Help Us Hold Rhondda Cynon Taf Council to Account: Freedom of Information Request on Councillors’ Expenses
At AberdareOnline, we believe in transparency and accountability in local government. That’s why we’re asking you, the residents of Rhondda Cynon Taf (RCT), to help us uncover councillors’ remunerations and expenses for attending Outside Bodies.
Outside Bodies are organisations where councillors represent the council, such as the Police, Health Board, Cardiff Capital Region (CCR), Local Government Association, and the National Park Authority. But how much are councillors being paid for these roles? RCT Council refuses to say.
Our Fight for Transparency
We first requested a full list of councillors sitting on Outside Bodies from RCT Council on 29 January 2024. A year later, we still have no response. The council claims that providing this information is too costly. But shouldn’t this data already be recorded as a matter of public record?
The Monitoring Officer at RCTC is legally required to maintain a register of members’ interests, including payments received for Outside Body appointments. Councillors’ expenses are also regulated by the Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales. Yet, when we provided a partial list of councillors involved in Outside Bodies, only a few payments were disclosed – most remained hidden.
Why is the Council Hiding This Information?
RCT Council has offered weak excuses to justify withholding this data. One response stated that the “Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA) is not a public body”, so its members’ allowances aren’t listed on the council website. However, the WLGA is funded by taxpayers. Its leaders can receive allowances of up to £13,257.50, yet we have no clarity on whether RCT councillors are receiving these payments.
Another example is the Cardiff Capital Region (CCR), a body formed by 10 local councils with numerous committees, including RCT representatives. Are our councillors being paid for these roles? The council refuses to say.
Why This Matters
Local government exists to serve the people, not to operate in secrecy. Public money should be openly accounted for, and councillors must be transparent about any payments they receive.
How You Can Help
We need residents to submit Freedom of Information (FOI) requests to pressure RCT Council into revealing these payments. Click the link below to file your request – it only takes a few minutes, but it could make a big difference in holding the council accountable.
Here’s a list of some Outside Bodies that may have councillors in attendance:
- Welsh Books Council
- Welsh Centre for International Affairs
- Welsh Local Government Association
- Wales Co-op Centre Board
- RCT Community Arts
- Police Crime Panel
- Strategic Stakeholder Reference Group (Cwm Taf Morgannwg Health Board)
- Cardiff Capital Region Transport Authority
- South East Wales Corporate Joint Committee
- School Governors
- Brecon Beacons National Park Authority
- South Wales Fire Service
- Age Concern Cymru
- Cwm Taf Morgannwg Regional Partnership Board
- Wales Safer Communities Board
This list is not exhaustive, and we need your help to get the full picture.
Let’s work together to demand openness, transparency, and accountability from our local representatives. The public has a right to know how taxpayers’ money is spent.
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The Freedom of Information Commissioner’s decision is that Rhondda Cynon Taf Council has breached regulation 5(2) of the EIR.
Is your parent company Reach PLC, Newsquest, or a.n. other? Since 2017, the BBC Local News Partnership – where 100s of BBC-trained journalists were dispatched to the regions under a partnership deal – has been preventing Press Association local newspapers investigating and covering scandals related to councils, NHS Trusts, local police et al. Are you being disingenuous here? Thank you.
You’re very slow to approve comments.
Hi Paul, no AberdareOnline is run by a small community group, we are not owned by any parent company. It has remained this way for 25 years.