Jacob Williams https://jacobwilliams.com

Thursday, 15th May, 2014

Cabinet maker

At the extraordinary council meeting on the 1st May, Cllr. Paul Miller proposed to extend the brilliant webcasting facility currently covering full council meetings to include all committee meetings. It failed, without the support of even a single member of the tight-knit ruling ‘independent’ party.

Webcasting from the committee rooms would require £11,000 capital outlay for equipment, and there is still some Welsh Government grant money available to part-fund this. Even so, it was laid on pretty thickly to us councillors that times were very hard and belts were being tightened so there wasn’t enough in the coffers, especially when the additional ongoing running costs of £16,000 were factored in.

We were even threatened by the leader that some of the Pembrokeshire public would have to lose out on some sort of service if the proposal went ahead, no details though. There was, however, a suggestion that it would be more suitable to reconsider the idea in December after the year-long trial of the current council chamber-only setup is reviewed.

As regular reader and contributor John Hudson has observed, the ‘strapped-for-cash’ excuse often seems to be wheeled out against proposals that are otherwise opposed by the ruling cabal, but where a bare-faced “we don’t like the idea” would be suicidal and met with public outcry.

The webcasting facility for full council meetings has been a revelation – and as you’re reading this, there’s a good chance you’re the sort of person who already knows exactly how valuable it is.

Apart from Scleddau’s Owen James, all opposition councillors supported the idea, but it wasn’t enough to overturn every single member of the ruling ‘independent’ party present voting it down.

Check how your councillor voted, then read on:

During the debate, council leader Cllr. Jamie Adams spoke of the confidence issues some councillors may have in a committee environment, faced with cameras filming their every word. Cllr. Wynne Evans also said he was concerned that public speakers who addressed committees – such as objectors to planning applications – could feel intimidated, and it might even discourage camera-shy people from coming in to observe meetings from the gallery. Boo hoo!

So a week and a day after the meeting where we were told in pretty clear terms the municipal piggy bank was stretched to squealing point, there was a bit of a shock in store for councillors sitting in their inboxes.

It was an email sent during the afternoon of the council’s AGM, timed well after proceedings had concluded and the last of the new chairman’s buffet reception sandwiches had been scoffed.

The email came from on high, telling us mere mortals that the leader was making an exciting announcement. The council’s cabinet was to increase in size by one member, from eight plus the leader to nine plus the leader.

Given the dire financial picture Cllr. Adams painted in refusing webcasting, it’s anybody’s guess how much ransacking he had to do in the County Hall sofa to cobble together his new cabinet colleague’s extra salary.

Farmers are often known for their thrift and resourcefulness, but even a genius with numbers like Huw George would be hard-pushed to explain how Cllr. Adams scraped together the requisite £16k special responsibility allowance from a cupboard we were told was bare just days before.

The “new look” cabinet sees “two new faces” and an old one exiting stage left. The reshuffle has brought about the demise of Cllr. Ken Rowlands, who’s sat at the top table for a solid six years. Before being defrocked, Cllr. Rowlands latterly headed up the education portfolio, which will now be assumed by Cllr. Sue Perkins in addition to her child safeguarding role.

Cllr. Rob Summons has made the big time, and from lowly backbencher is now the authority’s spokesperson for ‘planning and sustainability.’ Having won the Burton by-election in 2013, Cllr. Summons is the shortest-serving councillor of all, and has not once sat on the planning committee, so it’s not readily apparent how or where he acquired his planning nous. Then again, who ever said these appointments are made on merit?!

The other councillor to be elevated is Cllr. Keith Lewis, courtesy of a bizarre arrangement which must have come as quite a relief for Cllr. David Pugh.

You’ll remember earlier this year Cllr. Pugh made a botched attempt to downplay allegations of grant scheme fraud. His rebuttal, speaking as the responsible cabinet member, was proven to be based almost entirely on misinformation and outright falsehoods, for which he subsequently had to apologise and won JW’s 2013 Golden Donqui award, as voted by you.

He faced (and narrowly survived) a vote of no confidence for his nasty tirade, but not before he had his grant scheme responsibilities withdrawn by the leader and put in the safer hands of his cabinet colleague, Cllr. David Simpson.

Cllr. Pugh now has even fewer demands because the leader has hacked away at his cabinet responsibilities yet again. Cllr. Keith Lewis has traded his chairmanship of the economy overview and scrutiny committee to become the cabinet spokesperson for ‘communities and the volutary sector,’ which, you’ve guessed it, used to be in Cllr. Pugh’s brief.

Any more salami slicing by the leader and Cllr. Pugh is in danger of becoming Pembrokeshire’s very own minister without portfolio, though Cllr. Rowlands has quite a strong claim to that title already.

The email to councillors making the announcement tried to put a more positive spin on Cllr. Pugh’s situation, saying: “The arrival of Councillor Lewis (Crymych) in the Cabinet allows Councillor Pugh to concentrate his attention exclusively on Economy and Tourism.”

No official word yet if his salary has been adjusted to reflect the ever-reducing burdens on his attention!