Meeting to consider controversial Blockhouse sale

10:08am Wednesday 23rd January 2008

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A special meeting of the National Park will take place today, to discuss the findings of a damning report into the controversial sale of the East Blockhouse building in Angle.

One of the authority's senior officers is facing potential disciplinary proceedings after the monitoring officer found the Code of Conduct could have been breached - as exclusively revealed on this website last Wednesday.

After the National Park Authority's Asset Management Group - of which estates officer Gary Meopham was a member - declined the opportunity to buy the site, Mr Meopham then bought the 50-acre site privately with three members of his family.

MP Nick Ainger said he was surprised that the land was not offered for sale on the open market, and plans to question the MoD about why the land was sold in this way.

Mr Ainger said: "I would have thought that the individual is now completely compromised.

"I am very surprised that Qinetiq entered into such an arrangement without putting the land onto the open market.

"It is most peculiar that the deal was done in this way so quickly after the National Park decided that it did not want to go ahead.

"Why was it not put up for auction or offered to the National Trust?"

Michael Bullock, of Angle, was one of the residents who wrote to the authority about the sale.

Mr Bullock said: "We were glad to see a report made into it, and our suspicions that all was not as it should be, have been confirmed.

"The monitoring officer seems to be saying that someone should be slapped on the wrist because things were not done properly, but it could have been nipped in the bud a lot sooner. Questions have still not been answered.

"I am very surprised that the land was not offered to the National Trust. It seems that Qinetiq bit his hand off within days of the offer being made."

Monitoring officer Dewi Davies found conflicting reports on the timescale of events, which has put the integrity of estates officer Mr Meopham in question.

"My investigation has revealed that there is a conflict of evidence' as to the events which took place," said the monitoring officer.

The conflict refers to information supplied by Mr Meopham and details from the Qinetiq estates officer about the date an offer was made for the property.

The monitoring officer continued: "In my judgement, my investigation has revealed that there exists prima facie evidence, which may show that there have been breaches of the Code of Conduct by the authority's estates officer."

Mr Davies found the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority had not acted improperly in dealing with the issue, but criticised the asset management group for failing to take minutes during two meetings relevant to his investigation.

His report stated: "The process by which the Angle site issue was considered by the Asset Management Group was not a one-off; it was dealt with within the common practice'.

South Pembrokeshire AM Angela Burns said: "I welcome the monitoring officer's report into this matter and it is now time for some difficult decisions to be made by the national park."

"As a public body its dealings have to be completely transparent and I'm not satisfied that they have upheld the standards required."