Janet Finch-Saunders AM has voiced her concerns at the choice of the North Wales police commissioner’s decision to choose a fellow Plaid Cymru councillor as his deputy.

Cllr Arfon Jones, a Wrexham Councillor and the area’s new police and crime commissioner, has selected Cllr Ann Griffith, an Anglesey Councillor, to act as his deputy – a position which entitles her to an additional tax-payer funded salary of up to £42,000.

Ironically, Plaid Cymru have previously criticised Welsh Labour of cronyism.

Janet Finch-Saunders, Assembly Member for Aberconwy and Shadow Spokesperson for Local Government said that taxpayers would be “disappointed” to learn that the Plaid PCC had chosen a deputy who was also a Plaid councillor.

Janet said: “It is vital when making such an appointment that there is transparency in the process, in order to be assured that the person appointed does possess the appropriate skills required and has absolute credibility. It would be quite wrong for any such appointment to be based solely on the party political affiliation of any individual.

“I call on the police and crime commissioner to explain how he intends to mitigate any potential doubts raised on the matter.”

[Notes: The full version of this story ran in the North Wales Pioneer, 28th July 2016.]