THE president of the Brecon and Radnor Conservative Association has called on the party’s Welsh Assembly candidate to resign as he faces an ombudsman’s investigation.

Councillor Gary Price was selected as the party’s candidate for the Brecon and Radnorshire seat via a US style open primary but it has now been confirmed the Powys county councillor is facing an investigation by the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales.

The revelation comes on top of complaints over Cllr Price’s selection as the party’s candidate for next year’s Assembly elections via the open primary. A formal complaint has been made to the Welsh Conservatives over how Cllr Price was selected.

Jonathan Reeves, the president of the Brecon and Radnor Conservative Association, said he believed Cllr Price should resign.

Mr Reeves told us: "I personally think the honourable thing for Gary Price to do is to resign."

Cllr Price, who represents Llandrindod Wells, isn’t commenting on the ombudsman investigation or complaints regarding his selection.

The ombudsman is investigating a complaint against Cllr Price and whether he breached Powys County Council's code of conduct.

In 2013 Cllr Price was suspended as a councillor for a month by the ombudsman after he disclosed confidential information regarding the closure of the council owned Lakeside Restaurant in Llandrindod.

Cllr Price stood in Brecon and Radnorshire for Plaid Cymru at the 2011 Welsh Assembly elections. He was selected as the Conservative candidate at open primary meeting in July where party members and any local resident who registered as a supporter could vote to select the Assembly candidate.

Complaints have been made to the local party that Cllr Price was able to receive text messages during a question and answer session in the open primary, which was held at Newbridge-on-Wye Community Centre.

Complaints have also been made that the location in central Radnorshire favoured Llandrindod based Cllr Price, who it is claimed was well supported by locally based supporters at the meeting.

Brecon and Radnorshire is a key target for the Conservatives who are aiming to topple Welsh Liberal Democrat leader Kirsty Williams who has represented the seat since the Assembly’s inception in 1999. At May’s general election Conservative Chris Davies dislodged sitting Lib Dem MP Roger Williams. The Lib Dems had held the Parliamentary seat since 1997.

Mr Reeves confirmed he had written to the chairman of the Welsh Conservatives, former Brecon and Radnorshire MP Jonathan Evans outlining concerns at Cllr Price’s selection. Mr Reeves said the letter hadn’t been acknowledged.

The local association president said: "I think the party has decided the election was properly carried out and unless something comes up from the ombudsman we have got to stick with what we’ve got, which is Gary Price.

"Personally I think the honourable thing for Gary Price to do is to resign, I don’t think there’s any other way out. We can put it behind us and start again."

Asked why Cllr Price should resign, Mr Reeves replied: "Because of the accusations being made regarding the texting at the open primary and the situation regarding the ombudsman and his political past which is by no means consistent with Conservatism."

A spokeswoman for the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales said: "I can confirm the ombudsman is investigating a complaint into whether or not Powys County Councillor Gary Price may have breached the authority’s Code of Conduct.

"We are unable to comment on the subject of the matter under consideration and it is not possible to say how long the investigation may take."

The Welsh Conservatives have been asked to comment. The party previously said: "Following the open primary, attended by over 140 people, which Gary Price won, members of Brecon and Radnorshire Conservatives ratified the decision to endorse Gary Price."

Cllr Price previously said he was ’unaware’ of complaints and that he had the ’100 per cent support’ of his local party.