There seems to be a belief at senior levels of Ceredigion County Council that everything is great, they’re doing a fantastic job, it’s all hunky dory... if only the Cambrian News would let people know that.

If only...

According to every metric the leadership can come up, the boys in Penmorfa are great and swell, and wonderful as well. If only the Cambrian News would get with the programme.

If only...

If only you knew why the vast people of Ceredigion know you’re delusional and living in a bubble of your own making.

Sorry boys, to burst your bubble...

We at Cambrian News, unlike most members of the Plaid Cymru caucus at the council, haven’t drunk the Kool-Aid.

And neither have the people of this county.

At Cambrian News, we believe that we must hold you to account. And now more than ever, with a council majority that seems to have forgotten that they are to serve all the people of the county, its taxpayers, and those who rely on the critical services your are supposed to provide.

Instead, the Cambrian News finds itself as being a voice to point out where you are going wrong.

And, quite frankly, it begins at the very top of Ceredigion County Council.

If you want to know why the vast majority of people of Ceredigion have had it with you lot, don’t blame the Cambrian News, blame yourselves.

If only you considered that we live in a county of some 75,000 with some 15,000 council tax-paying households, yet Chief Executive Officer Eifion Evans earns more than a UK Cabinet Minister. And in your last council budget, while you were cutting staff and curtailing services, you approved increases in the fees he’s paid for performing statutory Returning Officer duties. God knows he’s probably struggling to make ends meet on his £137,000 pay cheque.

Consider too that the heads of department together earn more than £1 million in annual salary.

When you did cut staff, how come it was a low earners — and likely the hardest working — that were laid off, leaving more earning more than £60,000 per annum than before? God only knows what the long-term pension costs of these high salaries will be moving forward. But we don’t hear those questions being asked.

Why is there a £20 million state-of-the-art building in Aberystwyth sitting largely empty or collecting peppercorn rent?

Why does the council ignore what people say in consultations? Just do us all a favour and don’t pretend you listen. You don’t. The results are forgone conclusions. Just look to the people of Aberaeron when it came to moving the library. Or the people of Aberystwyth when it came to the prom. Or people in general...

You have mismanaged caring for the seniors of this county, shutting nursing homes and upsetting and unsettling the ill.

You have wasted countless thousands of pounds on legal fees in pointless fights with communities and residents.

You cut road gritting services for rural parts of the county, yet find £350,000 for annual support for the rally. And when you’re asked to give a full accounting of that, you’re stum. Maybe the helicopter rides might be embarrassing if they’re declared.

You proposed cutting four schools to save money, threaten governors who stand up to you, and use the monitoring office as a star chamber to try intimidate those who dare question, or use common phrases you can twist to suit your narrative.

Family with seniors in care know how you’ve messed up looking after our elderly. They reflect on it each time they drive to Carmarthenshire to visit them.

These are not the doings of the Cambrian News. They’re all yours.