A COMPLAINT made against a Monmouthshire councillor who objects to an ice cream van being given a licence to trade in central Abergavenny has been closed.

Cllr Douglas Edwards, who represents the Grofield ward, was the subject of a complaint made to the Public Services Ombudsman from ice cream van enthusiast Chris Copner. But Cllr Edwards told the Argus the complaint was dismissed last month after being made in September.

Mr Copner’s application for an ice cream van to sell ice cream, ice lollies, soft drinks and hot dogs on Red Square on the town’s High Street will be heard by Monmouthshire councillors today.

Cllr Edwards said of the complaint: “[The Ombudsman] said that he had no intention of taking it any further. When I received the complaint I went to our monitoring officer and he said just sit tight. Both of the letters [from the Ombudsman] have been forwarded to the licensing committee.

“I won’t even be there tomorrow. I was objecting to it along with the businesses in a way I feel necessary. It is up to the committee.”

Cllr Edwards said he received the confirmation a complaint had been made at the end of September and that it had been dismissed by mid-October.

He said he feared that giving Mr Copner’s application the go ahead would set a precedent and that it would be inappropriate for food vans to park up along High Street.

As part of Mr Copner’s application, he proposes to trade from Monday to Saturday from 10am until 5.30pm, including the occasional Sunday from 10am until 4pm.

He said his complaint was made because Cllr Edwards was “anti-competition and wasn’t unbiased” towards his proposal.

In documents that will be seen by the council’s licensing committee, Cllr Edwards states the proposed area outside the Town Hall and Boots is reserved for pedestrians and leaves no room for a van.

Abergavenny Town Council is also opposed to the plan. They have said seats in the area would be obstructed.

But in the application Mr Copner notes more space would be allowed than the council’s highways department would normally require and that, if granted permission, he would not be selling products sold by traders 100 metres from the van.

Mr Copner said it was the second time he had applied for such a licence with the council but that the process had suggested “it is clear to me that legal traders are not something the local authority wants or supports.

“The illegal ice cream vans and street traders have got thriving business and I am now regretting trying to do things properly and asking for the councils [sic] support in doing so.”

A spokeswoman said: “We can confirm that the Ombudsman did receive a complaint against Councillor Edwards alleging that he had broken the Code of Conduct for local authority members. That case has been closed with the outcome that there was no prima facie evidence of a breach of the Code.”