THE under fire chief executive of Pembrokeshire County Council is back working from home after just three weeks of a 'period of absence' following a series of controversies.

The news was announced by Cllr Paul Miller, the leader of the opposition Labour group on Monday night during a public meeting at Ffwrn in Fishguard.

The meeting was the second held by Cllr Miller as he aims to gather support for a bid to reclaim the 'unlawful' cash paid to Mr Parry-Jones under a pension scheme which has since been scrapped.

Mr Parry-Jones had taken the period of absence following weeks of County Hall controversies, culminating in the news that Mr Parry-Jones had shouted at two county councillors who had failed to support him in a vote of no confidence.

Around 40 local residents came out.

Cllr Miller said: “Three weeks ago, following further allegations about the chief executive’s conduct, it was announced that he would take a leave of absence. This, members were told, was at the insistence of council leader Jamie Adams.

"Today however, it has emerged that the chief executive has been abroad on a pre-planned holiday for the last two weeks and upon his return has simply returned to work – despite apparently repeated pleas from Cllr Adams not to do so.”

Cllr Miller said: “In 1995 Bryn Parry-Jones was appointed as the chief executive of what was the shadow authority. He was on a salary of £58,500 and we’re now in a situation where our chief executive is the highest paid in Wales. He’s on £178,000 a year basic salary. There’s a Porsche that goes with it and pension payments, which were ruled unlawful by the Audit Office."

Cllr Miller added: “In a local authority there should be political leadership from which the chief executive and officers deliver the policies of the political groups. I don’t believe that’s what happens in Pembrokeshire at all. I think we’ve got a chief executive who runs the show just as he likes.

“It’s just been a series of disasters led by a single individual who appears to be completely untouchable and the only way we can make any difference is if we come together in big enough numbers and say something’s got to be done.”

One member of the public said: “It seems to me that you (elected councillors) have allowed this to happen.

“There’s no point looking at a ‘top down’ change of authority, it has to be ‘bottom up’ because our councillors are not representing us.”

County Councillor Gwilym Price said: “The council is made up of 60 elected county councillors. 32 of those are from the Independent Plus Group. In effect they are a party controlled by the chief executive.”

One lady asked: “What is the hold Bryn Parry-Jones has on some councillors, allowing him get away with so much.”

Cllr Miller said he would love to know.

Another member of the public said she was disappointed that more people had not come out for the meeting.

Cllr Miller reassured her that it was a good turnout, and that the 40 odd people of Fishguard joined the 100 people at the Picton Centre in Haverfordwest, the 200 people who protested outside County Hall and the 3,000 people who signed the petitions calling for Bryn Parry-Jones to be held to account.

That public pressure, he said, was the reason they have got the opportunity to hold an extraordinary meeting on Friday.

Pembrokeshire County Council this morning confirmed that Mr Parry-Jones is working from home.