Guess who's paying for dinner

According to reports, relations are becoming decidedly strained between residents of Gorseinon and their town council who stand accused, among other things, of wasting public money on freebies for itself while cutting back on support for community groups.

Much of the anger is directed at independent mayor Victor Bruno who was allowed a second term under what some claim to be questionable circumstances. But what has caused most anger is the alleged sum splashed out on his inauguration.

Council costs have risen substantially due to a succession of by-elections and problems with a new website. This led to them deciding to suspend grants to local community groups in March this year. Yet in April, Bruno’s inauguration was followed by a tidy old dinner attended by local crachach from around the city and who were entertained by magicians, fiddlers and a harpist.

Following a series of complaints, the council has now agreed to discuss the issue but they will be holding their meeting behind closed doors. Town Council clerk John Millard told the local paper the reason was that the matter was of a “personal and financial nature”.

Counclllor Bruno insisted that he had ‘followed protocol’ but the lack of transparency in this and other dealings the local businessman has overseen is not without some bitter irony when you consider his strongly held views which he shared when standing as a candidate a while ago.

”Decisions made in secrecy cause apathy”, he wrote. Perhaps that’s just the sort of outcome he hopes to achieve. Local opinion however would suggest that he is shit out of luck as election officials in Swansea’s civic centre already state they have received a number of enquiries on how to hold a referendum on the council’s future existence.

Update (9 July): Today's local paper carries a leaked report that the amount spent on the inauguration bash was £4000 or thereabouts. Understandably, the figure - which Bruno refused to publish - has led to demands for him to give up the chain.