employment tribunal in Cardiff with the evidence that he and Mr Wales have put forward to support the dismissal of the clerk. However, Manorbier Taxpayers will again have to pick up the bill. The chairman of the employment tribunal had informed the barrister representing Mrs Davies that both Mr Neads and Mr Wales would have to produce written and oral evidence why they had failed to attend the hearing on 21st April in Cardiff. The next thing you will find is Mr Neads will be placing his house on the market.
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Statement read out by Mr Wales
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Cllr Wales seems to forget he has never had a mandate from the residents of Manorbier as he failed in the County Council election in 2004. He has never been elected to any council position only on the back of his supporters who elected him chairman of Manorbier Community Council where he has led the council into what can only be described as a mess over the last four years. Mr Wales and his fellow resignees seem to blame the election of Cllr Calver to the county council for their resignations and the lack of enthusiasm from electors to serve on the community council. Manorbier Community Council has been used by Mr Wales as a political tool and as such he has failed in his ambition to become a Labour County Councillor. Mr Wales was against the training of soldiers in Manorbier in after dark firing whilst his party/government in London was sending troops into war situations. He also campaigned to stop low cost rental housing being constructed in Dewing and Hounsel Avenues, a particular low point being the disgraceful manipulation of children to influence a lawful planning application. Mr Wales became a candidate for the Manorbier Community Council and with his particularly close colleague has now left leaving the council in a mess.
The New Council
As the outgoing chairman, it was Mr Wales' duty to ask for nominations for the election of chair and Mr Ray Hughes was elected with Mr Ray Hine as vice chair. Cllr Hughes at this stage asked for someone to be the proper officer until a new temporary clerk is appointed. Mr Hine was selected to carry out the job until a brave soul could be found to take on the role.
The chairman because of his lack of knowledge at this stage started to close the meeting but was informed by Councillor Calver that as it was the general meeting any item could be discussed. The newly elected chairman was confused by this as he indicated he had consulted a colleague who had informed him of the proper procedure. When questioned by Cllr Calver who had provided him with the erroneous information, Cllr Hughes at first was reluctant to identify the person but eventually stated it was County Councillor Robert Lewis a leading light in the Independent Party at County Hall until recently described on the Pembrokeshire County Council website as a plant hire contractor. Cllr Hughes when pressed by Cllr Calver was not sure whether the advice given by Cllr Robert Lewis, the tourism expert in the County Council cabinet was correct and allowed the debate to continue. It was obvious from the piece of paper he produced from his folder that at a pre council meeting he had not been informed of correct procedures. Perhaps Cabinet Member Rob Lewis would be better spending his time on his tourism brief rather than interfering in Manorbier affairs.
Cllr Calver proposed that all contact with outside organisations should be through the council in writing, insisting that we must not go down the same route as the old council which had resulted in ex councillors Mr Wales and Mr Neads contacting organisations by phone without informing the council of their actions.
The proper officer was instructed to write to the employment tribunal asking it to forward copies of all information it had in its possession relating to the case brought against Manorbier Community Council by Mrs Davies for unfair dismissal. He was instructed to explain to the employment tribunal that the council did not have any information regarding the case as Cllrs Neads, Wales and Coleman had been taking the case forward without the rest of the councillors having fall knowledge of the case. Both Cllr Wales and Cllr Neads had failed to keep the council fully aware of any decisions they had taken on the council's behalf not even informing the council of the result of the pre trial hearing in Carmarthen and the hearing in Cardiff on April 21st., 21st, & 23rd. 2008
Cllr Calver proposed a letter be sent to BDO Stoy Hayward explaining the position of the council and asking for an update in relation to the accounts. He recollected that charges were mounting daily because, the proper officer David Neads had failed to supply them with information they had requested.
Cllr Calver also proposed that a letter be sent officially to the Manorbier & District Community Association requesting copies of their last three years accounts. He reiterated that we should not be in a position that we are in of providing any organisation with taxpayers money without seeing their accounts. Cllr Hine at this stage made an amazing statement "perhaps we should be co-opting members of associations on to the council". Cllr Calver suggested politely to Cllr Hine that this was the reason we as a council are now in the position we are.
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It is not known if Cllr Hine is a member of the association or of a similar association in the parish and if he is he should be considering his position when discussing anything to do with associations.
It has to be remembered that all councillors should carefully consider their position when items are discussed especially if they have a declaration of interest to declare. This applies to councillors who are representatives of other organisations which are then members of village associations or any other organisations that becomes part of a discussion.
Cllr Gourlay at this stage stated that she was an expert on declarations of interest. It is not known where Cllr Gourlay acquired her expertise ( or her present place of employment )?
It has to be remembered that no councillor, and not even the chairperson, can committ the council to anything without the expressed prior authority of the council having formally resolved to do so. Most importantly the council must not allow delegation to a single councillor - not even the chair.
Contacting Lowless and Lowless.
Cllr Calver proposed that a letter be written to Lowless and Lowless who had been employed originally to handle the employment tribunal case for the council requesting them to supply the council with any correspondence they have. He specifically stated that at this junction that was all the council should request from Lowless and Lowless on this issue.
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It must be remembered that Councillors Wales and Neads had advised the council that they could do a better job than the solicitors and had taken over handling the case for the council even after having cost the council £2,000 for payment to Lowless & Lowless. The final costs associated with this case will be in the pudding when the debacle comes to a conclusion. Not a pleasant taste!
Planning at Windy Ridge, Manorbier.
Cllr Calver produced the planning application documents relating to Windy Ridge. He explained to councillors that the application was to be discussed at the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park meeting on the 20th May 2008 and that the PCNPA had forwarded the application to Manorbier Community Council on the 4th April 2008 which therefore should have been read out by Cllr Wales at the April council meeting. Cllr Gourlay seemed confused and was of the opinion that the council did not have enough time to discuss it at the meeting. Cllr Hughes agreed with her but Cllr Calver suggested to Cllrs Gourlay and Hughes that it was only 8.30 and the meeting was scheduled to last until 10.00 surely enough time even for them to consider and make a decision.
Cllr Hine asked Cllr Calver if the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park had looked at the site when visiting the development sites at Hounsel and Dewing Avenue, which permission has now been granted on and also if this was the same as the previous application on the site.
Cllr Calver suggested to Cllr Hine that it should be this application based on the information in front of him that he should be considering and it had no relevance to this application if the planning committee had visited the site or not
It was put to the vote and both Cllr Gourlay and Cllr Davies supported the application with Cllr Jones declaring an interest after Cllr Calver suggested that it was close to Cllr Jones' residence. Cllr Hine abstained from the vote but did not give an explanation or declare an interest. Cllr Hughes was then asked by Cllr Calver what his position was to which he replied "he was casting his vote in favour of the planning application." Cllr Calver was dumbfounded by this reply as it had already been passed by two votes and wondered what cloud Cllr Hughes was on.
Cllr Gourlay was concerned that she did not have time to study the planning application and proposed that councillors receive copies of all planning applications three days in advance of meetings. Cllr Calver wondered why councillors needed to put the council to greater expense when all they were being asked to do was comment on the application not decide the if it was granted or not. Cllr Calver felt that this was putting the council at great expense.
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In the run up to the recent elections Cllr Hine had taken an active part in public meetings when decisions where taken by councillors against proposed developments in Manorbier ward. It was a clear case of Cllr Hine trying to secure votes by seeing to be against all developments. Cllr Hine abstained on voting on the application but should really have considered his position considering he had attended and voted at previous meetings.
Cllr Hughes although confused should have realised that as an owner of development land which has been submitted as a candidate site should have perhaps considered his position and vacated both the chair and the meeting when discussing residential development.
Member of the Public.
A Mr Crockett at the end of the evening session proclaimed that both Cllr Wales and Cllr Neads had dropped the council in the s**t and were like rats leaving a sinking ship.
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Manorbier Community Council as a ship will sail on until members of the community realise how much of their money has been wasted over the last years and how much dealing has been carried out in secret meetings outside the council meeting. It was noted that ex community councillor Roger Minchin was in the audience a face not seen for many a year and perhaps he was looking back at the time when he as a member of the council when councillors were deemed to be both a member of the Manorbier Community Association and Manorbier Community Council a situation that he should not have tolerated and should have spoke out against when he was a member. Mr Crockett who has attended meetings as a member of the public in the past could have put himself forward for election and therefore had an input into council proceedings. The situation in relation to the clerk Mrs Davies and the employment tribunal with its financial repercussions on the council and parish taxpayers has been organised by Cllrs Neads, Wales and Coleman with meetings held in secret and no other councillors as far as this website is aware being informed of either the meeting place or decisions that have been taken by the three councillors causes grave concern. Cllr Calver has asked many times over the last few years for details but has not received any backing from previous councillors in his effort to find out the truth so perhaps Mr Crockett should have added "chickens are coming home to roost" as well as "rats leaving a sinking ship" to his outburst.