Shropshire Star

Watchdog's assurance for councillor after error

The local government ombudsman says records kept on a councillor will only state that a complaint was made against him in error.

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Councillor Peter Harris, who represents the Newtown Llanllwchaiarn West ward on Powys County Council, had voiced concerns after he was wrongly sent documents intended for another councillor as part of an investigation. The Conservative councillor had said he was unhappy that a record would be kept with the ombudsman and that he did not know what the record would state.

The Wales Ombudsman has confirmed that the only record that will remain on its system is that Councillor Harris' name was provided in error, and that it will include no suggestion of wrongdoing. The organisation has also refuted suggestions that it had contacted the wrong councillor, confirming that the documents had been sent to the correct councillor named by the complainant calling for an investigation – relating to Llanfyllin High School's improper use of funds to subsidise transport costs for pupils outside its catchment.

Chris Vinestock, the ombudsman's chief operating officer, said: "We did receive a complaint about Councillor Peter Harris, and rightly notified him of that complaint. However the complainant later told us that Councillor Harris had been included in error. Our records make this clear and show that there is no suggestion of any wrongdoing by Councillor Harris in this matter."

The public service ombudsman for Wales considers complaints that members of local authorities have broken the code of conduct.

Mr Vinestock added: "When the ombudsman receives a complaint about a councillor, in the interests of natural justice he tells the councillor about the complaint.

"In this case the ombudsman received a complaint about Councillor Peter Harris. Councillor Harris was told of the complaint and given details. However the complainant later told the ombudsman that Councillor Peter Harris had been named in the complaint by mistake.

"There has therefore been no mistake on the part of the ombudsman. Our records correctly show that the complaint against Councillor Peter Harris was made in error."

The correspondence sent to Councillor Harris had been intended for another Powys councillor, Peter Lewis.

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