Interesting topic

Nov 20 2008 by Our Correspondent, Caernarfon and Denbigh Herald

THE concerns of your correspondents Trefor Davies and Evan Owen about the openness of Gwynedd Council on giveaway public property deals is indeed a cause for concern to the ratepayers.

It is also worth viewing the council’s own published accounts which are readily available on the internet, which make interesting reading.

For example, during 2007/08, payments of £3,711,468 ( £3.7m plus) was made to organisations in which councillors had disclosed links with. A further amount of £1,689,826 ( £1.6m plus) was paid to companies/public bodies, in which a number of senior council officers had also declared an interest.

Members further declared interests in contracts or businesses which may have dealings with the council of £280,949.00. Add these three totals alone together and it’s more than £5m of payments that the council made to organisations that councillors and senior officers had a declared interest in. While this may be perfectly legal under the council’s rules, it’s an awful lot of taxpayers money for these people to have declared a personal interest in over one financial year.

It would indeed be helpful if Gwynedd provided a breakdown of those interests, specify amounts and personnel concerned, in order to show clarity.

PAUL BRETT

Pwllheli