Powys County Councillor Will Be Suspended From All Council Duties

A Powys county councillor will be suspended from all council duties for breaching the Members Code of Conduct. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Councillor Gary Price, who represents the Llandrindod Wells North ward, was suspended from all county council business for five months following a hearing of the Standards Committee in Llandrindod Wells today (Wednesday November 2). ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

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. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

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. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

If Councillor Price does not appeal against the ruling, the five month suspension will start 21 from the formal notification of the adjudication. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Members under full suspension are not able take part in any form of business of the authority. In addition if they have been appointed by the council to an outside body, including appointment as a local authority school governor, they cannot act on that body during their suspension. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

During a period of suspension neighbouring councillors will be asked to provide cover on behalf of ward residents. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​