CAERPHILLY Council’s Labour group has remained tight-lipped about reports one of its members has been suspended.
Cllr Brenda Miles was reportedly punished after sending an email to all councillors complaining about a decision to close ten libraries.
On Caerphilly County Borough Council’s website, the Nelson ward representative also appears to have been removed from several committees.
The Labour group has not responded to several requests for an explanation, and the situation has been branded “draconian” by one member of the council.
Senior councillors recently confirmed it will shut ten libraries at the end of August, in cost-cutting plans described as a “bold new vision” for the service.
Caerphilly’s remaining libraries will serve as ‘hubs’ and offer other council and third-sector services, based on the success of a pilot scheme in Rhymney.
But backbench councillors were mostly opposed to the closures when they met at a joint scrutiny committee meeting, on Monday May 12, to air their views.
Speaking at that meeting, Cllr Miles suggested work to hand over unwanted libraries to interested community groups should take place before the ten at-risk sites potentially closed on August 31.
Her proposed amendment, to defer closures until those talks had taken place, was ultimately backed 34-13 by members of the cross-party committee, with a further three abstentions.
Yet at a cabinet meeting two days later, there was little discussion of Cllr Miles’ call for a deferral – which had been supported by a clear majority of backbenchers – and the council’s closure plans were voted through unchallenged.
Later that week, Cllr Miles emailed the local authority’s leader, Cllr Sean Morgan – who also represents the same Nelson ward – telling him she was “disappointed” the committee’s recommendation had been “disregarded” and “misrepresented” by the cabinet.
In the email, which was sent to all councillors, she alleged the closure decision was “against the wishes” of most committee members, adding she was “saddened and disgusted by the cabinet’s lack of care for what the majority of councillors wanted”.
Since then, several sources have told the Local Democracy Reporting Service the Labour group has suspended Cllr Miles and removed her from her committee roles, except for the joint scrutiny committee which is open to all backbenchers.
Cllr Miles has declined to comment on those reports and on the wider matter.
