Press chief's 'abolish council' outburst

The council has hit back at criticism

The former head of communications at a troubled council in north Wales has hit out at his former employees by saying that the existing political body should be abolished.

In an interview on Radio Cymru on Thursday, Gwyn Llewelyn accused Anglesey county councillors of being "constantly engaged in petty party politics".

The only thing I feel would work is to completely abolish the council

Gwyn Llewelyn

Speaking on Beti a'i Phobol, Mr Llewelyn also said present members of the council should be prevented from standing again.

But leader of Anglesey County Council Goronwy Parry dismissed the outspoken comments and said if people wanted to get rid of councillors, they could do so at election time.

Controversy at the council came to light when housing chief John Arthur Jones was dismissed in a 1998 after a fiercely critical audit report.

Some members were angered when he was given a £43,000 settlement - shortly after a court case against him, involving allegations of misconduct in public office and intimidating, collapsed.

Mr Llewelyn, a journalist and novelist, claimed the authority should be scrapped following such allegations of serious mismanagement.

He also claimed the council was split from top to bottom.

Party politics

"The only thing I feel would work on Anglesey is something revolutionary and foward-thinking, which isn't going to happen - to completely abolsh the council," he said.

"No-one who is a member can stand again.

Mr Llewelyn wants wholesale change

"My feeling is that the people deserve better."

His views are bound to cause deep embarrassment and raise serious questions about how much has changed at the council in the last four years since the damning district auditor's report was published.

'Suprising outburst'

Goronwy Parry said that he was "surprised at the outburst".

"It's upsetting - it gives opportunities for other people to target the council," he said.

"It would be wrong to abolish the council at this time on one viewpoint."

He went on to say that the council had taken strides forward to improve performance, implementing recommendations given by the UK Government.

But, he said, work remained tricky, with baggage from the past causing difficulties.

"There are those who don't share the views of the majority of members and take advantage of circumstances to make mischief," he added.