Labour Councilor makes politically partisan statement to WAG shock.

The Wasting Mule reports that  

A senior councillor has apologised after it emerged that he ordered an official to insert a politically partisan statement into a submission to the Welsh Government on waste policy.

It seems Caerphilly Labour councillor David Poole, influenced The council’s submission to a Welsh Government consultation on plans to separate different waste streams for recycling includes the sentence: 

“There is also significant concern among the controlling Labour administration that forced service changes against the wishes of citizens may have political implications with citizens’ views which will be expressed via the ballot box in the forthcoming elections.”

 The submission was written by Mark Williams, the council’s head of public services.

The council’s Plaid Cymru opposition group leader Colin Mann sought an explanation for the statement, which suggests waste policy should be modified because of fears that Labour would lose votes.

Mr Poole the authority’s Cabinet member for community and leisure services, admitted he had “made a pig’s ear” of the situation. emailed Councillor Mann to say:

 “Mark reluctantly, but at my insistence, put that wording into the response. Have looked at it again and I made a pigs ear of the point I wanted to make. I wanted to get over the point that the 12 local authorities would be affected by public opinion if WG [Welsh Government] made us change. As I said the wording was clumsy. I would like to apologise for the wording. I will apologise separately to Mark.”

Mr Mann said: 

“I have asked Councillor Poole to make a full and unreserved apology to the people of Caerphilly County Borough and to members and employees of the authority.“Whatever the thinking behind the comments in the report, it cannot be acceptable for any official to be used in such a blatantly partisan way by the ruling group, which I consider a very serious matter.”

Is councillor Poole,apology enough? 

No because if he wasn't found out it might have has a diverse  effect on Welsh Govrerment Policy.

It still might ?

Maybe we should make such submissions  placed online so we can see if any similar attempts to change policy gfor electoral purposes are made,

Who am I kidding you could argue the Councillor Poole was being refreshingly honest rather than put up spurious arguments about separate different waste streams for recycling .

I bet some Councils have been al ot cleverer than Councillor Poole on this.