Cllr hits back over Myfanwy resignation

The row over proposed cuts to Llanfair Leisure Centre which prompted a high profile county councilor to break ranks and quit her party has continued this morning.

Cllr Myfanwy Alexander decided enough is enough and handed in her resignation as Chair of the Independent Group on Powys County Council to Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Commissioning Graham Brown last week.

She accused her colleagues of “not listening to anyone” and described the policy of moving Llanfair Leisure Centre to the high school as “manifestly injust”.

But Cllr Brown said that he was “disappointed” to receive her resignation but insisted cuts would continue to meet the challenging budget constraints.

In a statement, Cllr Brown said: “It is disappointing that Myfanwy has decided to resign. As a former Cabinet member, she will appreciate the difficulties facing the Council in achieving the £35.5m savings we have made to date with the further £29.8m we have to find over the next three years.

“These savings have to be found, whoever is in control, and we all know that, as the cuts get deeper it is going to directly affect more people and more communities. I believe this Cabinet has served the county well in striving to maintain services and exploring alternative methods of delivery, as we are doing in the case of Llanfair leisure centre.

“Service changes are not easy and will be difficult for some people to accept. I can assure people the whole of the county was looked at when considering the additional savings required within leisure services and a very detailed report was presented to Cabinet outlining the reasoning for the decision to consult on the present proposals.”