A DEBATE will take place in September on a council’s “undemocratic” £620,000 spending decision.

A special meeting was held on Thursday after the Conservative group tabled a motion seeking the Wales Audit Office to review Conwy Council’s decision-making process after the authority was accused of spending £620,000 without going through the proper democratic process.

The motion follows Conwy submitting a multi-million pound Levelling-Up Fund bid to the UK Government for a new 3G pitch at Eirias Park.

MORE NEWS: The roads in Conwy that are set to be exempt from new 20mph limit

If the bid had been successful, the money would also have been used to increase the capacity of Parc Eirias Stadium in Colwyn Bay by building a new south stand as well as changing rooms, medical rooms, and a media area.

But the bid failed, and although the Welsh Rugby Union contributed £100,000, Conwy paid £620,000 for the 3G pitch out of its own funds – without the matter being debated by councillors.

Consequently, a special meeting was held on Thursday morning, but the meeting’s chair Cllr Ifor Lloyd referred the matter to the finance scrutiny committee without allowing a debate.

MORE NEWS: Converted chapel in Conwy expands as it starts serving food

The scrutiny committee, though, won’t meet now until September 4, after the summer break, to ensure both cabinet members and officers will be available.

Speaking at the meeting on behalf of the Conservatives, Cllr Cheryl Carlisle said: “This work was budgeted to cost £720,000, and as you will be aware, capital expenditure costing more than £500,000 is required to be approved by council.

“We are very concerned that this work did not obtain democratic approval to proceed separately from Conwy County Council’s Levelling-Up fund bid for the Clwyd West constituency.

“We are also concerned that the decision to undertake this work after the failure of Conwy’s Levelling-Up bid for Clwyd West, without referring the matter to council, deprived elected members and the public of the opportunity to participate in the decision-making process.

“This is unclear whether this work would have received democratic approval as a stand-alone project without financial support from the UK Government.

“Furthermore, we are concerned that the decision-making process may have been unconstitutional, and that this represents a breakdown of the council’s governance arrangements.”

A spokeswoman for Conwy Council said: “The motion has been referred to Finance & Resources Overview Scrutiny Committee for consideration and determination, in accordance with the Council’s Constitution.

“How the Finance & Resources Overview Scrutiny Committee determine the motion will be a matter for that committee.”