Saturday, July 28, 2012

Labour lied - simple as

Spent a couple of hours this morning handing out leaflets in Ponty town centre about Labour's plans for the Lido.   Nobody I spoke to seemed to realise that the plans mean the loss of the existing paddling pool.  But then why would they, it hasn't been mentioned in any of the Council's press releases.

And of course they had Russell's word on it before the election didn't they?  People thought it was 'all sorted.'  So did Owen Smith MP, according to his remarks in his June Pontypridd Observer column.  He is going to be left with a bit of egg dribbling down his chin.  Any chance of his next column condemning his Council colleagues for lying?

And what of Slick Antoniw?  Where does he stand in this?  Well nobody is quite sure, he hasn't mentioned it, but then living in Newport he probably doesn't realise just how much locals value the paddling pool.

Nobody I met this morning said the paddling pool should go, people were appalled at the idea.  Now many of them will have been the same people who voted Labour in with an increased majority in May.  They were taken in by Labour's lies then, and will unfortunately have to live with the results.

Sunday, July 15, 2012

Big Weekend Big Letdown for many

According to the Council’s website
As thousands of people prepare to descend on Pontypridd for the biggest event of the year, the town’s  owners with the aim of promoting the town, a whole host of meal deals are being introduced on the Big Weekend.
Now whilst it is good to see events which promote Pontypridd the Council are a long way from getting it right in terms of the balance between publicity and genuinely bringing trade into the town, or between putting on popular events and allowing local residents to enjoy the Park.
Local traders should benefit from events such as the Big Weekend – but the Council should be taking the lead and doing all they can to support them and enable them to cash in on the influx of visitors.
Last year amongst the complaints the fact that people were not allowed to take food into the Park was amongst the most common. Only bottled water was allowed in, people were instead expected to buy from the franchises inside – who were not local traders and charges in some cases extortionate prices.
This year the Council and its partners are allowing ticket holders to enter the Park along the designated route with their food as long as it is consumed prior to reaching the actual concert area itself.
Wow!  How great is that?  You can buy a bag of chips in town and the Council will graciously allow you to eat them as you walk along the ‘designated route’ – as long as you finish them before you enter the hallowed ground where the concert is to be held.
The same hallowed ground that includes the cricket pitch.  The users of that facility are furious that some un-named person in the Council has decided that the concert should encroach upon the pitch yet again, a move which threatens to rule it out of use for months to come.
The Labour Council have no interest in Pontypridd or in local residents.  Headlines are all well and good but it is what happens behind the headlines that matters.

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Independent naivety versus Labour bullying.

The Rhondda Leader today reports a spat between a newly elected Independent Councillor and a Labour Cabinet Member. 
Heated words were exchanged at last week’s meeting of Rhondda Cynon Taf council when Independent councillor Phil Howe read out a letter he had written to Chris Bryant and Leighton Andrews, the MP and AM for Rhondda, about the employment practices of a local shopfitting firm.

In the letter, Mr Howe stated: “As the RCT councillor for Ferndale and Blaenllechau, it has been brought to my urgent attention that a company called Inca Creative Ltd is currently in the process of recruiting an additional 13 workers, all imported from Poland, completely bypassing the local labour market.

“I fully suspect that since both the UK and Poland are members of the European Union, no employment or immigration laws have been broken by the owners or management in this matter, but I question the morality of this move.”

I was in the public gallery at the meeting on 4th July and watched this little battle play itself out.  I don’t doubt that Cllr Howe did not mean his comments to be racist, but the minute he made his comments the question was which Labour member would react first. 
They are only too eager to pounce and take advantage of the inexperience of any new Councillors. They already succeeded in intimidating Cllr Howe to the extent that he pulled out of the Welsh Liberal Democrat alliance group and will see him as an easy target.
I have in the past questioned the effectiveness of Independent Councillors.   The Council Chamber is not an easy place to be, you need broad shoulders and thick skin.  You also need to be very careful of what you say.  Political correctness is sometimes a card that is overplayed, but that is the way it is.  People who are in the public eye need to be careful of what they say.
This particular episode did no favours to either side and would be best left alone.  He was naive, she was bullying. Both acting in a way that does not belong in the Chamber.