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Cambria
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'Stalemate situation' over suspended clerk
ABRRYSTWYTHtown councillors are hoping
to have a meeting soon with suspended town
clerk Jim Griffiths to discuss his future.
Mr Griffiths, who was suspended on his full
£40,000salary four months ago for undisclosed '
reasons, nas recently been sick.
..
But it is hoped- he' can attend a meeting in the
next few weeks with the council's staffing panel,
consisting of Cllrs Brian Davies.Mererid Jones
and Aled Davies, along with-mayor Clir Wendy
Morris-Twiddy, to bring the situation to an end.
Clir Morris-Twiddy said: "We are in a stale-,
mate situation at the moment.
"WhIle we cannot comment on the ongoing
investigation, we are waiting for-the clerk to retum from sickness absence for the situation to
be resolved one way or the other." '
Little has been revealed about Mr Griffiths'
suspension at the end of September, which followed a behind-dosed-doors meeting in which
it is understood some councillors launched personal 'and professional attacks on the long-time
clerk.
It emerged that thesecret meeting was inadvertently recorded and that the tape was in Mr
Griffiths' possession." '
His suspension also happened just days after .
...
a
he appeared as witness for the council's other
employee, secretary Carole Prime, in a bitter
wages tribunal.
. Claiming two years of unpaid raises in contracted salary, the town council was forced to
pay damages to Ms Prime in September, it has
emerged.
.'
Clir Morris-Twiddy said that the tribunal and
Mr Griffiths' suspension are not linked.
The council's staffing panel investigation is
being overseen by the town council's legal advisers, Peninsula:
Mr Griffiths' suspension means that for four
months, the town council, which generates and
spends almost £250,000 ~year - over a quarter
of the total collected in community council precepts in the whole county - has had no Responsible Legal and Financiaf Officer in place.
,
Clir Mereridjones has takenon the role in'
an unofficial capacity, keeping the books and
recording official agendas and m!n~tes, but is
thought to have had no formal trammg .
.Councillors have also been left manning l:h~
council's Baker Street office on a rota basis since
the-suspension, and Ms Prime's absence. .
Mr,Griffiths has reiterated that:hecannot com- Aberystwyth Town Council clerk Jim Griffiths, who
was suspended and subsequently on' sick leave
ment on his suspension .