AMs seek answers over 'breach' row.

OPPOSITION politicians have complained to a watchdog about the alleged breach of a code over the appointment of a temporary Arts Council chief in Wales.

The Assembly Members' complaint about the appointment of Professor Dai Smith is made in a letter to the public appointments commissioner, Janet Gaymer, in London.

The appointment was made by culture minister Alun Pugh, who denies he has "ridden roughshod" over the code of practice for public appointments.

There wasn't enough consultation over the appointment, claim Plaid's shadow culture minister Owen John Thomas, Conservative culture spokeswoman Lisa Francis and Liberal Democrat culture spokeswoman Eleanor Burnham.

They had already called the row over the appointment by Clwyd West AM Mr Pugh "an embarrassing shambles", but have now gone one step further, claiming Mr Pugh had effectively sacked outgoing chairman Geraint Talfan Davies.

In the latest twist, Plaid's Mr Thomas said Mr Pugh knew Geraint Talfan Davies's three-year term was due to end by April 1, 2006.

Mr Thomas says the advertising and consultation process over appointing a successor can take six or seven months.

But he claims the culture minister would have needed to start this process in late September or early October 2005 to appoint a new chairman by April 1, 2006.

Mr Thomas writes that by not advertising the post he decided to "circumvent the official process for carrying out an upper tier appointment".

In the letter, Mr Thomas, Ms Francis and Ms Burnham seek the commissioner's "guidance and comments."

On Tuesday, the Daily Post reported how there will be a review of the Assembly's Arts Council funding.