COUNCIL CHIEF TO STEP DOWN
We look back on the career of a man who wasn’t afraid to divide opinion
CARMARTHENSHIRE Council chief executive Mark James has announced he is to retire.
Mr James, who has been at the helm of the council for almost 17 years, will retire in June when he turns 60.
He has spent more than 40 years in local government, taking up post in Carmarthenshire in March 2002 and previously serving as chief executive at Boston Borough Council.
He has also worked in Westminster and Barnet in London.
He was appointed a CBE in 2012 for his service to local government and the leader of Carmarthenshire Council, Emlyn Dole, called him a “great leader” and an “ambassador for Carmarthenshire”.
The deputy leader of the council, councillor Mair Stephens, said: “Mark has truly been Mr Carmarthenshire.
“His guidance and dedication is something we have come to rely on.
“He will be a hard act to follow, but we wish him all the very best.
“He leaves with our enormous thanks for a job very well done.”
While plenty of councillors paid tribute to the long-serving official, during a meeting of the council’s planning committee on Thursday, Sian Caiach, who is chair of Llanelli Rural Council and a former Carmarthenshire county councillor, branded him arrogant and a control freak.
She was invited to speak by the chair of the planning committee councillor Alun Lenny.
Ms Caiach wanted to acknowledge the news of Mr James’s retirement, and said: “Although I knew him as perhaps not at his best, as a rather arrogant and a control freak....”
She was then interrupted and asked to stick to the matters being discussed, namely planning considerations.
She then continued to say: “But I wish him well.”
Following the announcement, councillor Rob James, leader of the Labour Group on the council, said he was seeking to ascertain what kind of severance package Mr James would receive.
The council has now confirmed that Mr James will receive a local government pension – but no golden handshake.
Prior to Thursday’s comments made by Ms Caiach, she and Mr James have previously crossed swords while the former was still a county councillor.
In 2012, the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales rejected a string of complaints made by Mr James against Ms Caiach, whom he had accused of calling his integrity into question and of making unacceptable comments.
When asked, Mr James declined to respond to the comments made by Ms Caiach during Thursday’s meeting.