A HEARING into an allegation that a councillor breached the Code of Conduct for both Powys County Council and Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons) National Park Authority, could be delayed for several months.
Earlier this year, Powys council's standards committee referred the case to Ceredigion council.
This was to address any issues of public perception and to ensure “natural justice and fair treatment” for the councillor involved.
Ceredigion council had agreed and accepted the transfer for their standards and ethic committee to deal with the issue.
The hearing is supposed to give the councillor an opportunity to answer the allegation either in writing or orally.
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Initially, the hearing was supposed to take place on July 8, but a spokeswoman for Ceredigion Council confirmed that it “did not take place” on that date.
The spokeswoman said: “The council’s public meetings calendar demonstrates that no Ethics and Standards committee meeting took place on July 8.
“Further Ethics and Standards Committee meetings are scheduled for August 23 and October 16.”
When asked whether this meant hearing would take place on August 23, the spokeswoman replied that the agenda for the Ethics and Standards committee meetings will be “published in advance in normal way”
To comply with the law, notice of council meetings need to be published three days before it takes place.
In November last year the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales, Michelle Morris, revealed that a complaint had been received and investigated by her office.
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The subject of the complaint is the “promotion of equality and respect” and the councillor’s identity has been kept secret so far.
Ms Morris said: “The ombudsman received a complaint that a member of Powys County Council breached the Code of Conduct.
“The report on this investigation been referred to the monitoring officer of Powys County Council, for consideration by the council’s Standards committee and to the monitoring officer of Bannau Brycheiniog National Park Authority, for consideration by the authority’s Standards committee.”
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