QUESTIONS have been raised over the voting-in of Dolgellau’s new deputy mayor.

Last month, Cllr Ywain Myfyr was elected as deputy mayor following a split vote between himself and Cllr Jo Checkley.

Both councillors were awarded six nominations each, which led to the chairman casting the deciding vote – with Cllr Dyfrig Siencyn opting for Cllr Myfyr.

However, by that time, Cllr Siencyn was no longer the acting chairman as Cllr Delwyn Evans had been elected as the new mayor just minutes earlier.

Cllr Bob Gunton raised the matter in last week’s town council.

“As a point of order, I’d like to question what happened in the town council last month,” he said.

“I’ve asked several people and it seems like we did something different than what usually happens.

“In the past, when we’ve allocated a new mayor, they have then chaired the meeting.

“No disrespect to Cllr Myfyr but I believe if Cllr Evans was chairing the last meeting than the outcome would have been different when the vote was split.

“I’m not suggesting there was any conspiracy - nobody knew that the next vote would be split - but I just thought I’d raise the point as I think it’s important.”

Cllr Siencyn, who is also leader of Gwynedd Council, defended the decision.

“I was chair when the meeting started and, when Cllr Evans was elected, I asked his permission to carry on chairing that particular meeting. That’s quite normal.

“I asked [Cllr Evans] if that was okay and he said it was.”

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