A GWENT councillor who led a programme of school closures breached his authority's code of conduct when he failed to admit his position on two school governing bodies, a committee heard.

But Monmouthshire county councillor Rob Griffiths, a governor of two schools involved in the education review - St David's Junior School and Llwynu, will have no action taken against him, the standards committee decided yesterday.

Councillor Griffiths, who represents Abergavenny's Landsdown ward, faced the standards committee over a complaint that he chaired a number of public meetings on the controversial issue - without declaring an interest.

When the meetings took place last year, he was cabinet member for lifelong learning and heading up the education review, which will see Croesonen Infants, Harold Road Junior and Park Street Infants closing, and the merging of Llwynu Infants and St David's Junior.

Councillor Griffiths, a member of the governing body of Llwynu Infants and St David's Junior, told the committee: "The changes made to education provision while I was the cabinet member in charge of education were about improving things.

"Never did I act to put the interests of one or two schools ahead of those of the rest of the community."

He added: "To all those concerned about the absence of a declaration of interests, I apologise."

Independent member Mr Craske told Councillor Griffiths: "On a contentious issue such as this, the local authority has to be seen to be whiter than white.

"Not everybody lives in the closed world of councillors and has access to knowledge about your business.

"People will feel aggrieved if they aren't told something they are entitled to know." On the committee reaching its verdict, Roger Chater who chaired the meeting, said: "There has been a clear breach of the code of conduct. You were performing your role as a councillor at the meetings, and therefore it would have been appropriate to declare your interests.

"But by breaching the code you did not secure yourself or your family any particular advantage. We have agreed no further action is necessary." After the meeting, Councillor Griffiths, who has since left the authority's cabinet, said: "I am reassured that the chairman was able to point out that my not declaring interests had no implication on the education review."

But chairman of the governors of Park Street Infants School, Norma Watkins, who attended the meeting, said: "I'm very disappointed." Monitoring officer Murray Andrews agreed to write up clear guidance for members on their responsibilities with reference to the code of conduct.