Responding to the news that Avon and Somerset Police will be investigating the findings of the Wales Audit Office into the salary increase of Caerphilly Council's Chief Executive, Plaid Cymru’s Local Government spokesperson, Rhodri Glyn Thomas AM said:

“Given the findings of the Wales Audit Office report, it is right and proper that a police investigation now follows.

“Plaid Cymru has grown increasingly aware of the close, and sometimes relaxed relationship between a Council’s elected management and senior officers. There is a clear need to safeguard against other local authorities awarding significant pay increases to council officers without proper justification or without following due process.

“It is Plaid Cymru’s full intention to present amendments to the Local Democracy Bill which is currently undergoing the statutory processes in the National Assembly. The Party of Wales will be calling for a mechanism which would see the remuneration levels of senior council officers set independently of the authority.

“We want to see greater transparency in the way local authorities take their financial decisions. A national, independent structure would remove all the risks of councillors awarding unjustified pay increases behind closed doors.”