Home » Anglesey Council shake-up like ‘division of Roman Empire and creation of two Caesars’
Anglesey North Wales Politics

Anglesey Council shake-up like ‘division of Roman Empire and creation of two Caesars’

Anglesey County Council

An ANGLESEY Council shake-up has been hailed as being like “the division of the Roman Empire and the creation of two Caesars.” The quip was made by Councillor Aled Morris Jones who is leader of the opposition and represents Annibynnwyr Môn (Anglesey Independents).

His words follow the announcement of a change of the council’s executive committee by the island’s Plaid Cymru council leader Councillor Llinos Medi, on Friday. Cllr Medi announced that her deputy leader Councillor Carwyn Elias Jones would be “stepping down for personal reasons.”

He will still remain responsible for corporate and customer experience. The deputy leader role would now become a “job-share.”

Read next: Mark Drakeford explains ‘fundamental change’ that torpedoed new Menai bridge

The second most important job would now be split between Plaid Cymru Councillor Robin Williams and Councillor Leuan Williams, who represents Y Grŵp Annibynnol (The Independent Group.)

Cllr Robin Williams will now be deputy leader and portfolio holder for finance, whilst Independent Cllr Leuan Williams will be deputy leader and responsible for education and Welsh language.

online casinos UK

In a statement on Monday, Cllr Medi, had said the changes to the executive group had followed “the sad death of former Councillor Alun Mummery.” But Cllr Morris Jones criticised the move: “As a council, we are just not big enough to warrant two deputy leaders.

“We as a group voted for the job sharing principle as a way to to allow members who had been newly elected to gain experience of the roles they were undertaking. We were happy to support it on that basis, not for it to be used to create two deputies.

“Using it to create two deputy leaders seems to be just like the division of the Roman Empire and the creation of two Caesars. It seems that Plaid Cymru felt the need to appoint a deputy leader from a minority independent group which clearly supports them.”

The changes have also seen councillor Neville Evans of the Crigyll Ward being brought on to the executive committee. Cllr Evans will take on the responsibility for Leisure, Tourism and Maritime.

Councillor Alun Roberts will add Community Safety to his Adults Services portfolio. Councillor Dafydd Rhys Thomas, is Highways, Property and Waste, whilst councillor Nicola Roberts, Planning, Public Protection and Climate Change.

Councillor Gary Pritchard, who has responsibility for Children’s and Youth Services, will also take on the late Cllr Mummery’s portfolio for housing.

Author