Sir,

It is disappointing that the leader of Pembrokeshire County Council, Clr. John Davies, has been unable to resist the temptation to put his own spin on the Wales Audit Office report, a careful reading of which reveals all the faults and failings set out in the previous Estyn and CSSIW reports.

The report commends some of the recently approved changes to the council's constitution.

The question people should be asking is, why did it take so long?

For example, the ruling group's recent acceptance that proposers of notices of motion will be allowed to address cabinet when those NoMs are debated by that body.

What the audit report fails to mention is that three previous attempts (in 2007, 2009 and 2010) to bring in this self same procedure were voted down by the Independent Political Group block vote.

It would be encouraging to think that Clr Davies's ruling group has seen the democratic light, but the truth, alas, is that it has been forced to swallow these changes because the Welsh Assembly Government is breathing down its neck.

Mike Stoddart,

County councillor for Hakin Ward,

Milford Haven,