Tory MS accuses Reform of ‘eyeing up’ seaside town hall

Richard Evans Local Democracy Reporter

A Reform council leader has slammed Aberconwy’s MS Janet Finch-Saunders after the Conservative MS took to social media to criticise the party for “eyeing up” a “wonderful” north Wales town hall.

The row follows a dispute between the Conservatives and Reform after Conwy Tory councillor Harry Saville revealed early plans proposed by Reform leader, Cllr Louise Emery, to create a community interest company.

Cllr Emery has now accused Ms Finch-Saunders of spending “her time political point scoring on Facebook”, making “cheap shots”, and “online posturing”.

Working with Mostyn Estates, who own the freehold of the town hall, Cllr Emery’s idea was to place the building in the hands of the community interest company so it could be maintained and renovated.

But the idea, Cllr Emery said, was at an early stage and so hadn’t been discussed publicly, suggesting one avenue of funding for the town hall could be the Market Street car park.

But Cllr Saville took issue with this, accusing Cllr Emery, a former Conservative, of attempting to hand over the building and the car park, a £200,000-a-year asset, to one of the “wealthiest landowners in the UK”.

Cllr Emery, though, believed the council wouldn’t be out of pocket, due to the money saved on the town hall’s maintenance costs.

Conwy County Council has now said that the matter “would be considered in accordance with the council’s disposal policy” should a proposal be formerly put forward.

The row has prompted Aberconwy MS Janet Finch-Saunders to take to social media, accusing Cllr Emery of “now eyeing up our wonderful Llandudno Town Hall”.

The MS claimed that the matter not being “discussed in an open and transparent manner” was an “insult to all our hard-working tax payers”.

But Cllr Louise Emery has now fired back at the Senedd Member.

“As Janet knows, this idea is in the early stages and will come through the proper democratic process and be open to scrutiny at that point.

“Whilst Janet spends her time political point scoring on Facebook, I’m focused on something far more important: improving our high street and supporting the local economy. Our community needs leadership and solutions, not cheap shots and online posturing.”

Aberconwy MS Janet Finch-Saunders made the comments on her Facebook page.

She said: “Very shocked and concerned to learn that allegedly the Reform leader in Conwy County Borough Council, Louise Emery (also a Llandudno Town Councillor) is now eyeing up our wonderful Llandudno Town Hall to be transferred to a Community Interest initiative,” she said.

“To think that this has not yet been discussed in an open and transparent manner, nor has it received any community discussion, is an insult to all our hard-working tax payers.

“Over the years I have raised so many concerns when it comes to the spend within our local authority here in Conwy. Our residents over the past three years have seen rampant council tax increases of nigh on 30 per cent with even more to come this April.”

She added: “Some serious questions must now be asked as to what actual discussions have taken place and with whom? This heritage building has always been used for the people of our town and county and should not be even considered as an asset to be handed over to benefit some of the chosen few.”

The MS added that she would be “asking questions of the cabinet Secretary for Local Government in the Welsh Parliament”. She also said she had been approached by other worried residents who could be “assured” of her “robust actions on the matter”.

Cllr Sharon Doleman, Conwy County Council’s cabinet member for sustainable economy and communications, said, “I am aware that there has been an approach to the council to discuss options about Llandudno Town Hall.

“As and when there is a proposal, the matter would be considered in accordance with the council’s disposal policy.”