Wednesday 2 October 2013

Carmarthenshire Council; local coverage...and back in Private Eye


Although all the local papers published online articles when the news of the 'unlawful' payments came to light last week, the print versions are weekly so appeared in the shops today. Both the Carmarthen Journal and the Llanelli Star covered the story with balance, but yet again it is the South Wales Guardian which has put its head over the parapet and given it the front page treatment and also made it the subject of its 'opinion' piece.

South Wales Guardian 2nd October 2013 (pic source; @cjharris85, with thanks)

The Carmarthen Journal has chosen to lead (in the Llandovery area) with the news that sufficient funding has now been provided to push through the council's Modernising Education Programme (MEP), which in this area involves the deeply unpopular decision to close Pantycelyn Secondary school (Best in Carmarthenshire according to Monday's Western Mail). With a quote from Council Leader Kevin Madge, it undoubtedly emanates from the council department of spin.

Clearly the auditor's findings regarding the libel indemnity and the pension arrangements are not the only news in Carmarthenshire but it is one which strikes at heart of the governance of the county and questions the very integrity of the local authority.

And after a brief lull, Carmarthenshire Council has again resumed its rightful place in the Rotten Boroughs column of this week's Private Eye.

A Rotten Borough

(As this BBC article from June explains, the total costs are considerably more than £23,000 - add a nought. The BBC article also states that the cost of the counterclaim was £41,000)

2 comments:

caebrwyn said...

Thank you anon, who left a comment at 12.10pm today - in answer to your question, I simply don't know, and I am unable to comment on that particular point at the moment

Anonymous said...

I have the greatest respect for anyone who says it as it is. Well done South Wales Guardian!