“Lack of appetite” amongst councillors for taxpayer-funded mobile phones

There is a “lack of appetite” amongst Caerphilly councillors for a taxpayer funded mobile phone.

A poll by the council’s Democratic Services department revealed that Caerphilly County Borough councillors are happy to use their personal phones and landlines for council work.

Just seven councillors were in support of the proposal to have phones given to them. 

Sixteen councillors suggested downloading an app to their personal phones, and 11 suggested ‘other options’.

In a Democratic Services Scrutiny Committee meeting, held on Thursday, March 17, Lisa Lane, Head of Democratic Services, said: “The app is something that we can discuss with members post May elections.”

In November 2021, members of the Democratic Services Committee agreed that all councillors should be asked whether they would want a taxpayer-funded phone for their council work.

At the time, Cllr Colin Mann, Leader of the Plaid Cymru group and ward councillor for Llanbradach, said there were already several councils in Wales providing its members with a mobile phone – enabling them to access council work emails on the go.

Labour councillor Adrian Hussey, who represents Newbridge, disagreed and said: “I have had my council emails coming through my [personal] phone for about three years … and personally I do not think councillors need to have a phone supplied by a council because most people have got a mobile phone.”

While Cllr Mann conceded it was possible to access council emails on a personal device via a software download, he said there are a lot of councillors who didn’t want to “mix up” council business with their personal business.