Uproar as Police and Crime Commissioner collects second salary as councillor

Labour are definitely losing their way.

Oink! Oink!

It's a consolation prize. They all are, don't rock the boat, we've got plans for the local party, and our preferred candidates are....so don't interfere with that process and you get the PCC sinecure as a reward. No wonder the barbarians are at the gate.

Her name is Mudd.

1) Asked when she would announce a date for when she will step down she replied: “When I’m ready"....2) "We asked Cllr Mudd and Welsh Labour to comment, but neither responded to our messages".....two sentences which perfectly sum up the utter contempt labour in Wales has for the Welsh electorate. Let's be honest - with a few honourable exceptions - Labour politicians have always regarded getting elected in Wales as a means of getting on the gravy train....nothing more (though most have not been as breathtakingly brazen about it as Mudd has).

Gravy train.

But is she doing both jobs to a satisfactory standard? If so, I have zero problem. The primary duty of a councillor is to attend meetings and represent the view of their constituents. On the face of it, it would look impossible to do both jobs and do them well but when your start digging into the detail it really isn't, but it does require some careful time management and well modern technology. It wouldn't have been possible 30 years ago. She has been formally elected to her roles by her constituents and as far as I can tell it is lawful for her to hold the two roles. If anything the council is being negligent in their duties. Just because she is a councillor doesn't mean they can't hold her to account. She would have to excuse herself from the role of councillor properly (or the chair to force the issue) which could be regarded as an absence, then they can interrogate her as they normally would, naturally she would have to declare an interest on such issues. Now if she herself was failing in a given role, naturally I'd be calling for her removal of one of the roles. It will be up to her constituents to decide whether she should be removed from either post and the next appropriate elections.

Since when have local councillors in Wales received a salary? Years ago, when I was involved in local politics in a metropolitan borough in the north of England, only the leader of the council received a salary, because his was in effect a pretty full-time job. But remuneration for other councillors was limited to paying incidental expenses incurred as a consequence of their office. The rate of remuneration was fairly generous, but even so it wasn't a salary.

In my book having two jobs means working approximately 80 hours a week. Does she?

Not only is this clear self-enrichment it also presents a conflict of interest. The PCC can obtain grants from the Home Office to run stuff like probation schemes and community payback jointly with the local authority. Particularly important when courts define conditions and police officers dish out community resolution agreements. Evidently Ms Mudd and the Labour Party is just in it for cash. Does not take either role seriously.

I agree that the she should not have a second job as a Councillor. But,"Afraid that Reform will win a by election"? Doesn’t the leader of Reform rake in millions from multiple second jobs and hardly sets foot in his Clacton constituency.

She was allegedly involved when a former deputy leader who lost his seat then got a job as a council manager which only came to light when a police officer let it slip about his appointment after council refused to confirm his appointment. I suspect her reward for allowing other favoured Labour politicians a pathway to power.

Pigs with their snouts in the mud

Poor woman has to work two jobs to make ends meet.

Absolutely no doubt that Welsh Labour need to be well and truly dumped in many local authority areas in 2027. And even though I despise Farage and Reform a full audit of these local authorities is needed. In my local area Cardiff, RCT and Caerphilly need completely overhauling the waste especially in middle management is astronomical

As soon as I became PCC I stopped accepting my Councillors Allowance. It just felt the right thing to do and I still feel that way. Taking a PCC salary and a Councillor's allowance is taking the piss and the Home Secretary needs to step in to stop it.