A political row has erupted at Caerphilly County Borough Council over two wooden chairs.
Plaid Cymru’s former Caerphilly Council leader Lindsay Whittle has accused the Labour-run authority of snubbing the area’s former miners after two wooden chairs were removed from the leader’s office.
South Wales East AM Whittle, who is also a councillor for the Penyrheol ward, said he was appalled when he found out the two historic chairs had been moved from his former office at Penallta House in Tredomen.
He said: “When I was leader at Caerphilly County Borough Council, I found two magnificent carved chairs that belonged to the old urban district council. They were carved from an ancient oak tree that stood on the crossroads at St Martin’s Church.
“The miners’ lodges in the valley paid for them and they were part of a set of eight presented to the council at that time. Only the chairman and vice-chairman’s chairs remain and I proudly displayed them in my leader’s office. I felt they deserved more than being confined to a dusty store room. They are part of local government history.”
The Plaid politician, who stepped down as leader in 2011 following his Assembly election, added: “I am appalled at this treatment of part of our history. It’s also a disgrace to the memory of the miners in our area who clearly valued their councillors at that time and I would appeal for the chairs to be displayed again.”
A council spokesperson said the chairs had been moved without council leader Harry Andrews’ knowledge before he had moved into the office following Labour’s council election victory in May this year.
He said: “The chairs in question were relocated during the transitionary period between the former and current administrations in the three week period prior to the Annual General Meeting – and certainly not at the request of the current leader.
“We are looking to locate these historic chairs in a more prominent position where hopefully they will be more accessible to members of the public. As an example, in the last month alone, the chairs have been used as part of an event at Penallta House involving local children.”
Update: September 5, 2012
Mr Whittle has accepted council assurances the historic wooden chairs were not removed from the leader’s office by the current incumbent Harry Andrews.
He said: “I’m happy to accept assurances that the chairs were removed before Councillor Andrews moved into the office. Why there was need to remove them is a mystery.
“I was pleased to hear that some four months after they were removed that the chairs will now be put in a more prominent position within the building. I’m pleased that after raising this matter the council is letting the public know what is happening to these historic chairs.”
I'm with Lindsay Whittle on this one. The ancient oak, felled in 1913, that these chairs were made from was for many decades an important landmark of the town; a place where processions terminated during countless celebrations held in Caerffili.
Unfortunately the history of the town has been a low priority for the council for more than 100 years. During this time we have lost most of the pleasant and historic architecture that once graced our town centre. For anyone who doubts this look at photographs of how our town appeared at the start of the 20th century. At least Lindsay rescued these two important pieces of furniture and kept them in use in the Leader's office. I wonder what the council has done with the six missing chairs from the set?
In the absence of a museum for the town I think they should be returned to the Leader’s office where they fulfil a function close to that which the local lodges of ‘The Fed’ intended. I hope that Harry Andrews, now he is aware that they have been removed without his knowledge, will do just that and give them pride of place.
Did council staff believe that the previous leader was hogging the chairs as it were and preventing their use in a more prominent public display? It seems strange that they should take it upon themselves to remove items without consulting the new leader.
Would also be interesting to know what happened to the other six.