South Wales Evening Post - 27 November 2006
Police have abandoned attempts to unravel the mysterious Swansea Council tape it had been investigating.
Detectives were sent a copy of a conversation between two people in which serious allegations were made about senior council people.
Officers have spoken to one of the mystery men thought to be on the tape but say he has denied any involvement.
The Post has uncovered a copy of the tape and heard the claims first hand.
It discusses the role of senior council people in the controversial land sale between Swansea Council and supermarket giant Asda that would see a new store built in Gorseinon.
Swansea Council has agreed a £11 million deal, subject to planning permission, for land next to the town's Somerfield store.
It has caused concern among local traders, who fear a supermarket owned by price-slashing American giant Wal Mart could turn Gorseinon into a ghost town.
The conversation also covers other land deals and the need for councillors to declare interests when discussing deals.
Swansea Council initially refused to acknowledge existence of the tape but later admitted that it had received a transcript of it and its claims.
A spokesman said: "The matter has been thoroughly examined by the council's corporate complaints team and the monitoring officer, who have concluded there is no substance to any of the allegations."
Detective Chief Inspector Peter Azzopardi, head of Swansea CID, said police had exhausted their lines of inquiry.
He said: "The allegations contained within the audio tape have been the subject of high level investigations between myself and senior officers of Swansea Council.
"One individual who was believed to be the person making the allegations has been spoken to but denies any involvement in the matter.
"In view of the result of the enquiries carried out, and, in the absence of any additional information, no further police action will be taken."
