Three-way councillor complaint with ombudsman
Three councillors are under investigation by the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales.
A spokesman for the Ombudsman has confirmed that Powys county councillors David Price, Elwyn Vaughan and Gwilym Williams are still being investigated for complaints made against each other.
Councillors Elwyn Vaughan and Williams, who represent Glantwymyn and Disserth and Trecoed respectively, made a complaint against Councillor Price.
Councillor Price, an independent who represents Llanafan Fawr, then in turn complained about the pair.
Caravan
The issues surround planning committee chairman and current Powys High Sheriff Councillor Price’s caravan site.
In July 2018 he was given a certificate of lawfulness for 28 caravan pitches for his family business, Noyadd Farm, near Builth Wells.
Evidence showed that the site had run with 28 pitches without the certificate for a number of years.
Under Caravan Club rules he was only allowed to have five pitches.
This followed an internal investigation into the caravan site by PCC.
Resignation
Complaints had been made by other caravan site owners that councillor Price was flouting planning regulations.
At a planning committee meeting in July, both councillors Gwilym Williams, and Elwyn Vaughan had wanted the application decided by another local authority.
They believed that Councillor Price, as a former chairman of the planning committee, should have known that he needed to change the status of the caravan park.
Councillor Elwyn Vaughan went as far as calling for councillor Price’s resignation.
After councillor Price was given the certificate of lawfulness, he complained that both councillors were “harassing him” due to the negative publicity surrounding him.
Harassment
Councillor Price has said that the “harassment” has had a detrimental affect on his and his wife’s health.
But both councillors Vaughan and Williams have said that his continued membership of the planning committee makes a “mockery” of the council.
A spokesman for the Public Services Ombudsman said: “I can confirm the Ombudsman has received complaints against Powys county councillors and the matters are under investigation.”
All three councillors have declined to comment on the allegations for fear of prejudicing the investigation.
