Plaid MS calls on Ombudsman to review decision on former NPT Leader

Plaid MS Sioned Williams has called on the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales to review the decision which found that former Neath Port Talbot council leader Cllr Rob Jones did not breach the council’s Code of Conduct.

Cllr Jones was recorded addressing a private Labour Party meeting and heard to talk openly about redirecting council funds to Labour wards and away from Plaid held wards and also stated his preference for the controversial Swansea Valley super school before the public consultation had even begun. He also appeared to claim that the Independent member for Seven Sisters was deliberately cut out of the loop when the programme to upgrade Cefn Coed Colliery Museum was being developed. He also called former Member of the Senedd, Bethan Sayed, a ‘cow’.

The comments were published on social media on March 5th 2021. The Ombudsman issued the decision on July 20th stating that Cllr Jones had not broken the code of conduct for members of local authorities in Wales.

Paragraph 7 (b) (v) of that Code, states that " members must not use, or authorise others to use, the resources of their authority improperly for political purposes", whilst paragraph 6 1 (a) states that "members must not conduct themselves in a manner which could reasonably have brought their office or authority into disrepute".

Dywedodd AS Plaid Cymru Sioned Williams:

“Rwyf wedi ysgrifennu at yr Ombwdsmon yn galw arno i adolygu ei benderfyniad nad yw’r Cynghorydd Rob Jones wedi torri’r Côd Ymddygiad.

“Ar ôl gwrando ar y recordiad a darllen casgliad adroddiad yr Ombwdsmon, mae’n anodd deall y penderfyniad

“Roedd cyd-destun y recordiad yn arwyddocaol, sef bod y Cyng.Jones yn siarad ag aelodau’r Blaid Lafur ac yn honni y gallai wneud, neu wrthdroi, penderfyniadau er budd cynghorwyr ac ymgeiswyr Llafur wrth roi aelodau etholedig pleidiau eraill dan anfantais. Mae hyn yn ymddangos fel gweithred fwriadol sy'n anghydnaws â safonau bywyd cyhoeddus.

“Naill ai Cyng. Roedd Jones yn dweud y gwir wrth annerch yr aelodau Llafur - a thrwy hynny gyfaddef ymddygiad amhriodol a thorri paragraff 7 (b) (v), neu roedd yn camarwain ei gynulleidfa, efallai er mwyn creu argraff ac felly mae'n ymddangos ei fod yn dwyn anfri ar y cyngor, yn groes i baragraff 6 1 (a).

“Mae penderfyniad yr Ombwdsmon yn nodi ei fod wedi ymchwilio i’r honiadau a’i fod yn teimlo nad yw paragraff 7 (b) (v) wedi’i dorri.

“Mae'n dilyn felly, ei fod yn ymddangos bod yr Ombwdsmon yn teimlo bod y Cynghorydd Jones wedi camarwain cyfarfod aelodau’r blaid Lafur ynghylch y posibilrwydd o gamddefnyddio adnoddau awdurdodau lleol, gan roi syniad cyfeiliornus iddynt o sut y dylid rhedeg cyngor. Onid yw hynny'n dwyn anfri ar ei swyddogaeth a'r awdurdod?

“Nid oes amheuaeth bod ei ymddygiad wedi tanseilio hyder y cyhoedd yn y Cyngor, ac nid yw adroddiad yr Ombwdsmon wedi adfer enw da y Cyng.Jones, na hyder pobl leol bod y Cyngor wedi bod yn gweithredu’n rhydd o ddylanwad pleidiol. Mae angen adolygu’r penderfyniad. ”