Ceredigion County Council’s chief executive has hit back at claims made in a committee meeting that new councillors were told not to contact council officers with their issues, calling it a lie.

During a scrutiny committee meeting on Wednesday, 19 July looking at the performance of the council’s one-stop services shop CLIC, Trefeurig councillor Caryl Roberts – who was elected in May last year – said she was “categorically” told not to communicate officers over issues raised by residents.

“We were elected on the Thursday and on the Monday were told categorically not to communicate officers,” she told the meeting.

“There was a barrier put up straight away.

“Why is there a protocol for us discouraging us from being a team?

“If you want us to be team Ceredigion let us act like one instead of us and them.”

Llanwenog councillor Euros Davis agreed with Cllr Roberts.

“We as councillors haven’t voted on this, we were just told not to get in touch with these people,” he said.

“It’s a shame.”

Addressing the accusations, chief executive Mr Evans said he was “very disappointed with the comments.”

“No one has told you at any stage that you cannot go to officers and it is a lie to say otherwise,” he told members.

“Use CLIC to ask for a service and if you haven’t received a response, contact an officer and that has been explained many times.

“My door is always open and councillors can contact me at any time.”