17.09.12
Government intervention to be reduced on Anglesey
Anglesey’s council cabinet is to be reinstated, reducing the level of governance by an external team appointed by the Local Government and Communities department.
The Welsh Government Commissioners’ latest report on corporate governance at the Isle of Anglesey County Council recommends that the minister for LGC reduces the island’s current level of intervention.
In 2011, an external team of commissioners took over the running of the council when the Welsh Assembly Government intervened and sacked the council’s Cabinet.
Carl Sargeant, social justice and local government minister, described the island’s council then as being “more concerned with pursuing their own advantage than with meeting the needs of Anglesey’s citizens”.
But the commissioners have now decided that they “feel increasingly confident that a corner has been turned in respect of democratic leadership of Anglesey”.
They report that sufficient progress has been made against all corporate governance themes, including that of accountability, bettering community engagement and strengthening the corporate centre and partnership working.
After observing the way elected members conducted themselves in previous months, commissioners say they are assured that it is time to entrust them with the opportunity of resuming control of the council.
Anglesey Commissioner Mick Giannasi said: “This report provides evidence of substantial progress and demonstrates that a stable platform has now been created upon which to build the future.”
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Image c. Mick Roche