A motion of no confidence in Caerphilly Council leader Harry Andrews is to be tabled by Plaid Cymru in the wake of the pay scandal.
But ruling Labour councillors are also pointing the finger over failings highlighted in the report.
The opposition Plaid Cymru group agreed to call for a motion of no confidence following the suspension of chief executive Anthony O’Sullivan after a damning report by the Wales Audit Office.
The WAO report found the decision to award huge pay rises for 21 senior officers was “unlawful”. The police are also investigating.
Councillor Colin Mann, leader of the Plaid Cymru group, said: “This debacle, which has brought embarrassment and discredit to Caerphilly, was not only a failure of senior officers but of the political leadership of this council.
“This shambles happened on Councillor Andrews’ watch and he has to take responsibility for the appalling failings highlighted in the auditor’s report. Nothing at the Senior Remuneration Committee – which awarded the rises – could have happened without the knowledge of the council leader who made no attempt to stop these exorbitant increases.
“Both myself and my Plaid Cymru colleagues have worked very hard over the years to ensure the success of Caerphilly Council. It gives us no pleasure to see the mess that the Labour party have now created.
“The public’s confidence in the council has been shattered and Caerphilly council needs a new start under new leadership.”
“The Plaid Cymru group will put forward the motion so it can be discussed at a special meeting of the county borough council. This whole episode shows how out of touch Labour is after just a few months in office.”
But in a statement of their own, released prior to Plaid’s intention of calling for a no confidence motion, Labour laid some of the blame at Plaid’s door.
The statement read: “The Wales Audit Office report is clear in its criticism of the decision making process at Caerphilly Council. It is also clear that this is not a recent development, and that it had twice raised concerns with the then Plaid-run council. Despite the Wales Audit Office raising issues with the Plaid administration in 2010 and 2012 it remains unclear what, if any action Plaid undertook to address the concerns.
“The Labour leadership, with the full support of the Labour group has acted swiftly and decisively to reverse the original decision regarding Senior Officers’ pay. Plaid Cymru have brazenly sought political gain from it. Revelations that they themselves had failed to act more than once on similar concerns raised by the WAO show Plaid as opportunistic and hypocritical – putting their own self-interest before the people of Caerphilly.
“Plaid Cymru would do well to reflect on their own actions, particularly, how they allowed this situation to develop and continue under their watch.
“As the Wales Audit Office recognises, Labour took action in advance of their report by reversing the pay rises in a properly convened meeting of council when Plaid voted to postpone a decision at this meeting. The Labour leadership have taken further action by moving to suspend the Chief Executive while further investigations into the report are undertaken.”
The statement also added that a meeting with Local Government Minister Carl Sargeant will be taking place to review the decision-making processes.
At a meeting last night (Tuesday), the council’s deputy chief executive Nigel Barnett was appointed as acting chief executive.
- Caerphilly Council bosses under fire over pay increase
- Caerphilly Council staff voice anger at managers’ pay increase
- Plaid Cymru want Caerphilly Council bosses’ pay hike reversed
- Caerphilly Council managers’ pay rises to be investigated, Labour promises
- Caerphilly Labour councillor reported to Public Services Ombudsman
- Transparency needed, says First Minister, after Caerphilly Council pay row
- Plaid Cymru councillor reported to Public Services Ombudsman in pay row
- Labour councillor cleared by Public Services Ombudsman for Wales
- ‘Compromise’ voted for in Caerphilly Council pay row
- Fresh war of words over Caerphilly Council pay deal
- Decision to give Caerphilly Council bosses huge pay rises deemed “unlawful” by Wales Audit Office
- Police launch investigation into Caerphilly Council pay rises
- Caerphilly Council paid £7,000 for experts’ advice in pay row
- Caerphilly Council chief executive suspended in wake of Wales Audit Office report into pay row
- Caerphilly Council appoints acting chief executive in wake of pay scandal
Labour could have come out of this well of on day one they admitted their mistakes and made a cast iron pledge to sort things out. On day one they should have called for the suspension of the CEO and told the members on the panel to step aside until they had investigated properly.
They should have had an open meeting where members of the public could have asked questions and either stand by their decision or say how they would make amends.
Instead they buried their heads in the sand and united themselves in silence. I'm glad Plaid have gone to town on this.
Even now they still manage to try to con us. The agenda for last nights meeting was changed first thing Tuesday morning
When are the others going to be suspended?
This programme was very interesting last night:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01r7xvf
Typical Labour – trying to close the barn door after the horse has bolted.
This is a message to Harry Andrews and his Labour colleagues – if you want power, you must take the responsibility and accountability that goes with it. This pay deal happened right under your noses at a council YOU control. It is no good blaming others as you are just digging yourself an even bigger hole than you're in already. Besides that, you are giving off all the demeanour of a naughty child in protesting their innocence despite being guilty.
It's time the Labour group grew up and accepted they took their eyes off the ball and botched the handling of this debacle spectacularly.
Onwards and upwards eh?