Disgraced former Gwynedd councillor given three-year ban over Beaumaris Pier fraud

A former Gwynedd councillor and senior parks official has been banned from public office for three years after admitting to attempting to divert £3,000 in public funds to his personal bank account. Iwan Huws, who previously served as chief executive of Eryri National Park Authority and as a National Trust director, accepted a police caution for fraud through abuse of position following an investigation by the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales.

The case, detailed in a decision report from the Adjudication Panel for Wales (APW), reveals how Huws exploited his position as a maritime officer with Anglesey County Council to invoice a film company for the hire of Beaumaris Pier, then attempted to channel the payment to himself rather than the appropriate public authorities.

Background and Context

At the time of the offence in July 2023, Huws held multiple positions of public trust. He was serving as a Plaid Cymru councillor for Bethel a'r Felinheli on Cyngor Gwynedd, sitting on its Education and Economy Scrutiny and Pensions committees, while working as a senior maritime officer for neighbouring Anglesey County Council. His distinguished career in public service included leading Eryri National Park Authority and directing the National Trust.

The tribunal report noted that Huws had "held very responsible roles within that Council" and had previously stood as Plaid Cymru's Aberconwy candidate in the 2011 Welsh Assembly elections, finishing in second place. This background of public service made the breach of trust particularly significant in the eyes of investigators.

Key Figures and Entities

The investigation involved several public bodies. The Public Services Ombudsman for Wales initially referred the matter to the APW after Huws accepted a conditional caution from police. The APW tribunal conducted the disciplinary proceedings, while both Isle of Anglesey County Council and Beaumaris Town Council were identified as the rightful recipients of the pier hire fees.

According to the APW report, Huws had previously worked as chief executive of Eryri National Park Authority and as a director for the National Trust, positions that "demonstrated a failure in integrity and an attempt to dishonestly obtain public funds for himself," as stated by the Ombudsman. The report noted that "a member of the public could reasonably question how a member could hold such roles" given the breach of trust.

Legal and Financial Mechanisms

The fraud scheme unfolded over several days in July 2023, according to undisputed facts presented in the APW report. On June 30, 2023, a production company contacted Huws to hire Beaumaris Pier for two days, agreeing to pay £3,000 including VAT to cover all costs. Rather than following the correct procedure of raising an official purchase order through Anglesey Council's finance department, Huws took steps to divert the payment to himself.

On July 10, 2023, Huws sent an invoice to the company via email, attaching a mooring receipt with his personal bank details handwritten on it. When the company sent a purchase order to his official council email on July 13, Huws instead sent another email on July 24 demanding payment to his personal account, again attaching the doctored receipt with his bank details. He then deleted both emails from his account.

The scheme unraveled when the production company contacted Anglesey Council's finance department to verify the payment details. The department confirmed the details were incorrect, triggering an internal investigation that uncovered Huws's personal bank account information. He was suspended on September 15, 2023, and resigned from his position the same day.

During police interviews, Huws "confessed that he had sent the handwritten invoice demanding payment, and agreed that he had attempted to defraud through the abuse of his position," according to the report. He received a conditional caution for fraud through misuse of position on December 19, 2023, with the sole requirement being that he write a letter of explanation to Anglesey County Council, which he had already completed.

International Implications and Policy Response

The case highlights ongoing concerns about accountability mechanisms for local officials in Wales. The APW found Huws had breached Cyngor Gwynedd's Code of Conduct, which stipulates that "members must not conduct themselves in a way which could reasonably be considered to bring their role or their authority into disrepute." The three-year ban from standing as a councillor in any Welsh council represents one of the most severe sanctions available to the tribunal system.

The report emphasized that Huws's actions demonstrated "a lack of respect towards the public on several levels," noting that the attempt to defraud "took place over a number of days and does appear to include an element of premeditation in its preparation." The case underscores the importance of robust financial controls and oversight in local government, particularly when officials hold multiple positions across different authorities.

Sources

This report draws on the Adjudication Panel for Wales decision report, published in relation to the case against Iwan Huws, along with public information about his previous roles from Eryri National Park Authority and the National Trust. Information about council procedures was sourced from the official websites of Cyngor Gwynedd and Isle of Anglesey County Council.