Council chairman angry at criticism (From Penarth Times)

Council chairman angry at criticism

SULLY hospital's future may be hanging in the balance, but a war of words amongst local councillors goes on.

Community Council Chairman David Sylvester has hit back at comments made by Vale representative Anthony Ernest.

Cllr Sylvester said: "Once again, I am totally mystified by what Cllr Ernest is saying. In relation to Sully Hospital, he suggests that remarks by members of the Community Council are completely inaccurate in their reading of the situation. He does not mention what remarks, and who he thinks made them."

He explained that his council has taken the lead in fighting the possible use of Sully Hospital as accommodation for asylum seekers. He added: "This has involved a great deal of work by all members, and I take great exception to Councillor Ernest's comments."

He continued: "I do not dispute the fact that the First Minister of the National Assembly for Wales authorised access to Sully Hospital for Home Office inspectors to view the condition of the building, nor the fact that he lives in the Vale."

"What the First Minister made very clear in a personal letter to me, at the time of this decision, was that he felt that the inspection would prove to the Home Office that Sully Hospital was a totally inappropriate environment in which to house asylum seekers".

Cllr Sylvester said: "In relation to the intention of Cllr Ernest not to attend future meetings of Sully Community Council, the Clerk of the Council has indeed received a letter from him indicating this to be the case."

He said that members had expressed great concern that, for the first time ever, a county councillor had refused to attend meetings with democratically elected community councillors.

Cllr Cox also expressed his concern that Cllr Ernest would not be attending future meetings of the council, and added that the purpose of community council meetings was to provide a 'two-way information format', between the council and local residents.

Cllr Sylvester concluded: "Cllr Ernest's intention to withdraw from our meetings, taken together with his recent expulsion from the Governing Body of a local primary school, following his failure to attend the required number of meetings, would appear to indicate that he does intend to reduce his commitment to those whom he seeks to represent."