A CATHOLIC bishop has launched an extraordinary attack on Aberystwyth town councillors, accusing them of being “undemocratic” and “lacking impartiality”.

Bishop Tom Burns, who is embroiled in a row over the future of St Winefride’s Church, criticised the council, questioned the ability of the clerk to take minutes and even queried the honesty of a parishioner who said he had been ill prior to a meeting he had with councillors and others.

It was reported earlier this month that the council believed Bishop Tom, of the Swansea-based Diocese of Menevia, had gone back on a commitment he made to allow an independent structural survey of St Winefride’s Church, which the bishop proposes to demolish and turn into affordable flats.

In a stinging letter to the mayor Cllr Brendan Somers, Bishop Tom said: “On reading the council minutes, which have just reached me, of the town council meeting that I attended on 27 October 2016, it would seem that some items have been misinterpreted and others are not the proper business of local government.

“My presence at the meeting should in no way be construed as indicating the diocese’s support of another survey on St Winefride’s. Such a survey is totally unnecessary.”

And the bishop went further, questioning the ability of the clerk to the council, Gweneira Raw-Rees, to effectively take minutes, and also the honesty of a parishioner, Prof Frank Hogg, who told the council he had left his hospital bed to make it to the meeting.

Cllr Alun Williams said: “There are strong feelings on both sides of the argument, but to question the ability of the town clerk, who is impartial, and to say this is not the business of local government, is ridiculous.

“This is specifically the business of local government to look after our historic architecture."

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