Welsh Labour has been accused of wasting taxpayers' money by failing to name a candidate in a local by-election – for the second time in two years. The Labour Party called for a by-election in November after councillor Rhiannon Stone left her post in the Tir-y-Berth ward of Gelligaer Community Council in Caerphilly borough.
But when nominations closed last week, only Plaid Cymru’s Adrienne Wood had been put forward as a candidate. GCC councillor Judith Pritchard said: “All the costs will be passed onto Gelligaer Community Council area to pick up the bill.
"Can I suggest that in future Labour make sure they have a candidate signed up to stand before calling an election? The local Labour Party should really come forward and offer to pay the bill.”
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Taxpayers were made to foot a bill of more than £2,000 in May 2021 when Plaid’s Amanda McCarthy was named to the Ystrad Mynach ward of the GCC as the only running candidate – despite Labour calling for the election.
Now, the cost left for the local council to pick up promises to be even steeper. Cllr Pritchard added: “The failed Ystrad Mynach by-election cost the authority £2,229 and the bill will be even higher this time. The community council could have co-opted a community-spirited individual without the waste of more than £2,200 of the public’s money by Labour.”
With Wood as councillor for the Tir-y-Berth ward, Plaid has 12 of the 13 seats in the authority with a vacancy in the Hengoed ward due to be filled by co-option. Welsh Labour have been contacted for a reply.
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