Support for full Beaumaris town council by-election

About 300 people attended the meeting called by the eight former Beaumaris town councillors

A packed public meeting supported calls for a by-election to be held for an entire Anglesey town council.

Eight of the 14 Beaumaris town councillors resigned in December with no reasons given.

But on Monday, they said they stepped down due to alleged serious safety breaches and because town clerk, Prof Trevor Ashenden, allegedly refused to be suspended while they were looked at.

Prof Ashenden said he had not been made aware of the issues against him.

He said he had never had any health and safety training as the council used to have a health and safety officer and insisted when he was told of any issues he dealt with them.

• Half of Beaumaris Town Council members resign

• Beaumaris town councillors want review into resignations

Former councillor Alwyn Rowlands told the meeting that two councillors had carried out a health and safety survey of the town council late last year.

He alleged that none of the office equipment had undergone appliance testing and there were no records that staff had been trained in working at height, handling goods or working with substances harmful to health.

"Many times I've said it, that some of these things seem like health and safety gone mad, but rules are there for a reason," he said.

The meeting was told that the then mayor, Frank Carr, had tried to suspend the clerk on full pay while an investigation was carried out.

But they claim Prof Ashenden did not agree to this.

A vote was held, in which an overwhelming majority were in favour of a by-election of all 14 seats on the town council - not just the eight vacated by the resignations.

Mr Rowlands said they wanted Anglesey council to "pick this up".

"We will put the support from this evening's meeting to the council to ask them to hold a full election," he said.