A TRIO of Ammanford councillors have slammed the way the town council is being run, after members agreed not to raise the precept at last week’s meeting.

In a letter in this week's Guardian, councillors Chris Jones, Andrew Lewis and Emma Thomas apologise “to the people of Ammanford” who, they claim, have been “badly let down” .

They maintain that a report by Cllr Lewis on the authority’s finances revealed an underspend in the previous year of over £13,000 – and that he should have been al - lowed to present his findings at last week’s meeting to set the council budget.

“Unfortunately, we had no option but to agree to this proposal, otherwise no precept could be set,” they say.

“Had we used the proper process and firstly set our budget for the coming year based on what was spent last year, we would have set a budget at least £13,000 less."

But town mayor Irena Hopkins argued last week that the full extent of Carmarthenshire County Council’s community asset transfer programme was still unclear.

“We don’t know what we will be asked to look after,” she said.

Giving her reaction to this week’s letter, town clerk Miriam Phillips said: “Comments and inaccuracies contained in the letter are better discussed at the next town council meeting, which the press and public are always welcome to attend.

“The next meeting is scheduled for Monday, February 3, at 5.45pm in Ammanford Town Hall.”