‘MS’ council attendance poor’
AWELSH Conservative Senedd Member has been criticised for his attendance record as a councillor since becoming an MS earlier this year.
Joel James was elected as a regional MS for South Wales Central in May, but has retained his role as a member of Rhondda Cynon Taf (RCT) council.
Under a law passed last year, MSs were barred from sitting as councillors too, but those who were already councillors were allowed to stay on until next year’s council elections.
Cllr James represents Llantwit Fardre on RCT council, where he is one of three Conservative councillors out of 75.
Since being elected to the Senedd he has attended six of the 16 council meetings he was expected to – in percentage terms, 38%.
Yet he has continued to be paid the basic pay of £14,368 by the council in
addition to his Senedd salary of £67,649.
Cllr Andrew Morgan, the Labour leader of the authority, said he was disappointed by Cllr James’ attendance record.
“It is a matter for him whether he claims the basic pay of a councillor.
“But his attendance at council meetings is not good.
“There are only three Conservative councillors, so he is expected to attend more committee meetings than would be the case if he was a Labour or Plaid councillor.”
Cllr James’ home broadband is also paid for by the council.
Cllr James said: “It is unfortunate that my recent attendance is being used in this way as I believe that over the past decade I have maintained a good attendance record, which also includes service as a school governor, community councillor and member of two village hall committees.
“As highlighted previously, a large proportion of my councillor salary is donated to local good causes and groups, which have included local Scouts, ballet classes, martial arts classes, raffle prizes for community groups, financial donations for individuals raising money.
“I have donated Christmas selection boxes for all the children at my local primary school both last year and this, and in the summer, I provided them all with a ‘grow your own sunflower’ kit.
“This was part of the national Grow Some Sunshine campaign. I am also in the process of funding a defibrillator.
“I’ve been thoroughly honoured to have represented my local community for more than 13 years, delivering for my constituents and enjoying their trust at the ballot box for numerous elections.
“I will continue to assist them and work hard on their behalf until I step down in May.”
Plaid Cymru councillor Heledd Fychan, who represents Pontypridd Town, was also elected as a regional MS for South Wales Central in May.
She has continued to claim her council salary of £14,368.
Cllr Fychan, who has been present at five of the nine meetings she would be expected to attend (56%) said: “I’m claiming the salary from the council because I’m continuing to do the work.
“I’ll carry on doing so until next May, when I’ll be standing down as a councillor and concentrating on my work as an MS.”
She said she gave 5% of her council pay to local community causes and a further 3% to Plaid Cymru.
Alex Davies-Jones was elected MP for Pontypridd in December 2019, since when she has also continued to sit as an RCT councillor, representing the Tonyrefail West ward.
She has been present at five out of nine meetings she was expected to go to.
Unlike Cllrs Jones and Fychan, however, Ms Davies-Jones does not claim her council salary.
Three RCT Labour councillors have attendance records that are worse than Cllr James’: Martin Fidler Jones (20%), Margaret Tegg (17%) and Sue Pickering (14%).
Councillors lose their seats automatically if they don’t attend at least one meeting every six months.