Llandrindod Wells Councillor’s Suspension

Claims that local media were informed about a Llandrindod Wells councillor’s suspension before he was have been refuted by Powys County Council. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Councillor Gary Price, Powys councillor for Llandrindod Wells North, was suspended from being a councillor for a period of five months by the Standards Committee on Wednesday (November 2) for breaching the members Code of Conduct. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The hearing, which was held before four independent people and two county councillors, ruled that Councillor Price, who is a member of the council’s conservative group, had breached paragraphs 4(b) and 6 (1) (a) of the Code of Conduct for Members in relation to correspondence he had sent which incorrectly and unfairly portrayed the content of a Grievance Appeal Hearing – bringing his office or the council/authority into disrepute as a result of the breach. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Councillor Price, who did not attend the hearing, has 21 days from formal notification of the decision to appeal to the Adjudication Panel for Wales. If he does not appeal against the ruling, the five month suspension will start 21 from the formal notification of the adjudication. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Speaking to local media afterwards Cllrs Price said he had not been informed by the county council and was ‘disgusted’ that the media had been told first – a claim dismissed by the council. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

In a statement to all councillors, the solicitor to the council said; “Members should be aware that Cllr Price did not attend before the Standards Committee and did not wish to make any oral or written representations to the hearing. Prior to the hearing, Cllr Price had been asked by letters sent by first class post, registered mail, hand delivery and also sent by email to provide a convenient telephone number so that he could be contacted with the result of the hearing, but he did not reply. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“At the conclusion of the hearing, Cllr Price was contacted by telephone but he did not answer and a message was left, but Cllr Price did not return the call. At 16.06, an email was sent to Cllr Price informing him of the outcome of the hearing and the press statement was not issued until 16.47 and this was the first time that the press were informed of the outcome of the meeting. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The suspension will start after the 21 day appeal period has expired and Members will be advised in due course as to the date when the suspension commences.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​