News

Under-fire councillor faces resignation calls

ABERDYFI Community Council has passed a vote of no confidence in their county councillor, Dewi Owen, after he backed closeure of the village school.

At the monthly meeting of the community council, chairman Cllr Bryn Lloyd, who is also School Action Committee chairman, got the motion of ‘no confidence’ through, after three members voted for, one against and there were three abstentions.

There are now calls for Cllr Owen to resign from the community council.

Cllr Lloyd said: “The matter regarding the school closures came up in the meeting and there has been a lot of bad feeling in the village.

“People have spoken to me about losing their confidence in Cllr Owen, so I asked the community council members to put it to the vote, which showed a motion of ‘no confidence’. I then asked Cllr Owen to consider his position, not only as a community councillor, but as the county councillor too.”

Cllr Owen had entered the chamber in Caernarfon on 10 December with a 800-name petition against the school closure in his hand, before changing his vote, saying it was tactical as he thought Ysgol Pennal, which is also in the area, stood a better chance of being saved.

Cllr Lloyd added: “People have spoken to me about feeling quite let down and betrayed. It was also said that the reasons he gave to the Cambrian News last week weren’t good enough.

“People find it hard to believe his reason to vote for the package, as the area school has nothing to do with Aberdyfi. There is no way Ysgol Pennal would have been closed as it’s only four miles from the Powys border. The children would have to travel to Machynlleth, meaning that Gwynedd Council would have lost money to the neighbouring county.

“A few members at the meeting said Cllr Owen should have abstained from voting in Caernarfon. People cannot understand how you can represent Aberdyfi, then vote against the wishes of the people of Aberdyfi. He has weakened and undermined our fantastic campaign.

“The ball is now in Dewi’s court. If he resigns from the community council, he could stand for re-election to see whether he has got the confidence back in Aberdyfi.”

Cllr Dewi Owen declined to comment when approached by the Cambrian News.