DAVID J BOWLES, C.P.F.A., B.Sc.

Rheolwr Gyfarwyddwr Dros Dro

Interim Managing Director

CYNGOR SIR YNYS MÔN

ISLE OF ANGLESEY COUNTY COUNCIL
Swyddfa’r Sir
LLANGEFNI
Ynys Môn - Anglesey
All County Councillors LL77 7TW

ffôn / tel: (01248)752100 ffacs / fax: (01248)

750839

Gofynnwch am - Please ask for: Miss June

Williams

ffôn / tel (01248) 752102 ffacs / fax

(01248) 750839

E-Bost - E-mail: jwxce@anglesey.gov.uk

Ein Cyf - Our Ref. DJB/JW
Eich Cyf - Your Ref.

14/05/2010

Dear County Councillor

When I was asked by the Minister to take up the post of Interim Managing Director I searched on
the Internet for a suitable property to rent close to Llangefni. Before taking up the post I arranged
to rent a property from a Mr Arthur Jones from mid-October on the basis that I would be working on
the Island.

In December it became apparent to me that Mr Arthur Jones was John Arthur Jones a former
officer and Member of the County Council. I made the Leader of the Council aware of this and
subsequently had reasons to be concerned about issues relating to the planning permissions for
the site and restricting lettings for holidays only. I clarified these on Wednesday 13th January at a
meeting with Arthur Owen and Robyn Jones, Senior Solicitor from the Authority’s Legal Services
Section and decided to vacate the property. I informed all Group Leaders of this, on the same day,
at a meeting with them.

On Friday, 15 January the Press Office was contacted by a local journalist. It is apparent that a
number of Members of the Council may have had discussions with the local journalist and other
media outlets. Concerns have allegedly been expressed about John Arthur Jones and that I could
be too close to him and that he could "put ideas in my head" and influence me to "get rid of
different Councillors".

I find these comments abysmal and an extraordinary and disgraceful attack upon my
professionalism and integrity. I have worked with many Councils and at no time has my
independence or objectivity ever being challenged. I have a track record for not being influenced
and for doing my job even in the face of immense and at times wholly improper political pressure.

It is a fundamental requirement of officers of the council to be politically neutral. Such a smear is

an attack upon the integrity of all officers of this Council and undermines the essential relationship
of mutual trust and respect between officers and Members generally.

I would contrast the very open way that I have handled this matter with those who go behind your
back to stir things up, who do not even have the moral fibre to come and raise any issues of
concern directly with me; instead they engage in malicious tittle-tattle behind the scenes.
Gwefan: www.ynysmon.gov.uk - Website: www.anglesey.gov.uk
Anglesey has been bedevilled by personality driven, petty parochial vindictive factional infighting.
This is a disgraceful example of an attempt to use an officer as the meat in the middle of the
sandwich of personality driven infighting; even worse those involved see nothing wrong with
dragging an officer’s personal and private life into these matters.

This is exactly the sort of conduct and behaviour criticised in the Corporate Governance Inspection
(CGI).

I believe that the overwhelming majority of Elected Members here are honest, decent hard-working
Councillors seeking to look after the interests of the Island and of their constituents. They, and
indeed the officers of this council, are let down by a small group of Members who continue to
believe that such conduct and behaviours are acceptable, or by Members who condone and
encourage such behaviour.

It is alleged that this small group of Members are unhappy with the changes taking place and are
seeking to undermine them by undermining me. It's difficult to conclude that this is other than an
attack on the Recovery Programme, that I and many committed Members are seeking to put in
place.

I would ask those who made these allegations, or put others up to make them, to come forward
and identify themselves so that all Members of the Council are not tarred with the same brush.

I reiterated advice that I have given before that unless or until the majority make it absolutely clear
to the minority that this sort of thing is unacceptable, this Council will not be able to change and
move out of recovery. Those few who put their petty spiteful factional infighting above the interests
of the Island have no place on this Council and do not deserve the trust of the communities they
are supposed to serve.

Members should not underestimate just how damaging these sorts of incidents and issues are.
The Welsh Assembly Government would not have supported my appointment if they did not
believe that I was completely impartial and that I cannot be influenced in such a way. They, and
indeed the Recovery Board, will be less than impressed that, at a time when this County faces
major budget difficulties and the Island faces major economic problems, some Members should still
feel that they should put their time and effort into the sort of underhand devious and malicious acts,
so heavily criticised in the CGI.

I did consider marking this letter Private and Confidential but decided against it on the basis that it
would get leaked anyway. I regret having to write to all Members in these terms rather than just the
few but that is a consequence of how the few conduct themselves.

Yours sincerely

David J Bowles
Interim Managing Director

c.c. Professor Elan Closs-Stephens, Chair of the Recovery Board,

c.c. Carl Sargeant, Minister for Social Justice and Local Government, Welsh Assembly
Government, 5th Floor, Ty Hywel, Cardiff Bay, CF99 1NA
Gwefan: www.ynysmon.gov.uk  Website: www.anglesey.gov.uk
Gwefan: www.ynysmon.gov.uk  Website: www.anglesey.gov.uk