War of words between town council and church deepens

A BITTER war of words between a Catholic bishop and elected councillors in Aberystwyth has deepened after the town’s mayor said that “serious and unfounded” allegations against the council had been made.

Bishop Tom Burns, who is embroiled in a row with some parishioners over the future of St Winefride’s Church on Queen’s Road, launched an attack on the council after Christmas, criticising members and questioning the ability of the clerk to take minutes.

Bishop Burns accused the council of being “undemocratic” and “lacking impartiality” after councillors were left angry by a U-turn on a promise made in a public meeting to allow an independent survey of St Winefride’s Church ahead of a controversial plan to knock down the church to make way for flats and move the congregation to a renovated church in Penparcau.

Bishop Burns, in a letter to mayor Cllr Brendan Somers, said that his “presence at the meeting should in no way be construed as indicating the diocese’s support of another survey on St Winefride’s”.

The Cambrian News was at the meeting when Bishop Burns committed to the council undertaking an independent survey of the building.

Bishop Burns later denied the council access to the building to carry out the survey saying it was “totally unnecessary”.

Cllr Somers, in a reply letter to Bishop Burns and seen by the Cambrian News, hit back at the bishop’s claims.

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