Three top Caerphilly County Borough Council bosses at the centre of a the authority’s pay scandal remain suspended, despite criminal proceedings against them being dropped.
Chief executive Anthony O’Sullivan, his deputy Nigel Barnett and Daniel Perkins, the authority’s head of legal services, had charges of misconduct in a public office dismissed by a judge at Bristol Crown Court in October last year.
The trio have been suspended on full pay since their initial arrests in 2013. The wage bill for them, an interim chief executive, and legal bills have so far cost taxpayers more than £2.6 million.
Mr O’Sullivan, Mr Perkins and Mr Barnett had each faced a single charge of misconduct in a public office between June 25 2012 and October 10 2012.
The decision to charge the men followed a police investigation into a Wales Audit Office report into pay rises awarded to senior council officers.
The report by the WAO found the decision to award secret pay rises to 20 council bosses was unlawful.
A meeting of the council’s Investigating and Disciplinary Committee held last month decided that the three should remain suspended.
Details of the meeting have not been made public and a date for the committee’s next sitting has yet to be set.
Yes, the cost to all of us is more than £2.6 Million – a lot more.
What a farce this whole episode has been.
THE OUTSTANDING QUESTION NOW IS WHAT IS TO HAPPEN ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THESE PEOPLE. WHEN THE WELSH AUDIT OFFICE, THE AVON AND SOMERSET CONSTABULARY AND FINALLY THE CPS (WEST) HAS STATED THAT THERE WAS INDEED A CASE OF MISCONDUCT TO ANSWER FOR.
NOW, THE CPS NEVER PROCEEDS IN A CASE WHEN THERE IS LESS THAN A 50% CHANCE OF SUCEEDING, SO IF THERE ARE ANY COUNCILLORS, OR CEO OFFICERS WORKING FOR CAERPHILLY CBC ON THE INVESTIGATING AND DISCIPLINARY COMMITTEE WHO THINK THEY CAN SWAY THE CASE TO REINSTATE ANY OR ALL OF THE THREE OFFICERS WHO HAVE BEEN SUSPENDED THEY SHOULD THINK AGAIN, AND REMEMBER THAT LATER HIS YEAR THERE WILL BE COUNCIL ELECTIONS, AND THERE COULD WELL BE REPERCUSSIONS.
THERE IS A UNDEFINED LINE BETWEEN WHAT ONE DOES FOR THE PARTY AND WHAT ONE DOES FOR THE ELECTORATE THAT PUT THEM IN OFFICE.