UNISON members employed by Pembrokeshire county council are losing confidence in the council leadership after the national audit office deemed that the chief executive had received unlawful pension payments.
The situation has been further compounded at an extraordinary meeting of Pembrokeshire county council.
”Our members want their voices heard,” says UNSION Pembrokeshire branch secretary Vic Dennis.
“If this was one of our own members being investigated by the police in relation to such a serious matter, then without doubt they would have been suspended until the outcome of any investigation.
“You can travel up the road to Carmarthen where the chief executive has stood aside in relation to the WAO report. Of course this is the right thing to do, especially for anyone in such a senior civil servant position where there is an investigation into potential unlawful practices.”
UNISON organiser Hugh McDyer added: ”When we see some of our lowest paid members, such as homecarers, losing up to a third of their wages and being privatised in the name of ‘value for money’, it is beyond belief that they can bring a barrister in to a public meeting to defend their pension payments to a chief executive.
“We would all like to know how much these barrister’s services cost and who is paying for them?
“Our members should be able to have complete confidence in their leadership and clearly that it is no longer the case in Pembrokeshire council.
“It is surely inconceivable now for Bryn Parry Jones to preside over the European ballot as returning officer, the people of Pembrokeshire must have complete confidence in the election process.
“We are now responding to calls from our membership to conduct a ballot in relation to a vote of no confidence in the chief executive. Our members deserve to have their voices heard and we will be taking immediate steps to organise the ballot.”
