Gallery trustee quits in cash row

The gallery says artist Mark Dion's giant mole is very popular

A trustee of a contemporary art gallery has resigned, claiming public money is being "wasted" on a £3.7m facelift.

John Pitt, who sat for Conwy Council on the board of Oriel Mostyn in Llandudno, said he had no input on decisions.

He also disagreed with the art work on show, which included a plastic dolphin and giant mole as part of an exhibition by American artist Mark Dion.

But gallery director Martin Barlow said Mr Pitt was "ill-informed" as he did not turn up for meetings.

The gallery, in the centre of the town, was purpose-built in 1901 to showcase the work of women artists.

"I turned up for the first (board) meeting, and a couple of more informal ones, but by then I had seen enough, I didn't want to go to any more," said Mr Pitt.

"The massive renovation programme was wasting public money, in my mind," he said.

The point is, he hasn't attended meetings and as a consequence is rather ill-informed Martin Barlow, director, Oriel Mostyn

The money would have been better spent on a purpose-built art gallery on the outskirts of Llandudno, he added.

Mr Pitt said he asked Conwy Council if he could be replaced as representative on Oriel Mostyn's board, and then the gallery wrote to the council asking for the same thing.

"As a trustee I felt I had no input. About three trustees would meet to decide on the work to be exhibited and then after they decided, they told the rest of us."

"I felt they wanted the trustees as rubber stamps," he added.

Mr Barlow said anyone not attending three consecutive board meetings was asked whether they would be prepared to relinquish their place.

But he said in Mr Pitt's case the board had let that get to five consecutive non-attendances before contacting the council.

"The point is, he hasn't attended meetings and as a consequence is rather ill-informed, and, I hesitate to say, inaccurate in what he says about the gallery," said Mr Barlow.

Plans to spend public money on the renovations had been under "incredible scrutiny," Mr Barlow added, and the gallery had to prove that their plans would benefit Llandudno and the area.

Mr Barlow said of the 55,000 visitors who visited the gallery every year around two-thirds were from north Wales, and about half from Conwy, he added.