Are you a Faithful or are you a Traitor? And no, this isn’t a scene from the hit BBC series Traitors, but rather the real-life scenario facing Ceredigion County Council’s Chief Executive Officer.

The Cambrian News can report that a group of influential people are plotting to oust Eifion Evans from the top job at the county council.

Concerns have been raised to the Cambrian News over the behaviour of the Ceredigion head at council meetings, pointing at councillors and threatening them before and during meetings.

Councillors also say their emails are constantly monitored by the chief executive.

During Covid-19, Mr Evans was handed the keys to the county, given executive control of all local authority matters, setting up Gold Command, making decisions without the need for councillor scrutiny.

This lasted for two years, coming to an end in 2022, but elected members feel it never truly went away and that the local authority is still a dictatorship with scant regard given to councillors’ views.

The group of concerned local persons, some with links to the authority, local government, services provided by the authority, and others, are now actively working together to seek ways to end the tenure of the CEO.

As a rule, any non-disclosure agreements that are in place at the county council or other workplaces make it difficult for the media to report, but if any are in place at any local authority, they would be signed off by a CEO or other top executive or director, and any settlements would be funded from public funds.

Typically, non-disclosure agreements are used to confidentially settle harassment or other personnel claims.

The Cambrian News cannot legally report whether any non-disclosure agreements are in place and is not suggesting otherwise.

From school and care home closures, to consultations that aren’t listened to, there is growing resentment among residents and some elected members over the actions of top officials at Ceredigion County Council.

Evans earns £137,000 annually, with Ceredigion County Council's corporate director, Barry Rees, earning £120,500.

Both officers earn more than their counterpart in Gwynedd, Dafydd Gibbard, who is paid £118,000 a year as chief executive of Cyngor Gwynedd.

By comparison, the First Minister Eluned Morgan earns £148,000 a year, with the Chief Constable of Dyfed-Powys Police, Dr Richard Lewis, earning £146,000 a year.

At the same time, the county is constantly losing services and tax payers look set to face a hike of up to 14 per cent on their council tax bills come April.

These factors together have moved the group into action.

The group is seeking to set up an anonymous but secure email drop box where residents and council staff can give their evidence in a bid to build a dossier against the chief executive.

Of course, any information can also be provided to the Cambrian News either through post or other means.