Welsh Liberal blogs

  Powys Liberal Democrats have accused the Powys Conservative council group of descending into chaos over its school closure programme. The accusation comes after the Conservative group lost both cabinet member and councillor Iain McIntosh; and Cllr (also MS) James Evans in shock resignations over the Administrations school closures. The events have left the Conservative group on 13 councillors, meaning the Welsh Liberal Democrats are now the largest political party (and second largest group) in the council with 14 councillors. Powys Council as of January 2, 2022 (The ruling administration is an Independent-Conservative Coalition) The Powys Conservative Group has now lost four members in the last year, with Cllr Gwilym Williams and Cllr Les Skilton defecting over the council tax rise supported by the party earlier this year. The group also lost Cllr Claire Mills in May 2020 when she defected to the Abolish the Welsh Assembly Party and lost a by-election in North Llandrindod t...

Powys's head of education has resigned from his post just nine months after being appointed following a cut in senior management roles at the council. Alec Clark took over running education after the post of director of education was scrapped, in favour of a new role of director overseeing both education and social services. The council cut eight of 24 leadership posts last year to save £1.3m. The previous director left the council after failing to get the top job. Ian Budd had been Dr Clark's boss when the two of them went for the new head of education role after the post of director was deleted. Dr Clark is to take a new job as director of an education trust in southern England. The leader of the Liberal Democrat and Green group, James Gibson-Watt, called for a crisis meeting of all group leaders with chief executive Caroline Turner to discuss the future of the schools' service. He said there were a number of schools falling into serious bu...