Opening the Closed Shop

The shock at yesterday evening's town council was not that Emrys Wynne was to step down from town duties. No, he'd already resigned in December (he's still a county councillor and, as such, can attend and contribute during both parts I and II of town council meetings). The shock was how the town council will deal with the vacancy.

They're to promote a by-election. They do need 10 electors to agree but the fact that they are even countenancing such a thing is a significant step.

The time-honoured method of choosing replacement town councillors has always been co-option. Likely candidates write in and suggest why they might be considered. The first problem is that few people actually get to know of the vacancy. The second is that, of the small number who do apply, existing councillors rather than the people themselves get to chose who sits.

This, of course, is undemocratic. It promotes jobs for the boys. If you look at all the town councillors currently siting, you'll notice that some, including our deputy mayor—likely to be next year's mayor—have never, ever actually been elected democratically. They started life as co-optees. During the last co-option, in November 2018, we reckoned that only eight of the 15 councillors had ever been elected democratically, although we did stress that Gavin Harris, currently mayor, was elected in 2008, subsequently stood down and rejoined unopposed in 2017.

During the short debate on this topic, there was an odd atmosphere of acceptance that they would need to call a by-election. It was if councillors felt painted into a corner, as if they realised that, actually, they could no longer get away with years and years of comfortable, closed shop co-options. Time was up. As someone said, probably the clerk, by-elections were now the expected norm, pointing out that the Wales Audit Office had affirmed this should be so. It was like a collective shrugging of the shoulders.

Cllr Snape wondered whether this meant that all councillors needed to stand for election. He was reassured that, no, this was not the case. Why would he ask? Again, you sensed that his question was almost spoken out of a fear that he, too, would need to face a people's vote.

Don't expect a huge turnout for the by-election. In spite of the cost (versus co-option) it's still the Right Thing To Do and we congratulate the town council at last on doing it.