Council's Tendering Process Under the Spotlight

3.00.00pm UTC (GMT +0000) Wed 10th Oct 2007

Welsh Liberal Democrat AM for Brecon and Radnorshire, Kirsty Williams, has expressed concern at news that Powys County Council's Transport Unit Manager is leaving the authority to work for Veolia Cymru, the company that recently won the Council's multi-million pound bus contract.

"I am greatly concerned by the news that a council employee who was key in the Council's recent transport review is, only weeks later, now working for the company that was awarded the tender. The awarding of the contract to a foreign owned company was in many cases to the detriment of local bus companies and community transport organisations.

"Whilst I welcome the news that he has signed a confidentiality clause to protect the interests of the council and other suppliers, it is important that the Council is not only acting fairly but is also seen to be acting fairly. Therefore I have written to the Chief Executive of Powys County Council to express my concerns and to seek assurances that the tendering process was both robust and fair.

"This is a sore loss at a time when the Transport Unit is already struggling and will only make it harder for the council to meet the public transport demands and address the bus chaos that has occurred over the past few months."