AROUND 200 people took the opportunity to put questions to local politicians last Friday evening at a Question Time-style event organised by Haverfordwest Civic Society.

The panel being grilled by local residents was made up of Cllrs Paul Miller, Mike Stoddart and council leader Cllr Jamie Adams along with Preseli Pembrokeshire AM Paul Davies.

Stephen Crabb MP, who had been due to attend, did not.

Local publican Brian Harries chaired the meeting with members of the public submitting a wide range of questions relating to council matters, health services and the future of town centres.

Bryn Parry-Jones and Pembrokeshire County Council dominated the discussion at the meeting at St Mary’s Church.

Pulling no punches, the first question from Daphne Morgan asked whether the 60 councillors at County Hall should resign in light of the Mr Parry-Jones scandal, allowing the authority to hold an election and start with a clean slate.

Cllr Adams said that the length of an elected term was a long period, the next local elections are in 2017, to allow time for councillors to oversee services and make changes.

To “truncate” the term would not benefit the authority, he added.

“Decisions can be made without fear of having to return to the ballot box. A lot of decisions councils have to make are inherently unpopular. Short-termism is something that cannot be afforded in today’s climate of great financial constraints,” he said.

Cllr Mike Stoddart said he was not “keen on this idea” adding that even if an election was held the same problem of candidates standing as independents and then joining the Independent Plus Group once elected would remain.

However, Cllr Paul Miller said he would stand down if the other members were willing to.

“Radical action is required to get a hold on County Hall,” he said.

Cllr Miller added that a recent national survey had found that 80% of Pembrokeshire thought they had no influence on council decisions, with the Wales average 60%.

The question prompted a broader discussion on the pay-out of £280,000 to the former chief executive and the lack of discussion in public on the details of the deal.

Cllr Stoddart said that full details of the settlement wasn’t even available for councillors to see. They were told it complied with employment law and was confidential.

“I think that it should have been held in public but there is certainly no argument that members should not have sight of the agreement,” he said, adding that having read it afterwards there were a number of terms he would have objected to.

Mr Davies also said he felt the settlement should have been discussed in public, as did Cllr Miller, adding the decision was “unacceptable”.

Cllr Miller added that the agreement was a way of “short-circuiting the disciplinary process”.

Cllr Adams said that because of employment law the discussing of an individual must be held in private and also referred to legal privilege.

He added that he encouraged anyone interested in standing for council at the next election to do so.

The second question came from John Hudson, who asked for the panel’s view on the “state of democracy in Pembrokeshire”.

Cllr Stoddart said that the settlement, revised following Wales Audit Office intervention, should have come back to full council for a further vote and if there had been proper functions “instead of some sort of banana republic without the weather” it would have done.

“We don’t live under the rule of law, we live under the rule of power in Pembrokeshire,” he added.

Cllr Stoddart also took a swipe at Independent Group members, particularly those who stood as independents, who “put their hands up like automatons”, saying he could name half a dozen members who have never spoken.

“They subcontract their independence to Jamie” and “no more independent than I’m a member of the British national Party,” said Cllr Stoddart.

Cllr Adams said a “twin track approach” was voted on by members that saw the disciplinary process take place at the same time as negotiations on a settlement and a decision had to be taken in order to move forward.

“The Pembrokeshire public clearly had a view that it did not wish Bryn parry-Jones to continue as chief executive of the county council,” he added.

Mr Davies said he believed democracy in County Hall had been “severely damaged” but now was an opportunity to “restore that public faith”.

Mr Davies said he believed democracy in County Hall had been “severely damaged” but now was an opportunity to “restore that public faith”.

Other questions related to the future for town centres.

Mr Davies said there needs to be a number of measures, both from the Welsh Government and Local Authorities to regenerate town centres, including looking at business rates and other fees.

A member of the audience referred to the lack of use of the town's prestigious buildings such as Shire Hall and Foley House, as well as controversial plans to develop the castle.

Criticism of out of town shopping centre developments was also aired.

The panel were also asked about health cuts in the area and the move to specialised centres.

Mr Davies said the reduction in paediatric service was unacceptable, as was the loss of the Special Care Baby Unit at Withybush Hospital.

"We need those health services here," he added.

He referred to a review of Mid Wales health care which said Bronglais Hospital, also run by Hywel Dda, should retain a SCBU because of travelling distances, adding that if that is the case it should be available at Withybush also.

Cllr Miller said the issue was used as a "political football".