MP JONATHAN Edwards has today put a question to the Leader of the House of Commons as Carmarthenshire county council threatens to be engulfed by the unlawful payments scandal involving Chief Executive Mark James.

The move follows the highly damning reports of the Wales Audit Office into the pay and pension arrangements of Chief Executives in both Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire and a further highly critical report into the unlawfulness of the libel indemnity for Mr James,

“Today the Wales Audit Office has published two damning reports in relation to unlawful payments made to the CE of CCC from public funds," said Mr Edwards.

"One relates to a very serious charge of a pensions arrangement which enabled this highly paid public official to evade tax.

“Can we have a statement from the Treasury about guidance issued to public bodies across the British State on the moral obligation of senior public officials to pay their due tax and penalties for non compliance?”

Meanwhile, AM Rhodri Glyn Thomas has tabled an Urgent Question to the Welsh Government’s Minister for Local Government which, if selected by the Presiding Officer, will see the Minister called to answer the AM’s question next Tuesday afternoon.