Councillor releases video outside police station over LDP investigation: “This is now about much more than planning alone’

Plaid Cymru have released a video filmed outside of North Wales Police HQ in Llay, following a police investigation into three councillors.

As we reported yesterday the investigation appears to relate to the failed Judicial Review attempted by Council Leader Cllr Mark Pritchard, Plaid Group Leader Cllr Marc Jones and former Group Leader of the Conservatives Cllr Hugh Jones – plus an associated Motion to Full Council attempt.

More from yesterday here: Claim ‘vexatious complaint’ prompted 4 month councillor police probe – Labour fire back at ‘shallow versions of Trump & Kim Jong Un’

The video – below – was filmed on Tuesday outside Llay Police HQ, and makes a range of similar points in the joint statement released yesterday by Cllr Marc Jones and Cllr Mark Pritchard.

An eight hundred word rebuttal statement was issued by Labour Group Leader Cllr Dana Davies, including five ‘facts’ such as “Fact: North Wales Police do not refer ‘vexatious and groundless complaints’ to the Crown Prosecutions Services. They refer a file full of evidence to determine if that evidence meets the CPS’s very high threshold for prosecution” (read it in full here).

The video opens with Cllr Carrie Harper asking, “What could possibly land a county councillor with a lifetime prison sentence? Well, apparently opposition to large scale housing development in their community. Senior Wrexham councillors have faced a four month long police investigation because of their opposition to the thousands of houses planned on greenfields in Wrexham’s Local Development Plan with North Wales police finally calling them in today to confirm that there is no case to answer.”

Plaid Cymru Group Leader Cllr Marc Jones is then filmed inside the Guildhall chamber, stating, “This is what happens when you take on powerful people, whether it’s large property developers, Welsh Government, or their local allies. In this case, we challenge the local development plan. By we, I mean councillors of different parties and groups. It doesn’t provide the housing needed to get 4,000 people off the council housing waiting list. It trashes large swathes of open countryside to build executive housing, while we have derelict land and empty buildings rotting.

“But, this is now about much more than planning alone. It’s about democracy and who runs Wrexham. We’ve been under police investigation for more than four months. There are other complaints against us too. I think this is a cynical attempt to silence us, to bully and intimidate elected councillors.

“So who benefits from this? It’s clear that the seven big housing developers want this to go through and so too does the Welsh Government. But there are other local allies who have been part of this as well.

“Not going to lie. This has been stressful for ourselves and our families. Throughout all this we have tried to do the right thing. We followed independent legal advice, and we will continue to challenge powerful people. That’s why we’re taking them to court through a judicial review.

“To go to court, we have to pay a barrister and solicitor. That’s not cheap, and that’s why we’re fundraising to make sure Wrexham has a voice in this process. They’ve tried to shut us up but we will not be silenced and will have our day in court.”

Police drop investigation into @wrexham Cllrs over opposition to house building. Yes, you read that right.

Police also confirm ‘reports and statements’ were taken from @wrexhamcbc & @WelshGovernment. Undemocratic all of this. @BBCWalesNews @ITVWales @WillHayCardiff @BBCNews pic.twitter.com/cs5j5GSBr2

— Carrie Harper (@CarrieAHarper) March 14, 2024