A weekly newspaper has retrieved the journalists’ notes seized at a council meeting when councillors decided it was private.

Trainee journalist Chad Welch had his notes confiscated by the council 45 minutes into the Llanelli council meeting earlier this month.

Council clerk Mark Galbraith demanded that Chad hand over his notes and leave, tearing the notes from his notebook before confiscating them.

However following protests by the paper, the notes habve now been handed back, although the paper has agreed not to use them as the basis of any story.

Llanelli Star reporter Chad Welch with the retrieved notes

The move came after Mr Galbraith and fellow clerk Mel Edwards met with Chad and Star editor Bede MacGowan at the paper’s offices.

Said Bede: “The meeting between ourselves, Mr Galbraith and Mr Edwards was amicable and allowed for a frank exchange of views, during which we were pleased to have Chad’s notes returned to us. I’m confident there won’t be a repeat incident of this nature and we can now let the matter rest.

“Since a number of those present were under the impression they were talking in private, we won’t be using the notes to form the direct basis of any article.

“But we will use the information garnered during the meeting to inform further  lines of inquiry in the ongoing and vitally important campaign to save services at Llanelli hospital.”

The return of the notes followed a strongly-worded opinion piece in the current edition of the Star.

Mr Edwards said: “I’m delighted that we have met to sort everything out and I’m confident that we will work together now to do all that we can to secure the best possible services for Llanelli.”

The notes had been confiscated on 14 March at a meeting held jointly by Llanelli’s town and rural councils to discuss health issues in the area  – including the future of the A&E department at Prince Philip Hospital.

After taking notes on the meeting for around 45 minutes, councillors noticed Chad was present and announced that the meeting was private.

Welsh Assembly member Simon Thomas — who was also present at the meeting — said he was pleased the notes had been returned.

“It is one thing for the meeting not to be reported, but taking the notes was clearly out of order. Let’s hope that going forward, health matters should be discussed in public.”