The response of senior Labour councillors in Carmarthenshire to the auditor's reports stands in stark contrast to the party's reaction to similar events in Caerphilly and Pembrokeshire.
It began with "it's just a few headlines and will blow over" before turning into vitriolic attacks on the opposition and the Wales Audit Office.
Yesterday Kevin Madge began what looks for all the world like PR Rescue Plan C as he took to the pages of the Carmarthen Journal with yet another "bear with us, everybody, we will soon present you with all the facts" statement. He also briefed Mr James's favourite newspaper that he would be meeting Dyfed Powys Police later this week.
If there is to be a police investigation, anyone in the council wanting to "tidy up" in County Hall will soon have had two weeks to do so. The shredders have no doubt been working overtime.
Meanwhile the response of the Independents, the other half of the coalition which runs Carmarthenshire, has been total silence. Pam Palmer, who is both deputy leader of the council and leader of the Independent group, has not been heard from since the crisis began. Neither has Meryl Gravell. Together the two councillors have been at the top table in County Hall for more years than anyone cares to remember, and they bear a huge amount of responsibility for what has happened. Not a squawk or squeak from either.
Meanwhile the response of the Independents, the other half of the coalition which runs Carmarthenshire, has been total silence. Pam Palmer, who is both deputy leader of the council and leader of the Independent group, has not been heard from since the crisis began. Neither has Meryl Gravell. Together the two councillors have been at the top table in County Hall for more years than anyone cares to remember, and they bear a huge amount of responsibility for what has happened. Not a squawk or squeak from either.
Here is Rhodri Glyn Thomas on the extraordinary reaction of Carmarthenshire's dysfunctional Labour Party to the crisis.
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Plaid Cymru Assembly Member Rhodri Glyn Thomas has accused the Labour party in Carmarthenshire of being in crisis following the way in which it is dealing with the Wales Audit Office reports into the County Council.
In his statement today the Carmarthen East & Dinefwr AM cited examples of the different ways in which the Labour party has responded to damaging Public Interest Reports in Caerphilly, Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire councils. Rhodri Glyn Thomas said the Labour party in Carmarthenshire was more interested in trying to preserve its control of the council, than it was in doing the right thing for county taxpayers.
Mr Thomas added that Labour supporters in Carmarthenshire are rightly appalled that the leadership of the party has lost its moral compass in allowing one of the county’s top earners to avoid tax.
Plaid Cymru Assembly Member Rhodri Glyn Thomas said:
“The Labour leader of Caerphilly Council suspended its chief executive just two days after the Wales Audit Office reports were published. In Pembrokeshire council, the Labour opposition group leader called for the immediate suspension of the council’s chief executive the very day the report was published.
“In Carmarthenshire, however, eleven days have now passed since the Audit Office published its damaging reports and the Labour leader of the council, on behalf of his 21 fellow Labour councillors, has done nothing but pledge his full support for the council’s senior officers despite the Auditor stating unlawful processes have taken place.
“Instead of taking decisive action and triggering a full investigation, the Labour council leader has instead issued personal attacks on his political opponents and has tried to undermine the integrity of the Auditor by publishing selective information. It seems the party is more interested in preserving its supposed control of the council, than it is doing the right thing for county taxpayers.
“My constituents are rightly angry by what has gone on in County Hall. Labour supporters throughout Carmarthenshire – and indeed throughout Wales - will be appalled that their party leader enabled one of the county’s top earners to avoid tax. The Labour party in Carmarthenshire has lost its moral compass.
“As a result of gross incompetence, the Carmarthenshire Labour party has become isolated from reality, and is in the equivalent of ‘special measures’ now that the party’s Cardiff headquarters is involved and running the show.
“Plaid Cymru representatives have said for the best part of two weeks – if we had sanctioned unlawful payments worth over £55,000 with public money, we would suspend the officers involved and do the honourable thing and stand down.
“With the Carmarthenshire Labour party in crisis and now being controlled from Cardiff, Plaid Cymru hopes county residents will start to see some decisive action instead of the defiance, dithering and delay they’ve put up with for almost two weeks.”
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