Plaid Reject Independent Coalition After ‘Informal Meetings’

Plaid Cymru have today said they have had informal meetings with the new independent coalition during the current rejigging of the political scene in Wrexham.

Plaid Cymru councillors have set up their own group on Wrexham Council in the wake of the turmoil created by the Labour split. Councillors Arfon Jones (Gwersyllt West) and Keith Gregory (Smithfield) had previously been part of the Wrexham Independent Group.

A statement by the group said: “Plaid Cymru councillors on Wrexham Council will not be joining the Tory/Independent coalition as it is fundamentally the same administration that got itself in a right mess over Plas Madoc. The same administration has maintained the mayor and senior salaries while closing frontline services such as libraries, buses, community centres and grass cutting.

“After informal meetings with the current Leader and Deputy Leader, we do not feel anything will change.

“Plaid Cymru wanted a commitment from them to pay the lowest-paid staff a Living Wage. We have 1,300 low-paid, mainly part-time women employees who are having to do two or three jobs to make ends meet. The lukewarm response that our request received confirmed our decision not to support the new administration.

“We have worked with campaigners to keep Plas Madoc open and believe the council should support the community effort to re-open Plas Madoc. Plaid Cymru wants the best for Wrexham and we will continue to hold the council to account and scrutinise its decisions.”