ANGLESEY Council has taken a step nearer back to self-governance after the Welsh Government announced it would hand its powers back.
The Welsh Goverment minister for local government, Carl Sargeant made the announcement following a report stating the authority had “turned a corner”. Two of five commissioners, appointed in March 2011 to run the fractious authority, will leave their posts.
Mick Giannasi, Alex Aldridge and Byron Davies will continue monitoring the council, and will still possess the power to override any council decision that goes against statutory officers, but will now only be working on a part-time basis.
Local Government minister Carl Sargeant said: “The council now has in place a high-calibre senior management team and is nearing the point where it is capable of managing its affairs without external direction. I am returning to the council powers which the commissioners currently hold from the start of next month.
“Commissioners will report to me if they believe recovery is faltering and, if the council reverts to its old ways, I will not hesitate to act.”
Anglesey council chief executive Richard Parry Jones said: “I and my strategic leadership team look forward to supporting members in delivering the best possible services for the citizens of Anglesey.”
Council leader Bryan Owen added: “A healthy debate is an important aspect of local democracy, and it is up to us to show the public that this debate can occur in a respectful and professional manner.
“It’s very important that all our elected members work together for the greater good of Anglesey as we face a very difficult time in local government where tough decisions will need to be made.”