(Title Image: © Copyright Chris Shaw and licensed for reuse under Creative Commons Licence BY-SA-2.0.)
Six members of Newcastle Higher Community Council – which covers Penyfai, Aberkenfig and part of Tondu – have resigned.
By my count, at least five were Labour members. This includes two local party stalwarts – Ann and Mal John. Newcastle Higher is officially non-partisan, but Labour did have a controlling majority.
It’s the latest serious problem affecting town and community councils in Bridgend county:
- Maesteg Town Council was under investigation for financial mismanagement dating back to 2018-19 – there’s been no update on that yet.
- Independent-run Porthcawl Town Council is also under investigation for similar reasons.
- As reported in the press recently, a former Labour member of Laleston Community Council will be ordered to repay up to £1,900 which was fraudulently claimed from the council, resulting in a police caution (this was referred to in the post on Maesteg Town Council).
- A Labour councillor recently resigned from St Bride’s Minor Community Council (which covers the Sarn, Bryncethin and Bryncoch areas), reportedly over a proposed traveller site in the deposit Local Development Plan near Bryncethin. Although it may be coincidental, a second traveller site has been proposed in the Newcastle Higher area to the north of Court Colman.
While sudden resignations are not uncommon at town and community council level, a mass resignation like this doesn’t happen very often. As of yet, it’s unclear why.
While it’s highly likely the council will seek to fill the six vacancies via co-options, trying to find six people willing to step in could prove difficult.
Unless or until some of those vacancies are filled, a loss of six members in a 12-member council could render committee meetings inquorate (meaning they won’t have enough members to hold meetings).
