Anglesey council election postponed for year to 2013

Political infighting at the council led the Welsh government to impose commissioners to run it

Local government elections on Anglesey have been delayed for a year

It will mean people on the island will elect their new council in May 2013, 12 months later than in the rest of Wales.

Local Government Minister Carl Sargeant said he based his decision in light of the auditor general's report on the council in March last year.

It recommended a programme of "democratic renewal," and a review of electoral arrangements at the troubled council.

Anglesey council said the authority remained fundamentally opposed to delaying the elections and the proposed boundary changes.

The council is being run by commissioners appointed by Mr Sargeant.

Bryan Owen, the council leader, said the authority welcomed the "clarification" offered by Mr Sargeant's statement concerning the postponement of the local government election on Anglesey.

'Wrong decision'

"(But) we remain fundamentally opposed to delaying this year's election, the proposed boundary changes and introduction of multi-members wards on the island," he said.

"However, today's decision allows us to concentrate on our main priority: serving the people of Anglesey."

Liberal Democrats said there was no reason to delay council elections.

Peter Black, the Welsh Lib Dem local government spokesman, said he felt the minister had made "the wrong decision".

"We need to return to normality at the council as soon as possible and that means handing it back to democratically elected councillors in an ordered way.

"It is a great shame that, due to the minister's decision, the people of Ynys Môn are not going to be allowed a say over how their council is going to be run," Mr Black added.

Janet Finch-Saunders, for the Conservatives, said: "It is disappointing that the Welsh Labour minister, aided and abetted by Plaid Cymru, has decided to bypass the democratic process and deny the people of Anglesey a say in how their local services are delivered." she said.

"It is time for the people of Anglesey to draw a line under the recent turbulence in Anglesey council and retake ownership of their local democracy by holding fresh elections," she added.