A Tywyn town councillor has resigned in a row over the role and pay of the town clerk.

Quentin Deakin resigned during a full council meeting last Wednesday.

In his letter of resignation, he said: “I have enjoyed working with several colleagues.

“I am proud that I have, at times, either led or been party to developing worthwhile projects in the town and quickly and successfully following through public concerns when they have been brought to my attention.

“I wish it had been possible to do more.”

He went on: “I believe the current balance between the town clerk and councillors is too heavily weighted in favour of the clerk and this is in part due to the awkward mixture of executive and clerical roles bound up in the office itself.

“I feel that under the present regime my role as an individual councillor has been depleted and we have less of a say in the decisions made.”

The town council agreed to raise the precept by 2.5 per cent for the 2020/21 financial year, which will see them receive £90,328.12 from taxpayers.

Of that total, the budget set for the clerk’s salary for 2020/21 is £33,000.

Cllr Stevens said in addition to that, the council, as her employer, will also have to pay £9,900 in pension and National Insurance contributions.

See this week’s Meirionnydd edition for the full story, in shops and online now