A Tale of Two Labour Parties (Carmarthen and Pembrokeshire).

The Wasting Mule reports  that "an opposition group leader at scandal-hit Pembrokeshire council says he is isn’t ruling out taking the council to court over an estimated £330,000 pay-off for its former chief executive"

You may be surprised to learn that at with similar shenanigans  on Camarthen Council it group leader  of nine Paul Miller has raised the possibility of an injunction to stop the golden handshake for Bryn Parry-Jones happening without recourse to full council.

The controversial severance deal was agreed by councillors at a private meeting on October 15.

On Wednesday, Pembrokeshire appointed auditor Anthony Barrett issued an “advisory notice” saying the council would be breaching the law if it went ahead with the planned payment.

He said:

“After careful consideration, I have reason to believe that Pembrokeshire Council will incur unlawful expenditure if it continues its current settlement agreement with the chief executive, Bryn Parry-Jones
“For this reason, I feel I have no option but to exercise my statutory responsibilities and take this unprecedented action.

 Mr Miller said he believes that around £50,000 to £60,000 would need to come out of the settlement for it to be lawful.

 He said

“We are trying to do everything we can to stop the m and we haven’t ruled out an injunction,” .

Mr Miller said he has spoken to a London QC, adding:

 “I’m not saying we are going to do it. The intention would be to stop them executing the agreement without them referring back to full council.”

So will Councillor Miller be ringing Kevin Madge his Labour counterpart at Carmarthen who not in Opposition but part of the Lab/Ind coalition which a quick look at Y Cneifwr  will show that a similar situation may occur there The only  difference  appears that  the in  Pembrokeshire  the council want e effectively sack  their CE Bryn Parry-Jones even though it was the Council that approved his controversial Pension plan  whereas in Carmarthenshire the CE Mr Mark James as requested to leave. under a severance scheme   that it is available to all employees with over two years service so that may mask what is as equally distasteful as that of Bryn Parry-Jones.

Of course if Mark James was offered  a similar package to his Pembrokeshire counterpart then there will be no real difference.

As someone who believes in decentralisation it still appears to be rather odd to see the Labour Party in opposition in one council going down one path whilst in the next county Labour in power appear to be doing exactly what they are moaning about.