Your Pembrokeshire
Get involved: send your photos, videos, news & views by texting WTEL NEWS to 80360 or email »
Councillor’s plan praise broke code
5:20pm Saturday 18th October 2008
A Pembrokeshire county councillor who spoke out in support of a friend’s planning application has been rapped over the knuckles by his bosses.
Narberth member Councillor Wynne Evans failed to follow the council’s code of conduct by not declaring a personal interest in an application relating to a tourist development at Herons Brook, as he was a friend of the owner.
The standards committee hearing followed an investigation by the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales as a result of an allegation made by Tenby member, Councillor Michael Williams.
At the meeting, in February 2007, Cllr Evans spoke in favour of the proposal, by Mr and Mrs David John, for their former bird and animal park in Narberth.
The plan, involving creating two trout fishing lakes from the existing ponds and building ten timber lodges for holiday letting, was recommended for refusal by officers because the site was not well-related to the settlement of Narberth.
However, following a proposal by Cllr Evans, the plan was approved by the planning committee.
He made no secret of the fact he had known Mr John since childhood, and later told the council it did not enter his head at the time about what the public might think in relation to the code of conduct.
“I represent approximately 1,200 people and know 90% personally,” he said.
Last week the standards committee agreed to ‘formally censure’ Cllr Evans for the breach and insist he attends a top-up session on the code of conduct, which is being arranged by the county council’s monitoring officer.
Cllr Evans said afterwards: “This has highlighted to me and many of my colleagues a very grey area, and I urge them to take the extra training that is on offer.
“When you are born and brought up in a small community, you get to know many people on first-name terms.
“This has certainly made me think about discussing any further planning issues in my ward before seeking extra legal advice on each application.”
Your Say YourPembrokeshire
Dave Edwards, Stackpole says...
9:43am Sun 19 Oct 08
Mike Stoddart, Milford Haven says...
8:30pm Sun 19 Oct 08
The Ombudsman found that, by failing to declare an interest in the planning application, Cllr Evans had breached sections 10 and 16(3) of the Code.
Section 10 requires that: "Members must in all matters consider whether they have a personal interest, and whether the Code requires them to disclose that interest."
When asked by the Ombudsman if he had considered whether his relationship with the applicant might mean he had an interest to declare, Cllr Evans answered "No".
If that's a grey area, I'm a banana!!
Your sayYourPembrokeshire
Add your comment
Register for a FREE Western Telegraph account and you can have your say on today's news and sport by adding comments on articles we publish. The best comments may even get published in the paper.
Please register now or sign in below to continue.
In this section
- Rape charge pair expected to enter pleas
- Last day for Clarbeston Road Post Office
- Police appeal for info on Haverfordwest assaults
- LNG emergency response meeting to be held today
- Crewman brought ashore with crush injuries
- Fallen woman rescued from coast path
- Crews called to flooding as pipes take the strain
- Second suspicious fire in two days
- Fire crews right overturned minibus
- The sweetest little baby face
Sponsored Links
Local Advertisers
Local Information
Enter your postcode, town or place name
johndoe999, Pennar says...
7:31pm Sat 18 Oct 08
The lack of intelligence of this Councillor absolutely beggars belief. If his mind is incapable of absorbing such simple regulation and procedures maybe he should reconsider his position.