Education Board Member Should Resign - 08/02/08

A blustering attack on opponents of school closures was made this week by Cllr Ieuan Jones (Independent), the Council’s Executive Board member for Education & Children’s Services. Speaking at the full Council meeting Cllr Jones, Llandeilo said:

"Its shamefull that there are people out there who are so stupid, and who talk nonsense."

Cllr Meryl Gravelle, Leader of the Council then said:

"Some (Council) members exhibit weakness and are prepared to listen to people out there."

Cllr Eirwyn Williams, Plaid, rose and said he was proud to say that he was a member who was prepared to listen to the electorate. Speaking after the meeting Cllr Williams said:

"This goes to the heart of how Carmarthenshire has been run over the last four years. Democracy stands for nothing. It’s a ‘We know best’ attitude every time with no respect to different points of view. Cllr Ieuan Jones of all people responsible for education, should surely encourage respect for different viewpoints. It’s a sad day if education does not teach our children to see all sides of an argument, and tolerance and respect to those we do not agree with them.

I call on  Ieuan Jones to apologise unreservedly to the electorate in general and to Fred Francis since he named him, in particular. That’s the least he should do."

Plaid Leader on the County Council Peter Hughes Griffiths added:

"Time after time the Labour & Independent Groups of the council have failed to listen to the electorate. Decisions are made by a small number of individuals and high ranking officers of departments.

Plaid will work to ensure that Carmarthenshire C.C. is more open and answerable to the public. A Plaid Cymru run council will operate on a non-partisan basis, building robust scrutiny mechanisms so that decision making power is not merely concentrated in the hands of the Executive Board and senior Local Government Officials. We will support the campaign for participatory budgeting in our Local authorities."