Madam,

I read with the interest that we are having the regular diversionary debate regarding the future of Barmouth Bridge (Cambrian News, 27 December).

All I can say is that it is a good job that Barmouth has a proactive town council. Dolgellau’s town council would simply have rolled over, waved their legs in the air and whined about how hard done by they are. However the real issue, which is why I say ‘diversionary debate’, is surely about Gwynedd Council’s own management.

The council needs to have a good, long hard look at itself. Not only do we have a highly disproportionate number of councillors, all earning quite a decent salary, but their effectiveness often has to be questioned.

For example we have one local county councillor here who has managed to attend a total of just 11 committee meetings last year, giving her an income in excess of £1,000 a meeting (although admittedly she must surely have other commitments).

We have another local councillor who on top of a very generous top-level salary managed to claim almost £5,000 in expenses last year and who is by no means alone in claiming four-figure expenses.

The reaction to the fuss over second-home ownership last year has also been illuminating. For example, one councillor declares two homes that he owns whilst happily living in an, undeclared, third and another fails to list her neighbouring second home which is let as holiday accommodation; almost certainly they are not alone in their second home ownership, declared or otherwise.

And what do we get for all this? A council that allocates time to debating the independence of Catalonia or what Westminster is doing wrong with Brexit.

And, whilst they are happy to denounce Westminster, Conservative, or Cardiff, Labour, for their funding shortfalls this council’s xenophobic ‘Welsh language above all other considerations’ policies contrive to deter new business and investment.

Is this year not the time that Gwynedd Council looks to its own faults instead of simply blaming all and sundry for its own deficiencies?

Yours etc,

Name and address supplied.

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