'Golden goodbye' man stands again

Eunydd Thomas stood down from Carmarthenshire Council in 2004

A former councillor who received money to retire under a "golden goodbye" scheme is standing for election again.

In 2004 Eunydd Thomas accepted a pay out designed to encourage long-serving councillors to make way for new blood.

He told a newspaper that supporters had persuaded him to stand again this year for Carmarthenshire Council.

The assembly government said he was not breaking any rules but it was made clear only those never planning to run again should have applied.

Carmarthenshire was one of eight local authorities in Wales where councillors voted to take part in the assembly government's Past Service Award scheme in 2003.

County councillors who had served 16 years or more were offered up to £20,000 to stand aside in 2004 in an initiative aimed at encouraging younger people to stand, along with more women and candidates from ethnic minority backgrounds.

Llwynhendy division candidates Dill Bowen - Independent Diana Darby - Labour Party Don Davies - Independent Meilyr Bowen Hughes - Plaid Cymru Pamela Jones - Labour Party Christopher Slader - Plaid Cymru Eunydd Thomas - Independent

The scheme paid a total of £1.6m to 79 councillors, in eight local authority areas, with payments ranging between £16,000 and £20,000 each.

When contacted by the BBC news website, Mr Thomas said he had spoken to the Llanelli Star newspaper and had no further comment to make.

An assembly government spokesman said: "The assembly government made it clear when it launched the Past Service Award scheme that only councillors retiring at the 2004 elections, and who had no intention of seeking public office at this level again, should apply for an award.

"However, for legal reasons it was not possible to include in the regulations a provision which would prevent a recipient of an award from standing in a future election."

Mr Thomas is one of seven candidates standing for two seats in Llwynhendy in Llanelli.

Important qualities

Fellow candidate Meilyr Bowen Hughes, of Plaid Cymru, said: "It's a loophole that should have plugged by the Welsh Assembly Government." He added he was "very unhappy" with explanations given to him why that had not happened.

Christopher Slader, also of Plaid Cymru, said it was his view the most important qualities for a councillor were "honesty and integrity".

"The past service system has not its desired effect and this is very sad because I had hoped it would bring new ideas and new blood," he added.

Labour's Diana Darby said:"I was very surprised because he had left in 2004."

She also said he left the Labour Party in 2004.

Three other candidates were invited to comment but said they did not wish to do so.