Powys County Council’s Welsh Labour Group Leader has called on the Conservative and Independent Councillors running County Hall to explain why top Council contracts are being awarded to their own party Councillors.

Conservative Cabinet Member Phyl Davies and Independent Cabinet Member Martin Weale both have companies which have been given top contracts with the Council for school transport. Now Conservative Councillor Mark Barnes has joined the club boasting on twitter of the Council’s decision to hand his firm a contract to deliver Business Improvement Districts in both Newtown and Brecon.

Welsh Labour Group Leader Councillor Matthew Dorrance said:

“The leadership of Powys County Council needs to explain why time and again top Council contracts are being awarded to Conservative and Independent Councillors.

“The public needs to have confidence that the Council is looking after the interests of the many not just the privileged few and that it’s getting best value for money.

“To Powys residents, the actions of this Conservative and Independent-run Council could easily look like it is awarding contracts to its cronies.”