tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-175117952024-03-13T01:40:27.484+00:00Phoenix from the flamesMusings from a Rhondda Cynon Taff Welsh Liberal DemocratAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08029903387138434562noreply@blogger.comBlogger281125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17511795.post-75026747460334408012015-06-10T10:00:00.000+00:002015-06-10T16:13:55.714+00:00Lib Dems leadership - why it has to be Tim Nominations have now closed for the Lib Dem leadership. Of course the pool of candidates was fairly limited because the constitution says that the federal leader must be an MP but Tim Farron would surely have been the front runner regardless of how many we had to choose from.<br />
<br />
Coming off the back of a disastrous general election across the UK the party has a major task ahead to drag itself up by the boots and fight back. It is a task that members are more than up to - the mood within the party has been quite amazing and nobody should make the mistake of thinking we have gone away, in RCT or anywhere else.<br />
<br />
Nick Clegg was right to resign. The problems have certainly not been all of his making, and in government he made a solid contribution to the coalition and putting the country back on track economically. We achieved some excellent gains and that should not be forgotten. We were right to go into coalition. <br />
<br />
Yet the party suffered as a result and Nick was the one at the helm. It was inconceivable that he could carry on. As a result we now have the opportunity to select a new leader who will hopefully forge a new identity for the Liberal Democrats and lead us to future success.<br />
<br />
Norman Lamb was a good Minister and is an excellent MP. He is a Lib Dem through and through and would no doubt make an ok leader. But we need more than that. We need someone who really stands apart from the Camerons and Milibands and indeed Cleggs. We need someone with the human touch, a people person. We need someone who understands the party and respects its members. We need a campaigner. <br />
<br />
We of course need someone who understands devolution, who appreciates that we do things differently in Wales, who has respect for the Welsh party. Only one of the contenders matches up. We need Tim.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08029903387138434562noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17511795.post-50833020443285757012015-06-09T19:00:00.000+00:002015-06-09T19:45:56.369+00:00Keeping Pontypridd RFC fans in their place - or not!<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">It seems that
within the WRU set up money and nepotism will buy you anything.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"> </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">Merthyr RFC is reportedly
to receive a substantial injection of cash to improve their ground and buy in
players and good luck to them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
money comes from multi-millionaire Sir Stan Thomas whose plans – if the media
are to be believed - include an artificial pitch and the buying in of several
past internationals. Sir Stan is the brother of Peter Thomas who is, of course,
the chairman of the Cardiff Blues.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"> </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">This is where
it starts to get interesting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It appears
from comments that have been made that one of the reasons behind this is a
desire to somehow get one over on Pontypridd RFC.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"> </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">He is quoted as
saying that “Cardiff Blues give them (Pontypridd) a number of players and then
you get all this disrespect in the papers…… Why are they so against Cardiff?”</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"> </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">Just a few days
later we read that there are plans afoot to increase the number of teams in the
Premiership from 12 to 16, and lo and behold one of the teams benefitting from
not having to qualify is Merthyr.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"> </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">This move comes
on the back of an announcement that the regions have decided they don’t want any
of these pesky Premiership teams playing in the British Irish Cup but instead
want to field Regional A teams. This has caused anger at Pontypridd who have an
impressive record thus far in that competition.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"> </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">As Pontypridd
fans we are often accused of being bitter and of failing to embrace the joys of
regional rugby.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is it really any wonder
why?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It appears there are concerted
efforts by the Blues region and indeed the WRU to put us back in what they see
as our place, subservient to Cardiff. If they think that somehow this is going to
make us realise the error of our ways and start backing the regional team then
they really have not been paying attention.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"> </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08029903387138434562noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17511795.post-8935832971147777552015-03-25T09:12:00.000+00:002015-03-25T09:12:03.664+00:00Ex rugby boss handed new Labour jobs for boys post.So as part of the Welsh Labour government jobs for the boys scheme Roger Lewis, who recently announced he was stepping down from the WRU, is to take over the running of Cardiff airport.<br />
<br /><br />
Mr Lewis is currently the Chair of the so called Cardiff City Region of which RCT is a part. Again a Welsh Labour Minister appointment.<br />
<br /><br />
This body is supposed to drive the regeneration and economic development of the area but has so far done absolutely nothing.<br />
<br /><br />
Mr Lewis is of course well known to rugby fans in the area for presiding over the setting up of regional rugby which many argue is still not working. A stand off between the WRU and the regions recently over money and contracts threatened the future of the game in Wales.<br />
<br /><br />
We can only hope that Mr Lewis will be more successful in his new roleAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08029903387138434562noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17511795.post-32839139035959484162015-02-20T14:27:00.001+00:002015-02-20T14:29:26.246+00:00My response to Rhondda schools proposals - inconsistent, unequal and unfair<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">This is a copy of my response to the <a href="http://www.rctcbc.gov.uk/en/councildemocracy/consultations/currentconsultation/schoolsconsultations/schoolconsultations.aspx" target="_blank">current consultation</a> regarding plans to reorganise <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/810931355631247/" target="_blank">Rhondda and Tonyrefail schools,</a> proposals which in my view are totally inappropriate.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I have just sent the following in hard copy to the Director. You have until 27th February to make your views knows. </span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I am already
a signatory to the response put in by former staff and governors on behalf of
the Save Our Rhondda Schools campaign group and fully endorse all that is
contained in there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As Vice Chair of
Governors at Tonypandy Community College I would like to add some specific
comments relevant to the Tonypandy proposals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I must emphasize that these comments are in no way intended to be taken
as the views of the Governing Body but are personal.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I fully
understand the problems surrounding sixth form education and the small classes
which result in some considerable disruption for some of our young people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I do, though, have a number of concerns
regarding the proposals for dealing with this.</span></span></div>
<br />
<ul style="direction: ltr; list-style-type: disc;">
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0cm; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo1;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The
creation of two what are being called “centres of excellence” by implication
suggests that the other schools in the area will not be excellent. More parents
may be likely to send their children to Tonyrefail or Treorchy at age eleven as
a result.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Although I realise this will
be limited by the number of available places at those establishments it could
affect our numbers and therefore our budget and our ability to deliver a full
and varied curriculum.</span></div>
</li>
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0cm; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo1;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The
very disappointing results of the recent Estyn inspection and the inclusion of
the College in the red band under the new grading system will not help our
cause in relation to the above.</span></div>
</li>
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0cm; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo1;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Some
of our senior and more able members of staff may well start looking for posts
elsewhere as they will not have the opportunity to teach A level courses if
these plans go ahead – certainly not at TCC.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Recruitment will also, I believe, be affected.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This will affect our results and our ability
to make the necessary improvements.</span></div>
</li>
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0cm; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo1;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">If
free transport for those over 16 is removed at a future date by the Council
then youngsters outside of the immediate Treorchy and Tonyrefail areas will be
hugely disadvantaged as they will have to pay to travel to school.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many may not be able to afford this.</span></div>
</li>
</ul>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The case for
3 – 16 / 18 schools has not been proven in my view, and during the consultation
and engagement sessions I have heard nothing to alter this opinion. I served
for many years as an Infant School Governor at Cwmclydach and have a fair understanding
of early years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The approach between
that and secondary school education is poles apart.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The line
coming from the Council constantly appears to be nothing more than a nod in the
direction of other schools which have a combined primary and secondary
element.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Llanhari and “schools in
Ceredigion.”</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">YG Llanhari
is a totally different scenario set up under different circumstances.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The layout cannot be compared with what is on
offer at Tonypandy or indeed Porth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There is plenty of room for the buildings to be completely segregated
and sufficient space outside for play areas suitable for various age
ranges.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Educationally it has not been
established long enough to assess the benefits or otherwise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The same applies to schools in Ceredigion.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The
transition argument is moot as not all schools in the catchment area will be
included in this new “super school.” There will still not be a single standard
applied across all pupils, and I would suggest that it would make transition
more difficult for pupils in those schools left out of the plans. They will be
coming to a school where half of year 7 will already regard the school as
“theirs” and those from Cwmclydach, Llwynypia and elsewhere could be left
feeling they are outsiders.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The
positioning of Tonypandy Community College is not ideal as it stands – the
school should never have been built there in the first place, half way up a
mountain where the drainage is terrible and the wind howls around, a site which
is one of the first affected by snow and ice. To make the changes suggested at
this location is a nonsensical idea.</span></span></div>
<br />
<ul style="direction: ltr; list-style-type: disc;">
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0cm; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">There
will be a huge increase in traffic going to and from the school – this is
inevitable and all your talk of how parents should take responsibility for
their children’s safety and not take them to school by car will not make one
iota of difference.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They will do it, and
given the location who could blame them. </span></div>
</li>
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0cm; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Infant
school parents need to park and escort their children to the classroom door –
there will be nowhere near sufficient parking spaces and this will lead to
chaos.</span></div>
</li>
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0cm; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Residents
on the hill leading up to the school and through Llewellyn Street have had to
put up with excess traffic for years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The road through Gelli Faelog should have relieved some of that, but now
you propose to increase it again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
</li>
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0cm; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">There
was talk at one of the exhibition sessions of a new road at the top of the hill
and a way one system but this will not make any significant difference and in
fact will only inconvenience residents of Llewellyn Street even more.</span></div>
</li>
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0cm; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Those
at Gelli Faelog say they were told the access road was for buses only, but a
large number of cars also use it bringing traffic problems there.</span></div>
</li>
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0cm; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Again
it was stated at the exhibition in Ystrad and elsewhere that there would be
segregation with secondary pupils using the Gelli Faelog entrance and primary
pupils using the Llewellyn Street access. What of parents with pupils in both
sectors?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Where is your segregation
then?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also how to you propose to stop
pupils who walk to school from using one entrance or the other? Surely you
cannot expect them to walk around the school from an entrance that is closer to
their home?</span></div>
</li>
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0cm; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The
school is too far away from the community to enable the primary (and
particularly infant) pupils to integrate and feel part of their community.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>An Infant school staff member pointed out to
me that they take their children to the park as part of the “forest schools”
initiative, they write letters with them and take pupils to the post office to
buy stamps and post them, they take part in events at the local church at
Christmas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All these activities would be
impossible if they had to walk the children up and down that hill to the
current TCC location.</span></div>
</li>
</ul>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">There has
been much talk of “21<sup>st</sup> Century” facilities, yet it is difficult to
see what you intend to achieve with regard to this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Indeed the fancy artist impression videos on
display at the Rhondda Sports Centre showed only that there would be tables and
chairs in the classrooms which is hardly an innovative idea.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The primary
school pupils would lose the comparatively large amounts of open space they
have for children to play at the moment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There is simply not the space at the TCC site to accommodate equivalent
facilities.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">There has
been talk of shared gym and science facilities, but the requirements are far
different across the age ranges involved here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It would also be a timetabling nightmare.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">One of the
things that angers me most about the proposals is the inequality of provision
which will be brought about.</span></span></div>
<br />
<ul style="direction: ltr; list-style-type: disc;">
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0cm; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Not
only is this idea not being implemented across the County Borough (and if the
plan is that it should be then you should be preparing people now) but it is
not being implemented with any consistency within the Rhondda and Tonyrefail
area.</span></div>
</li>
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0cm; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The
scheme will produce two 3 – 16 schools, one 11 – 16 school, one 11 – 19 school
and one 3 – 19 school. That is inconsistent, unequal and unfair and I believe
undermines many of your own arguments for why these changes should be made.</span></div>
</li>
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0cm; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">At
Tonyrefail there will be a brand new school with plenty of open space and
segregation of buildings. It is perhaps not unsurprising then that Tonyrefail parents
have apparently not been so against the plans</span></div>
</li>
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0cm; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Treorchy
will remain unchanged except for the addition of extra sixth form pupils, yet
appears to be in line for considerable highway enhancements.</span></div>
</li>
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0cm; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">At
Porth and Tonypandy we actually lose space.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Yes we will have some space left by the removal of the sixth form, but currently
at TCC we have a number of pastoral care areas for example. We have rooms where
those needing extra support can go, and places where we can address the needs
of some more disruptive pupils.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Will
there be room to retain these or will the figures merely be worked out on a
baseline pupil per square metre basis?</span></div>
</li>
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0cm; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">As
stated earlier I have a concern that many staff will not want to teach in what
will inevitable be seen as the second rate schools in the valley.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our recruitment problems are severe enough in
some subjects now, this will not help.</span></div>
</li>
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0cm; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Again,
as mentioned previously, many sixth form pupils may find themselves unable to
access courses at Treorchy or Tonyrefail because of prohibitive transport
costs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some of our less confident pupils
will also be put off by the idea of going to a new school where they will be
joining others who have spent all their secondary school time there. What is
the future for these pupils?</span></div>
</li>
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0cm; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The
“centres of excellence” being created will want excellent pupils to keep up
their results and ensure all the correct boxes are ticked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They will not be so amenable to those who
want to study less than 3 or 4 A levels or who are incapable of getting top
grades.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Again that begs the question
what is the future for those pupils who cannot make that grade?</span></div>
</li>
</ul>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">From a
financial point of view I am very wary of the figures being quoted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We keep being told that nothing is finalised,
that the plans that have been on display so far are merely “concepts.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If that is the case I find it difficult to
see how the cost being talked about is anything more than a “concept.”</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Indeed from
your own Strategic Outline case, a copy of which I obtained under FOI from
Welsh Government, it states:</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt 36pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">(3.123) The major constraint is managing the expectations
within the capital funding limit of £75 million, given that the costs of
construction and associated infrastructure can vary considerably over the life
of the Project.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Given the
financial situation that this and other Local Authorities find themselves in at
present then this would seem to be an extraordinary risk to take with
taxpayers’ money when the benefits are far from certain and the obstacles
substantial.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Yours
sincerely</span></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08029903387138434562noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17511795.post-51672019054244202612015-02-19T17:23:00.003+00:002015-02-19T17:27:12.441+00:00Democracy the Labour way – Council chaos shows cracks.<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">It has not been a good week for Labour in South
Wales.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Quite apart from the usual health
stories which indicate yet again that the Welsh Labour Government cannot run a
bath let alone a country there have been some very interesting spats in a couple
of Labour controlled Councils.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">First to surface was news of six Councillors being <a href="http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/labour-suspends-six-bridgend-councillors-8677891" target="_blank">suspended from the ruling group on Bridgend Council</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Their crime?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They did not vote with
the rest of the group in favour of a merger with the Vale of Glamorgan. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The real irony of course is that the Labour
Minister for Public Services turned down the proposal anyway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Then hot on the heels of that came news from Cardiff
where there are some difficult budget negotiations ongoing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There rebel Labour Councillors have been working
with opposition members to come up with alternative budget proposals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><a href="http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/local-news/rebel-cardiff-labour-councillors-warned-8679775" target="_blank">Wales Online reports:<o:p></o:p></a></span><br />
<br />
<div style="background: white; line-height: 13.5pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="color: #494949;">Labour group whip
Garry Hunt has warned potential rebels of disciplinary action in an email which
says: <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="background: white; line-height: 13.5pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="color: #494949;">“Non-adherence to
the whip in a budget vote which threaten the passing of a budget is likely to
lead to significant suspension from the group.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="background: white; line-height: 13.5pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="color: #494949;">Coun Hunt adds:
“Peter Wong, chair of the local campaigning forum, has been in touch….(he) has
asked {Welsh Labour General Secretary} Dave Hagendyck to co-author a letter to
all current Labour councillors reminding them that any unwise actions on their
part could lead to problems with them being re-selected for the 2017
elections.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">This is of course the way of Labour Councils everywhere –
put your hand up in the air when you are told or else.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Independent thought is not allowed, acting in
what you consider to be the best interests of the people you are elected to
represent is definitely frowned upon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Labour Councillors are expected to toe the line.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The open threat is there otherwise – not a
chance of getting reselected.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">All credit to the Councillors concerned for having the
guts to rebel, but what I fail to understand is why they continue to remain
with a party that obviously has so little regard for democracy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<o:p><span style="color: #494949; font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08029903387138434562noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17511795.post-77519850201968267882015-02-18T23:12:00.003+00:002015-02-18T23:12:53.214+00:00Getting back to a bit of ranting - lay off my schoolA request from the National Library of Wales to archive this blog reminded me that I haven't actually used it for some time.<br />
<br />
However, there is quite a bit going on at the moment worthy of a good rant and as our <a href="http://www.pontylibdems.org.uk/">www.pontylibdems.org.uk</a> website isn't really the place to get overly heated - I'm back.<br />
<br />
Why am I need of a good rant? School reorganisation that's why. The idiots at RCT Education department have now come up with a new idea to create 3 to 16 schools in the Rhondda. Not everywhere, just a piecemeal approach.<br />
<br />
Their plans will create two 3 to 16 schools, one 11 to 16 school, one 11 to 19 school and one 3 to 19 school. Nothing like equality of provision is there? It will mean some primary schools in the catchment area of Tonypandy Community College and Porth County Community School will close and be part of a new "super school" (yes they are using that term) whilst others stay as they are.<br />
<br />
They say they will create two "centres of excellence" at Treorchy and Tonyrefail where sixth form education will continue. This suggests the other schools will be less than excellent.<br />
<br />
The whole scheme is full of holes and the inequality of provision they intend to create unbelievable. I suppose this is what happens when an accountant is made Director of Education.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08029903387138434562noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17511795.post-87388138074293826992014-08-09T10:30:00.000+00:002014-08-09T10:30:00.603+00:00Does Ponty AM's sloppiness extend to other areas of his work?
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">We
all make the odd typo, or slight cut and paste error, but you would think that
the AM for Pontypridd and his staff would take a little more care when proof
reading literature.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The July edition of
his <a href="http://www.mickantoniw.co.uk/" target="_blank">newsletter is available to download</a> on his website and with only a brief
glance through it I spotted the following:<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">1. PCSOs
are <span style="color: red;">a</span> highly visible, engaging with people, providing reassurance and <span style="color: red;">tackle</span>
anti-social behaviour. </span><span style="color: red; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(tackling surely)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
2. <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Rhdyfelin
& Beddau libraries <span style="color: red;"> (missing y)<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">I
welcome the decision by <span style="color: red;">the </span>Andrew Morgan, new leader of RCT to keep the
Rhydyfelin library open and to engage in discussions with the local community
over its future.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">3. We
cannot of course underestimate the impact of the Coalition cuts and the
implications these have for local services which local councillors have to
implement to set a legal budget.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="color: red;">(???)</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
4. <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">I’m
also delighted that the Beddau <span style="color: red;">land</span> Tynant Library Community Support Group’s
(pictured) business plan to take community ownership of Beddau library has been
backed by RCT.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p> 5. </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">A
few <span style="color: red;">week </span>earlier, Owen Smith MP and I presented our formal submissions to the
Chief Fire Officer. <span style="color: red;">(weeks)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It really is just sloppy and presents an unprofessional image from what should be a professional set up.</span> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08029903387138434562noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17511795.post-64575746209873291322014-08-05T13:21:00.005+00:002014-08-05T13:21:43.018+00:00Disgruntled of RCT
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
I have let this blog go a bit lately – far too much going on
and too little time to have a good rant about everything. That is of course the
reason I set this up in the first place – to give me an outlet for my more
opinionated outbursts, reflecting my opinions and mine alone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
So, what has been irking me recently – where to start.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
It goes without saying that at the centre of it is usually
RCT Council or the Labour party in some form.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Recently even some of their own members are getting a little sick of
their antics, although not it appears sick enough to leave the party.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
There was a proposal to increase the salaries of three
Officers which was somehow leaked to the press.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Well when I say somehow, I leaked it, based on information from an
extremely disgruntled Labour Councillor who has had a few run ins with his
Cabinet colleagues.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Two of the three
proposals were for increased responsibilities as a result of not replacing
another Director, and so were fair enough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was the third that caused outrage.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
The third Officer was our old mate Christian Hanagan – yes you
know the story by now, former Labour candidate, probably still a Labour member,
son of a Cabinet Member. Given a job originally as the then Council leader’s PA
and then moved up the ranks to a completely new job as Head of PR and
Strategy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This job did not exist
previously and was given to him without it being advertised or open to any
other applicant.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
He now sits at the top table for Council meetings and at the
right hand of the Leader for Cabinet meetings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>A Chief Executive in waiting it seems.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
It appears that our disgruntled Labour Cllr wasn’t the only
one to see that giving him a pay rise of 15% right now was a bad idea, and the
proposal was turned down by the group. Well, for now anyway, although it would
not surprise me if they found another way of doing it.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
I was also made aware of a secret Cabinet meeting which took
place two weeks before the public meeting with exactly the same agenda.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now we have suspected that these take place
all along but this was the first time someone had handed us proof.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It certainly explains why there is so little discussion
at the “open” meetings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
The real question though is if these Labour members are so
unhappy with what is going on then why don’t they speak up themselves?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why stay with the party?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not that I am complaining at anyone feeding
me information of course.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am more than
willing to spread it to a wider audience, but I cannot understand the
attitude.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08029903387138434562noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17511795.post-13371935749182788612014-04-08T19:43:00.003+00:002014-04-08T19:43:29.035+00:00RCT Cabinet broadcast shows their flaws
The second ‘live’ RCT <a href="http://www.rctcbc.public-i.tv/core/portal/webcasts" target="_blank">Council Cabinet broadcast</a> took place
today, although if you don’t follow <a href="https://twitter.com/RCTCouncil" target="_blank">@rctcouncil</a> on Twitter you may have missed
the fact altogether as it is not exactly prominent on the Council website.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
It took the esteemed Labour Members 20 minutes to authorise significant
changes to special education provision, pass the new policy regarding charging
parents who allow their children to truant and welcome a 22 page report on
integrated health and social services.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
The entire scene was scripted, and with the exception of
Cllr Forey, who actually appeared to ad lib for a few seconds, the script was
carefully followed. <o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
I would have been thoroughly ashamed to allow this to be
seen in public.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Cabinet Members are paid
<a href="http://www.rctcbc.gov.uk/en/relateddocuments/publications/legaldemocraticservices/councilconstitution/part6-schedule-of-member-remuneration.pdf" target="_blank">£31,900 a year</a>, plus expenses.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
Deputy Leader, in the Chair yet again today as the Leader continues to battle
with ill health, picks up £37,100.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are
paid it, but evidence suggests they certainly do not earn it.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
People elect their councillors to represent them, but also
to run the Council, to deliver what they said in their manifesto – also known around
here as the Labour joke book.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These
Cabinet Members are paid full time salaries to do just that.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
These broadcasts show what we have been saying for some time
is true – the Labour lot are nothing but a bunch of sheep, they collect their
pay checks but are led completely by Officers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There is absolutely no independent thought. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is presumably one of the main reasons why
they are afraid to meet with the public.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
They are not even clever enough to try and pretend they are
in charge and actually making decisions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In fact could all do with some lessons in public speaking and
presentation – and definitely need to practice reading their scripts. As long
as that is done at Labour party expense and not the taxpayers.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
Of course, having said that, they were, as they never tire
of saying, elected in large numbers by the good people of RCT.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So it is for them to judge their performance.<o:p></o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08029903387138434562noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17511795.post-772366215199111652014-04-01T18:32:00.000+00:002014-04-01T18:32:21.954+00:00Have Labour members got nothing better to do?<br />
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">With everything that is
going on in RCT – rising council tax; education cuts; library; day centre; swimming
pool and theatre closures; controversial changes to school catchment areas, etc
., you would think that Labour members, elected or otherwise would have better
things to do than waste their time trying to wind us up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Yet that is what apparently
some of them like to spend their time doing. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC0R876sGziZSmuoRSJShTswqwEcpjNd3iZQsfkPzmWbDj2dheOx7MQ3-hhTn3HJvOOp6tAE-PL8gxmchAuRZXLDJBIbjKvRr9DGhha0DKcE2UVzRL1sJ4mtP97JHR7DodhI4RYg/s1600/10168424_10151919157910895_1894998557_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC0R876sGziZSmuoRSJShTswqwEcpjNd3iZQsfkPzmWbDj2dheOx7MQ3-hhTn3HJvOOp6tAE-PL8gxmchAuRZXLDJBIbjKvRr9DGhha0DKcE2UVzRL1sJ4mtP97JHR7DodhI4RYg/s1600/10168424_10151919157910895_1894998557_n.jpg" height="400" width="225" /></a></div>
<br />
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Two of them were removed
from the RCT Welsh Lib Dem facbook site yesterday – David Morris and Jeremy Williams.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now we have no problem with open debate, or
with people disagreeing with our views, but personal attacks are certainly not
going to go on unchecked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">We are without doubt the
most open and accessible party in RCT.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Cllr
Mike Powell and myself in particular, but other members too, engage widely with
members of the public in a variety of arenas. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/RCT-Welsh-Liberal-Democrats/264622656926077" target="_blank">Facebook,</a> Twitter, <a href="http://pontylibdems.org.uk/en/" target="_blank">our website</a>,
this blog, not to mention public meetings and events.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unlike the Labour party we don’t hide away in
case people say something ‘nasty’ about us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>However, neither will we allow Labourites to spam our own sites with
personal abuse.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">There must surely be something
more useful they can be doing within their communities rather than indulging in
such childish practises.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They could even
try entering into some decent debate with reasoned arguments – except it is
not, it seems, the Labour party way.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">In a comment on the post
he left (pictured above) David Morris stated that “Myself and Jeremy Williams
have been un-democratically banned by Karen Roberts the Lib Dem Councillor from
RCT who runs their facebook Page.”</span><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
<br />
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Now this is factually inaccurate
to begin with – I am not a Councillor, I am the Chair and Campaign manager of
RCT Welsh Lib Dems which gives me the authority to speak on their behalf.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As for being “un-democratically banned”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>maybe Mr Morris could ask the parents who
oppose the nursery cuts, or those against Y Pant catchment changes, or the
residents furious at the closure of Rhydyfelin library what they think of a
Labour party member talking about something being undemocratic.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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trying to convince people that they understand the problems associated with
childcare and want to do something positive about it then RCT Labour seem to
have lost the plot.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<a href="http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2013/dec/30/labour-free-universal-childcare-miliband" target="_blank">Miliband is banging on</a> about introducing free childcare for 3
and 4 year olds, over and above what the coalition has actually made available
which is 15 hrs a week free.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
We can, allegedly, trust them to understand the problems and
the benefits that good quality childcare bring to the economy as well as to
individuals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
In Wales <a href="http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/nursery-costs-wales-soar-far-6770004" target="_blank">childcare costs are rocketing</a> and the Welsh Labour Government
are as usual insisting they are on the case.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Their Flying Start programme which gives 12.5 hrs a week free childcare
to 2 to 3 year olds in the most deprived areas is proof that they care and are
committed to better provision they say. The fact that this provision is in no
way dependent upon whether the parents of the children are working or in training
and so no really providing a solution for working parents seems to have passed
them by.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
Here in RCT of course the Council have their own solution,
no doubt designed to help them meet their manifesto commitments to ensure “the
demand for improved services is balanced with affordable Council Tax levels,” “ensure
fairness, equality in the delivery of services, promoting progress towards greater social justice and the need for
sustainable communities” and of course “focus on delivering better outcomes for
local communities and continue to ensure a cost effective operation and
delivery of Council functions and services.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
They are suggesting that childcare costs in RCT run
nurseries increase by 7.3% to more than £44 a day. Now isn’t that helpful? This
at a time when there will potentially be greater demand because of their decision
regarding the cutting of nursery education. (A decision that is of course
currently on hold pending a possible judicial review.)<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
It doesn’t stop there, however.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>RCT Officers are busy converting some of
their day Nurseries into pure Flying Start centres which will not offer general
childcare to anyone not part of that programme.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They have even been actively encouraging private Day Nurseries to go
down the same route.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
It is yet more evidence of the complete lack of joined up thinking
in RCT at both Member and Officer level.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There is no innovation and absolutely no idea of what they need to do in
order to make any economic progress and move certain areas up through the
deprivation ranks.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
There is no political drive or control even.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Labour Members are content to simply pick up
their salaries and accept the recommendations of Officers. This was clearly
seen during the budget setting process when the information they were making
decisions on was woefully inadequate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
is even more clearly exhibited by checking their manifesto against their
delivery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
What hope is there for the future of RCT when there is so
little in the way of leadership?<o:p></o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08029903387138434562noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17511795.post-41785855858404473942014-03-02T23:08:00.001+00:002014-03-02T23:08:10.722+00:00Councillors, Common Sense and Miscommunication
Every now and again someone will randomly come up with the
idea that there should be a minimum qualification level for Councillors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now I am not a supporter of that idea at all,
it is undemocratic and illiberal, and besides having a piece of paper which
says you have x number of qualifications is not by any means a guarantee that
you would be any good at the job.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
However, the public surely have a right to expect a certain
element of common sense, willingness to learn and an ability to grasp some of
the complexities involved in running an organisation of the size and diversity
of a County Council.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
They certainly have a right to expect that information
coming from them will be correct.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There
is nothing wrong with admitting you don’t know the answer to a particular question
or that you need to find out, but actually misleading the public by putting
incorrect facts in the public domain helps nobody.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
Take for instance a piece that appeared in the <a href="http://www.districtdiary.co.uk/pages/Diary%20February%20web.pdf" target="_blank">February issue of the District Diary</a>, a free magazine that is delivered in the Talbot
Green / Pontyclun and surrounding areas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It is from the two Labour Councillors for the Pontyclun ward.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It talks of the cuts the Council are imposing
and states:<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“If RCT Council is to
protect expenditure on 5-16 schooling and social care for the most vulnerable
children and adults then the UK Government’s funding cuts mean that 50% of </i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">every other service
must be cut.”<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
Where on earth has this come from?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is absolute nonsense.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes savings have to be made and the budget
has been cut, but half of everything except schools and social care?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Such misinformation is hardly helpful and it is worrying that decisions are being made when members of the ruling group obviously do not understand what they are dealing with.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
Still, in a situation where backbench Labour members hardly
ever speak in the Chamber and Cabinet Members have their scripts carefully written
for them by Officers then the opportunities for learning are few and far
between.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
When they do speak they often get their facts a little muddled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As did the Hawthorn Councillor who last week
claimed that the cut backs were the fault of the Westminster Government because
they had sold the Pops Offices at a loss!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The fact that nobody has sold the Post Offices seems to have escaped
her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She has probably forgotten the
closures of these establishments under Labour too.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<o:p> </o:p>It is not the exclusive domain of Labour Councillors to
spread inaccurate information because of a lack of understanding of the
facts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Independent Councillor for
Talbot Green seems to make it up as he goes along.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
In the <a href="http://www.districtdiary.co.uk/pages/Diary%20March%20web%20.pdf" target="_blank">March edition</a> of the District Diary it is his turn to
address the public.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His arrogance shines
through, as unfortunately does his ignorance.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
He starts with reference to a letter he has written to the ‘new
Chief Executive’ – someone should have told him that he hasn’t taken over the
post yet. If he attended a Council meeting more than once every six months he
may know.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
He goes on to say:<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“RCT Cabinet have revised
the catchment area for Y Pant School. Under new legislation, which has been
passed by the cabinet, pupils of Llantrisant Primary and Penygawsi Primary will
now no longer be guaranteed a place at Y Pant School.”<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
Now this is completely incorrect.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes there is an on-going consultation regarding
the changing of catchment areas for these two schools, but the Cabinet have not
yet decided.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even if they do go ahead
with the proposals they will not be making “new legislation” simply altering
school admission arrangements. It is upsetting for those parents fighting the
changes to be told that they are a done deal.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
Having said that of course every one of the 75 Councillors
in RCT were put there by the people via a democratic process. Maybe those
voters should be a little more discerning in who they elect, not be blinded by
a red rosette or a familiar name, or indeed into thinking that Independents are
more able to represent them because there are no party ties. Councillors are people
too, even those operating under party banners, and no they are not all the same.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08029903387138434562noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17511795.post-58082476892127569302014-02-09T00:49:00.001+00:002014-02-09T00:49:23.292+00:00Labour and the thorny issue of communication
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
What is it with the Labour party and its elected members in
this area that they seem so reluctant to engage with the public or even to pass
on their views – unless through the pages of the taxpayer funded council website
or newspaper?<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
It has never been easier to communicate with people than it
is now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Social media makes it instant –you
can express opinions and ask questions via websites, twitter, Facebook. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So why don’t they?<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
Maybe they have no valid opinions to express, or they think
their opinions will be too unpopular. Perhaps they are afraid to engage because
they do not like taking the flak for any decisions?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After all a number of Cabinet members flatly
refused to attend public meetings to discuss the nursery education and other
cuts.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
RCT Labour took down their website some months ago – the one
with all the Council manifesto promises they have since broken.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Their new one has been under construction for
months.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
Twitter seems to be an unknown phenomenon as far as the vast
majority of Labour councillors are concerned, and none appear to run open Facebook
pages.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<o:p> </o:p></div>
The MPs and AMs websites are lacking in any useful information,
and certainly any opinion on local matters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Leighton Andrews tweets more about Cardiff City and football than he
does about the Rhondda, whilst Mike Antoniw’s is distinctly lacking in any news
of the Pontypridd constituency he purports to represent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Chris Chapman doesn’t even appear to have
one.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
Maybe in their arrogance they don’t think they need to
communicate too much with their public – after all they will surely continue to
blindly vote Labour.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Councillors can
rely on the ‘Outlook’ magazine to force their propaganda down people’s
throats.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They don’t actually want to go
telling people what they really think now do they?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If that is they really are capable of any independent
thought.<o:p></o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08029903387138434562noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17511795.post-9309950776766009272014-01-30T23:11:00.002+00:002014-01-30T23:11:11.331+00:00Apologise to the miners? Labour should be first in line
It is 30 years since the miners’ strike and certain Labour
party members are dancing up and down <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>- I
can only assume in an effort to gain some brownie points in their communities –
demanding an <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-25930172" target="_blank">apology from the Conservatives</a>.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
Cynon Valley AM Chris Chapman has joined in, tabling a statement
of opinion at the Assembly which<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
“Acknowledges that many families and Welsh coalfield
communities still remain deeply affected by the scars of the dispute; closure
of mines; and job and industry losses” and<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
“Calls on the Conservative Party to issue an apology for the
actions of the Thatcher Government during the strike.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
Now last I heard Mrs Thatcher was dead, why on earth should
anyone apologise on her behalf thirty years after the event?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If the Labour party are looking for apologies
then maybe they could look a little closer to home.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
How about an apology from former Pontypridd MP Kim Howells?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the time of the strike he was a miner’s
rep.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When two striking miners killed a
taxi driver by dropping a concrete block off a bridge over the A470 Mr Howells
first thought was to run back to the office to destroy documents that may
incriminate the union.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
In his own words, as <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2004/jan/26/uk.tradeunions" target="_blank">reported by The Guardian</a> in 2004<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I thought, hang on,
we've got all these records we've kept at the NUM' offices, there is all those
maps on the wall. We are going to get implicated in this. I remember thinking
I've got to get to that office, I've got to destroy everything - and I did.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
David Wilkie, a father of four was killed and his reaction
was to protect the union!<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
Then of course there is the current AM for Pontypridd Mick
Antoniw. He was a partner in a firm of solicitors who were "severely
reprimanded" and fined costs amounting to £88,000 by the Solicitor’s Regulation
Authority for <a href="http://pontylibdems.org.uk/en/article/2010/428960/the-labour-candidate-the-unions-and-the-miners-compensation-scandal" target="_blank">irregularities involving miners' compensation claims</a>.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
Miner’s compensation cases were referred to his law firm
Thompsons by the Unions. Thompsons failed to inform the miners that they did
not have to use their services if they did not wish to. They then proceeded to
skim off £10.9m from the settlements it secured for clients and paid it to the
unions in the guise of 'administrative charges'<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
Maybe Mr Antoniw would like to make a public apology for
that?<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
I am not condoning Tory policies or actions, but the Labour
party have done nothing for this country and nothing to replace the jobs that
were lost when the mines closed. The hypocrisy coming from some of them stinks.<o:p></o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08029903387138434562noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17511795.post-12590680021843590012014-01-29T23:10:00.002+00:002014-01-29T23:10:44.093+00:00Is Pontypridd MP in the know or out of the loop
The Pontypridd Observer today carried a front page article
on the proposed changes to the school catchment areas for Y Pant and
Bryncelynnog schools, and the campaign to stop them going ahead.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
The piece continued on the inside and included comments from
Pontypridd MP Owen Smith which were rather puzzling. He started off by saying
that he was <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“disappointed to have learned
about the decision through the media as I believe we should be consulting far
more widely and openly amongst parents, schools, local communities and
representatives before such important decisions are agreed.”<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
Now this is odd as the Cabinet last week decided that the
proposals should go out to consultation not that they should take place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There will be consultation with those Mr
Smith mentions – although given other recent consultations people may be
forgiven for wondering if there is any point.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
This would suggest that either Mr Smith has little faith in
the consultation process and that he assumes the decision is as good as taken,
or that he has some insider knowledge that says it to all intents and purposes
has been.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<o:p> </o:p>His next paragraph adds to the confusion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“I have now asked the
council to brief me about their decision and I will also seek to meet with
parents and local schools to discuss matters before I submit my own views to
the consultation.”<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
Now which is it – have they decided or are they consulting?<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
The whole article suggests that the relationship between Mr
Smith and his Labour Council colleagues is somewhat strained. It also suggests that
maybe he needs to make sure that his press officer is fully briefed and at
least aims for a degree of consistency within an article. Perhaps he could take
advice off the RCT Council PR department – it’s certainly big enough,<o:p></o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08029903387138434562noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17511795.post-47916909283451710472014-01-24T22:16:00.001+00:002014-01-24T22:16:13.164+00:00Your constituency should come first Mick
The twitter feed of the Pontypridd Labour AM Mick Antoniw has gone
into overtime in recent days as the Newport living AM shows his eagerness to
let the people he represents know what he is doing for them.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
So what has caused this flurry of activity? The announcement
that his Labour colleagues at RCT Council are going to increase Council Tax by
a scandalous 4.5%, or that this will be topped up by a 5% Police precept
increase from his Labour mate the Police Commissioner?<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
Maybe it is the planned closure of the Muni – after all he
has been very supportive of the new theatre in Tonyrefail, and is a great fan
of the Cory Band (even though they are Rhondda based.).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He won’t want to see the Muni go.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
Perhaps the way in which Rhydyfelin and Hawthorn residents
have been let down with the sudden u-turn by Labour on the library – initially to
stay open the Cabinet (including the Councillor for Rhydyfelin) suddenly
changed their minds.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
Nursery education cuts have been causing great upset across
his constituency, he has seen the problems this is going to cause and the
affect it will have on children in RCT and is leading the fight back?<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
No, none of the above.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Pontypridd AM Mick Antoniw, who doesn’t spend a great deal of time in
his constituency anyway between his work at the Assembly and his home in
Newport, has been tweeting constantly about his visit this week to Kiev and the
civil unrest taking place there.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
Now whilst there is nothing wrong with AMs taking an interest
in foreign affairs, it would be nice if now and again he took a little more
interest in what goes on in the constituency he represents. Nobody is saying he shouldn't be able to do things elsewhere, but it appears that his constituency always comes in second place to whatever campaign he is involved in at any time.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
Looking at his twitter and Facebook accounts it appears the
only things he does within his constituency is tag along with the MP on the odd
visit and spend his time in local chip shops.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Of course we have some very fine chip shops, but do they need quite so
many visits from their Assembly Member?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Publicly advertised ones anyway.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
A look at <a href="http://www.mickantoniw.co.uk/" target="_blank">Mr Antoniw’s website</a> would seem to indicate a
similar imbalance between his general interests and those of the residents he
is supposedly elected to serve. With everything that is going on locally surely
residents could expect some sort of comment?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<o:p></o:p> </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08029903387138434562noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17511795.post-7765783302362987802014-01-08T22:39:00.000+00:002014-01-08T22:40:12.073+00:00You will do what we say - Labour way or the highway in RCTWell the Labour lot on RCT Council surpassed themselves
again today.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Two Cabinet meetings were
held, the first to announce a consultation on phase 2 cuts and the second to receive
feedback and make decisions of the phase 1 proposals.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
The PR department and the Council’s resident tweeter fell
silent, not a word came across the ether about these two important meetings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe they were too tired out form all the
Nos Galon tweeting they did, poor things.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
Still, they obviously expected crowds to descend on Council
HQ.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hence the presence of three civil
enforcement officers to ensure that people did not park on the yellow lines on
the road leading up to the offices – the same yellow lines people (councillors
included) regularly park on for every council meeting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was obviously a free for all in other
areas of the Rhondda today.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
Both meetings began with the same warning – that the public
were welcome but no shouting for the gallery, and no photos.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The second meeting had an extra warning from
the legal officer – no using social media to report the meeting from the
Chamber. They wouldn’t want the public getting wind of what is going on there
would they?<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<o:p> </o:p>I waited eagerly to see which members of the public would be
allowed to speak – after all when he turned down my request to speak at the
meeting Cllr Cannon said he had received many requests to speak and mine was being
refused because I didn’t have a relevant interest. You can imagine my surprise
then when not a single member of the public spoke at either meeting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Had the all been turned down and if so why?<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
Cllr Cannon in the Chair laid down the rules, he was in
charge and he would decide who could speak and for how long. When Plaid’s Cllr
Jarman complained about a procedural matter he retorted sternly that “This is a
Cabinet meeting, it is OUR meeting not yours.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
I suppose the next step will be to enlarge all the doors at Council
HQ for the inflated heads of the Labour Cabinet to fit through.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<o:p> </o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<o:p> </o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<o:p> </o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<o:p> </o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<o:p> </o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08029903387138434562noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17511795.post-91914313692429219382014-01-03T19:48:00.002+00:002014-01-03T19:48:43.302+00:00Cllr Cannon and the Labour lot – scared, stupid or simply stubborn?
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Next Wednesday the Labour Cabinet in RCT meet to launch the so
called consultation on the second round of the savage Labour cuts and to consider
the feedback from the public on the first round.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The first round included cutbacks in nursery education,
youth provision, meals on wheels, libraries and day centres.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cabinet meetings are of course open to the public, and
members of the public are invited to submit requests to speak if they have a
relevant interest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So as someone with a
relevant interest I did just that. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am Chair of the Cwmclydach Development Trust which runs a
Day Nursery – our business could be directly affected by the decision
made.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am Vice Chair of Governors at a
secondary school – our E3 provision will be affected by the withdrawal of transport,
and we anticipate that our homework clubs will suffer as a result.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have an interest, albeit less directly, in Clydach Vale
Boys and Girls Club where the youth club is currently based – plans to remove funding
for it will certainly have an effect on provision there. The building may
become unsustainable and as it currently houses our holiday play schemes then
it will affect our Trust.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yet, surprise, surprise, today I received an email which
states:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></o:p></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span><em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">Dear Ms.Roberts,</span></strong></span></em><em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>
<br />
<span class="textexposedshow">The Cabinet Office has already received a number of
requests to contribute to the meeting.</span><br />
<span class="textexposedshow">Your request has been considered by the Chair and
it is felt that you do not have a relevant interest in the matters being
discussed.<o:p></o:p></span></strong></span></em></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span class="textexposedshow"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So Deputy Leader Paul Cannon, whom I presume is still in the driving seat
owing to the Leader’s illness, has decided that I do not have a relevant
interest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Really?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How much more relevant could it get then? <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span class="textexposedshow"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Maybe they are scared that myself and others actually know more than they
do about some of the subjects under discussion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>If the public report is anything to go by then that wouldn’t be
difficult. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span class="textexposedshow"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A cynic may well think that Cllr Cannon is simply playing political games,
which given the seriousness of the proposals is indeed sad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From a political viewpoint it is also quite
stupid.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You see, whatever I was going to say regarding childcare
provision and youth provision I can say to a much wider audience anyway via
social media. So should I be looking to score political points from that then I
can do so fairly easily.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What this
frankly daft decision does is now give the opportunity to point out to everyone
exactly how undemocratic the Labour Cabinet are.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Politically it shows a marked naivety.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe they should be looking for some better
strategic advice on the subject.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Scared,
stupid or simply stubborn – probably all three.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<o:p> </o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08029903387138434562noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17511795.post-1137071166403022892013-12-29T08:00:00.000+00:002013-12-29T10:19:27.501+00:00Yet more sloppiness from the £1million+ PR dept at RCT Council.<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Yesterday
I wrote a piece about the dreadful state of <a href="http://karenrctlibdems.blogspot.co.uk/2013/12/yesterdayi-found-myself-in-unusual.html?spref=fb" target="_blank">grammar in articles on the RCT Council</a>
website.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since then I have a found an
even more appallingly sloppy piece from earlier in December on the subject of
<a href="http://www.rctcbc.gov.uk/en/news/archive/2013/november/think-green-this-christmas.aspx" target="_blank">going green</a>.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<em><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Christmas cards should </span><span lang="EN" style="color: red; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">either recycled </span><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">in the kerbside
collection or one of the council’s SORT centres </span></em><em><span lang="EN" style="color: red; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">(missing ‘be’)<o:p></o:p></span></em></div>
<em>
</em><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<em><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">The Council offers a Christmas tree recycling
service and you can find out more by contacting us direct through </span><span lang="EN" style="color: red; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">out </span><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">website. </span><span lang="EN" style="color: red; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">But why buy a real Christmas tree in a pot this year
instead of buying one with its roots cut off? </span><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Your tree can then be planted in your garden. Once back
in the ground, your tree will then absorb a tonne of carbon, that’s around 10%
of your annual carbon footprint<o:p></o:p></span></em></div>
<em>
</em><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: red; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><em>(Think the word ‘not’ should be between why and
buy! Out should of course be our.)<o:p></o:p></em></span></div>
<em>
</em><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<em><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">With new gifts received this Christmas, there
are bound to be clear outs of old furniture, clothing, toys – why not take them
to one of the Community Recycling Centres where they can be recycled or reused
via too good to waste. </span><span lang="EN" style="color: red; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Or you could donate your
unwanted items to a charity shop where they can be recycled or reused via too
good to waste. Or you could donate your unwanted items to a charity shop.<o:p></o:p></span></em></div>
<em>
</em><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;"><em>Oops!<o:p></o:p></em></span></div>
<em>
</em><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<em><span style="color: red; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Polysterene</span><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> is often used to pack
toys and electrical equipment and this can be recycled either </span><span lang="EN" style="color: red; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">on the kerbside scheme</span><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> or at the Community Recycling Centre<o:p></o:p></span></em></div>
<em>
</em><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: red; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><em>(It’s Polystyrene , and it should read via the
kerbside scheme, or at the kerbside.)<o:p></o:p></em></span></div>
<em>
</em><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<em><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">You can collect your recycling bags from over
150 distribution </span><span lang="EN" style="color: red; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">centre</span><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">,
including; libraries, Council Offices and One4All centres.<o:p></o:p></span></em></div>
<em>
</em><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<em><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span lang="EN" style="color: red; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">(missing ‘s’)</span><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></em></div>
<em>
</em><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p><em> </em></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This really is unacceptable.</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<o:p> </o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08029903387138434562noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17511795.post-70292666796858553222013-12-29T00:24:00.002+00:002013-12-29T00:26:03.794+00:00We should expect more professionalism from Council PR department.<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Yesterday
I found myself in the unusual situation of defending the person who tweets on
behalf of RCT Council when someone made fun of a typo in a tweet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now we all make the occasional typo – I am
certainly not immune to that, as I am sure anyone who reads this blog will
know. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">However,
whilst such human error is acceptable, what I have more difficulty with is the
grammatical content of some of the press releases that come from RCT Council.
The department behind these is a substantial one, and indeed one we have
identified as being a prime contender for cutbacks, although the Labour administration seems to disagree.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Just
to illustrate the point, here are a few examples from recent articles which have
appeared on the RCT Council website. (Errors and corrections are in red.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;"><strong><em>On
the subject of the </em></strong><a href="http://www.rctcbc.gov.uk/en/news/archive/2013/december/top-prizes-for-nos-galan-runners.aspx" target="_blank"><strong><em>Nos Galon races.<o:p></o:p></em></strong></a></span></div>
<em></em><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<em><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">The </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;"><a href="http://www.nosgalan.co.uk/"><span lang="EN" style="color: #980d2e; mso-ansi-language: EN; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">2013 Nos Galan Road Races</span></a></span><span lang="EN" style="color: black; display: none; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-hide: all;">|</span><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> take place on Tuesday, December 31, and <span style="color: red;">is </span>on course to
break all records, with the biggest field of runners in its 55-year history. <span style="color: red;">(races are)</span></span></em></div>
<em></em><br />
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><em>So each runner entering has a double
challenge – the most important is to raise as much money as possible for
charity. If successful <span style="color: red;">they </span>will receive a 23" LED TV with built in DVD
player, along with a brand new Kindle. <span style="color: red;">(are we talking about one person which is indicated at the start of the sentence or more as indicated by the use of the word 'they'? )</span></em></span><br />
<em></em><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><em>Secondly we want to see the most outstanding
fancy dress costumes that will help brighten up this special night even more.
Last year’s winner was <span style="color: red;">retured</span> school headteacher Alun Griffiths, of Glenboi,
Mountain Ash, who won with his customised Mr Grand Slam costume <span style="color: red;">(ok, a typo but doen't anyone proof read?)</span></em></span></div>
<em></em><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>The Nos Galan Road Races fun starts in
Mountain Ash town centre at 4pm with the children’s races. <span style="color: red;">This</span> will be followed
by an elite race and 5k adult fun run and a spectacular fireworks display. <span style="color: red;">(The word races is plural therefore it should read These will be followed by.)</span></em></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em></em></span><br />
<strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>A piece advertising </em></span></strong><a href="http://www.rctcbc.gov.uk/en/news/archive/2013/december/take-a-trail-for-all-the-family!.aspx" target="_blank"><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>walking and cycling trails in RCT</em></span></strong></a><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em> was a master class in how not to write an article.</em></span></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em></em></span><br />
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>The Council has as extensive network of
walking and cycling trails that thousands of people enjoy <span style="color: red;">per</span> year. <span style="color: red;">(should be each or every year.)<o:p></o:p></span></em></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em></em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>The
opportunity to learn more about the history of the County Borough began by
following designated trails and walks that will take you to different sites
where Blue Plaques have been unveiled. (begins)</em></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>
For further details visit </em></span><a href="http://www.visitrct.co.uk/" title="http://www.visitrct.co.uk/"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>www.visitrct.co.uk</em></span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em> |<span style="color: red;">where
you will find a variety of trails aimed at walkers and cyclists and drivers!
where you will find a variety of trails aimed at walkers and cyclists and
drivers!<o:p></o:p></span>
</em></span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>(Bad bit of cut and paste!)</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em></em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>The Carers' </em></span><a href="http://www.rctcbc.gov.uk/en/news/archive/2013/december/carers-relaxation-pamper-scheme.aspx" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>pamper scheme</em></span></a><em><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> had comment from </span><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cllr
Mike Forey, Cabinet Member for Partnerships and <span style="color: red;">Adult’s Social Services</span> at
Rhondda Cynon Taf Council.</span></span></em><br />
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><em></em></span><br />
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="color: red;"><em>(Just which adult is he responsible for, and who looks after the rest of them? I do hate misplaced apostrophes.Especially as in this case there was no need for one at all, Adult Social Services would suffice.)</em></span></span><br />
<strong><span style="font-family: Arial;"><em></em></span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-family: Arial;"><em>Good news that this year you can just put your real Christas tree outside on collection day and the </em><a href="http://www.rctcbc.gov.uk/en/news/archive/2013/december/recycle-your-christmas-trees-on-the-kerbside.aspx" target="_blank"><em>Council will take it away</em></a></span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-family: Arial;"><em></em></span></strong><br />
<em>
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;">So instead of <span style="color: red;">trying cut</span> them up and put them
in the black bag rubbish, they can now be collected on recycling day as part of
the Council’s commitment to reduce waste sent to landfill. <span style="color: red;">(Missed a 'to' there. Also have to ask why people would be cutting them up and putting them in black bags when they should be classed as garden waste?)</span></span></em><br />
<em>
</em><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><em>Recycling has never been
easier, with an efficient weekly collection service, free recycling <span style="color: red;">bags
easy-</span>to-access community recycling centres, food recycling, collection of
larger <span style="color: red;">items, and </span>an ever-increasing list of items that can be placed in the
clear bags.</em></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><em></em></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="color: red;"><em>(Apart from this being a rather complicated sentence, there seems to be a random use of commas. There should be one between 'bags' and 'easy', and there is no need for one between 'items' and 'and.')</em></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><em></em></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="color: red;"><strong><span style="color: black;"><em>Good news for local businesses on the </em><a href="http://www.rctcbc.gov.uk/en/news/archive/2013/december/local-businesses-benefit-from-meeting-the-buyers.aspx" target="_blank"><em>procurement front.</em></a></span></strong><em> </em></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="color: red;"><em></em></span></span> </div>
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;"><em>Buyers from Rhondda Cynon Taf Council, Amgen
Cymru, Cwm Taf Health Board, Coleg Gwent, RCT County Borough Supplies, Amgen
and RCT Homes met with many potential suppliers looking for an opportunity to
bid for their business in the sixth event of its kind held in the county
borough and more than 80 businesses in the area attended.<o:p></o:p></em></span></span></span></div>
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><em>
</em></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: red; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>(And pause for breath. No further comment is necessary I am sure.)</em></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><em></em></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><strong><em>This rambling form of writing appears elsewhere
too, such as in this piece about </em><a href="http://www.rctcbc.gov.uk/en/news/archive/2013/december/mayors-civic-carol-service.aspx" target="_blank"><em>the Carol Service.</em></a></strong></span></span></div>
</span><br />
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<em></em> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<em>
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;">The service was led by the vicar of St
Catherine’s, the Rev Peter Lewis. Rhondda Cynon Taf Council Choir performed
three songs, while the readings were undertaken by The Mayor, Deputy
Leader of the Council, Cllr Paul Cannon; The Lord Lieutenant for Mid Glamorgan
Mrs Kate Thomas, Nicola Matthews, Mayor’s Chaplain Father Silvio Briffa and the
Council’s Group Director of Community and Children's Services, Ellis Williams.<o:p></o:p></span></em></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<em>
</em></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: red; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>(How confusing is that, and why the random use of a semi-colon half way through?)</em></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
</div>
<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;"></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;"><strong>Someone in this department really needs to take a creative writing class, or at the very least learn some basic rules of grammar. Talk about verbal <span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">diarrhoea.</span></strong></span></div>
<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<strong><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><em></em></span></strong> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<strong><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><em>Good news indeed of a grant to a <a href="http://www.rctcbc.gov.uk/en/news/archive/2013/december/innovative-mental-health-group-benefit-from-investment.aspx" target="_blank">local charitable organisation</a>.</em></span></strong></div>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<em></em> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><em>The
successful funding bid <span style="color: red;">include support</span> to employ a new Business Manager whose
role is to promote the newly established social enterprise, gain new customers
and volunteers as well as to purchase necessary IT equipment.<o:p></o:p></em></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><em>
</em></span></div>
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: red;"><em>(Included / includes support. As for the purpose of the grant, then is it to employ a new Business Manager and purchase IT equipment, or is it to employ a Business Manager whose role will include purchasing IT equipment? Not altogether clear is it?)</em></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><em>
</em></span></div>
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now some people may think I am just being picky or finding fault for the sake of it, but the PR department is large and costly, we have a right to expect a degree of professionalism. The Council also claims to value education, and their education dpeartment puts great store, allegedly, on literacy. What example are they setting here?</span></div>
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</div>
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</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08029903387138434562noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17511795.post-88577202364335850752013-12-11T18:43:00.004+00:002013-12-11T18:43:41.689+00:00Welsh Government to loan £10m to, er….Welsh Government?
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Just
about a year ago the Welsh Labour Government caused a bit of a stir when they
announced they were going to buy Cardiff airport at a cost of £52million.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This at a time when public services
everywhere were being asked to make considerable savings.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">The
airport had been losing money for some time and fewer and fewer flights are leaving
from there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Certainly many people in the
South Wales area find it easier and cheaper to travel from Bristol.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tucked away on the outskirts of Rhoose on the
Vale of Glamorgan Cardiff airport is hardly the most accessible of locations.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">News
has not been good recently.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Earlier this
month <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-east-wales-25221798" target="_blank">Flybe announced</a> that they were cutting their flights from there to Paris
and Glasgow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">A
few days ago<a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-25269974" target="_blank"> BA stated</a> categorically that they would not go back to operating
flights from there.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">At
a press conference two days ago the First Minister, showing the same stubborn,
head in the sand attitude he has over all the other problems over which his
government is presiding, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>said that they
would <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-25303709" target="_blank">never completely sell Cardiff Airport.</a> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Then
today the icing on the cake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>An announcement
that Cardiff Airport is to <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-25332200" target="_blank">receive a £10m loan</a> from the Welsh Government to
make improvements to the site. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The loan
will be paid off over 12 years.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">So
the Welsh Labour Government is to make a loan to itself to improve a failing
airport. How much interest will it be charging I wonder?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What provisions have been made it case it
defaults on the loan?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">With
cutbacks in services being made across Wales the public will find it very
difficult to understand just what is going on here.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08029903387138434562noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17511795.post-83486487578527049212013-12-08T21:36:00.002+00:002013-12-08T21:36:34.744+00:00So who wants to be an MP then?
So the next Westminster elections are less than 18 months
away and I fully expect there to be huge queues of people lining up to stand. Political
parties will have to hold auditions on the scale of X Factor to whittle down
their candidates, whilst there will be more independent candidates than you can
shake a stick at (whatever that means!).<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
Well it is after all a doddle of a job, with an enormous
salary and endless expenses, full of glitz and glamour so why wouldn’t there be
any number of people ready to take it on?<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
Ok so there is a high degree of responsibility, you are in
the public eye, get little or no thanks from anyone, have to take endless flak about
how useless / money grabbing / crocked you and your colleagues all are. You
spend every week split between your constituency and London which doesn’t make
for a great family life.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
But you get paid a huge salary - <span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">£65,738 </span>– maybe as much as the Deputy Head
of your local secondary school, half as much as a <a href="http://pontylibdems.org.uk/en/article/2013/731767/is-rct-education-director-worth-his-salary" target="_blank">Group Director in RCT Council</a>,
a couple of hundred pounds a year more than the <a href="http://pontylibdems.org.uk/en/article/2013/672419/taxpayers-money-continues-to-be-spent-on-labour-propaganda" target="_blank">Head of Strategy and PR</a> there.
How outrageous is that?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Surely everyone
will be fighting for such a job.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
Of course there are genuine perks and if you are minded to
then you can abuse the system, and if you are lucky and you are, say, a Labour
in the valleys heartlands then the electorate will ignore all transgressions
and vote you back in regardless.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority have
announced that they think MPs should be given a 11% pay rise following the 2015
election, this will take the basic salary to £74,000.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
All three main parties have <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-25287108" target="_blank">condemned the announcement</a> saying
that it is inappropriate at this time to think of such a thing. However, the
public – and indeed the media – only tend to take what they want out of such
stories and so MPs will take another battering and public confidence in the system
will drop again leading to more apathy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
So, who’s going to be lining up and putting their head above
the parapet in 2015 then?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Doubt if we
will be caught in the rush.<o:p></o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08029903387138434562noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17511795.post-592679227183662742013-11-28T16:59:00.000+00:002013-11-28T16:59:12.100+00:00Pantomime time at RCT Council – oh yes it is<span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB"><div align="LEFT" dir="LTR">
</div>
<div align="LEFT" dir="LTR">
It is little wonder that the Labour party have had second thoughts about broadcasting Council meetings live on the web as they promised in their manifesto. Far too many people would then potentially be able to see the frankly laughable incompetence not to mention arrogance of their members in the Chamber.</div>
<br />
<div align="LEFT" dir="LTR">
Take last night’s meeting, a classic example, this time the performance being given in front of around 50 members of the public – at least the main bulk of it. Not all of them could stomach the nonsense that went on for over three hours.</div>
<br />
<div align="LEFT" dir="LTR">
It began with questions from the public – six in all, the bulk of them to the Cabinet Member for Education who was clearly rattled at being the focus of so much attention. Her voice quavered - whether with nerves or anger it was difficult to tell – as she repeated the same weary lines, that the Council are doing all they can, it is all the fault of the dreadfully wicked people at Westminster etc., etc. If only there was a fairy godmother to hand. Instead there was only Baron Hardup in the form of Deputy Leader Paul Cannon to back her up.</div>
<br />
<div align="LEFT" dir="LTR">
The quaver became more audible as well thought out supplementary questions were put – these of course she had no advance warning of and so hadn’t been able to get an officer to write a response to. Angry parents demanding answers on proposed nursery education cuts were left furious at the constant response that "I’ll reply more fully in writing."</div>
<br />
<div align="LEFT" dir="LTR">
Cabinet Members get paid handsomely for their roles, surely the public have a right to be able to expect a fair degree of knowledge and direct political answers from their elected representatives? The public left thinking of Cllr Hanagan more as the wicked witch than the good fairy.</div>
<br />
<div align="LEFT" dir="LTR">
Moving on we came to a debate on saving money by reducing workers hours and encouraging voluntary early redundancy amongst other things.</div>
<br />
<div align="LEFT" dir="LTR">
Following a Plaid amendment being put Cllr Mike Powell asked to speak, and asked the Mayor, who was chairing the meeting, whether she wanted him at that point to just speak to the amendment or to the motion as a whole. He made it clear he wanted to c0mment on the whole motion. She told him to speak just to the amendment, which was voted down.</div>
<br />
<div align="LEFT" dir="LTR">
She then moved swiftly on to a vote on the motion, denying Cllr Powell the opportunity to speak to it, despite his protestations. </div>
<br />
<div align="LEFT" dir="LTR">
The Chamber reached almost traditional pantomime proportions as the public gallery and opposition benches erupted with calls for him to be allowed to speak. The Mayor, obviously as flustered as her Education colleague, muttered an apology. Maybe some training is called for.</div>
<br />
<div align="LEFT" dir="LTR">
My favourite bit, though, came after a vote on the Treasury Management Strategy. Cabinet Member Maureen Webber attracted the Mayor’s attention and stated that she had left the Chamber during the debate and so under the rules should not have voted. She put her hand in the air to vote ‘by mistake.’</div>
<br />
<div align="LEFT" dir="LTR">
This just about sums up the way in which the Labour party sheep behave. Half the time they are not even aware of what they are voting on, they just put their hands in the air when the leader does. It is a reflex action and shows a frightening lack of thought – oh yes it does…..</div>
</span><br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08029903387138434562noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17511795.post-23490368425988043852013-11-09T23:49:00.002+00:002013-11-09T23:50:21.246+00:00My submission to RCT Council regarding proposed cuts<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
This is a copy of my online submission to RCT Council regarding the phase 1 proposed cuts. Views can be submitteed by following <a href="http://www.rctcbc.gov.uk/en/councildemocracy/consultations/servicechangeproposals/servicechangeproposals-phase1.aspx" target="_blank">this link.</a> </div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Comments Pages 1
& 2 General & Nursery Education<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Whether
I have a child in nursery education or not is immaterial, we are talking about
the provision of services across RCT and whether they are fair and
equitable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That opinion can be formed
whether or not there is a personal interest involved.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">To
add to my responses to the multiple choice questions:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Q1.
There should be no presumption that the Council needs to reduce services,
instead it should first look at alternative means of providing those services
and making savings not cutting services. This is a leading question.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Q3.
The proposals will not in my opinion result in a reasonable level of service in
all instances. I think part time nursery education is far from reasonable given
the long history we have in RCT of full time provision.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">I
am not convinced they will be sustainable over the medium term, there has been
no real evidence produced of that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As
has been said by the First Minister and The Local Government Minister RCT has
failed to take adequate note of the warnings they have had about financial
cutbacks over the past three years, there is no evidence lessons have been
learned. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">The
question of whether the services will be as good or better than elsewhere is
impossible to judge and is, like many of the questions, a misleading question.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You could ask whether the level of provision
will be the same but not if it will be as good.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Q7.
Just because RCT will provide the same level of service as other Councils does
not make it fair.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Comments Page 3 Meals
on Wheels.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Again
whether I am a user of this particular service or not is immaterial, we are
talking about the provision of services across RCT and whether they are fair
and equitable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That opinion can be
formed and is valid whether or not there is a personal interest involved.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">My
concern here is that there are a small number of vulnerable people who may not
be capable of heating a meal themselves, and I would want to be assured that
there will be adequate provision made for these.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Comments Page 4
Libraries<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">I
would agree that it is not financially viable to keep open libraries that are
not being used sufficiently.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would
hope that alternative provision would be looked at i.e. more widespread mobile
provision and the possibility of locating smaller units in other buildings.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Comments Page 5 Youth
provision<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">I
am not a user of these services, however I am a Secondary School Governor and
have seen how valued the E3 provision is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I am very concerned by the removal of transport associated with E3 as
this will make it impossible for many to attend as they will not be able to get
home afterwards.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">The
Estyn survey last year identified that there were issues around youth provision
and it was not always reaching the right people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is no evidence in the report to Cabinet
that this has been addressed with the proposed changes instead they appear to
be purely financially based.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Comments Page 6 Day
Centres<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">I
would agree that it is not financially viable to keep open centres that are not
being used at the substantial cost they incur. I also think that the provision
is unnecessary for all over 50.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Additional Comments
about other services.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">There
should be a substantial cutback in the PR department which is a luxury this
Council cannot afford.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">The
use of consultants must be cut out, why pay specialist Officers if they cannot
provide the advice the Council needs on such issues as HR and legal matters.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Look
at cutting a tier of management, front line staff are more vital to the
provision of equitable and adequate services.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Look
at ways of using the third sector, community businesses and private companies
more for delivery of certain services if they will deliver the same or a better
standard of service at a lower cost eg leisure services, catering across the
board, child care (there should be no need for Council run child care services
and the back-up teams involved in running them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>CSSIW regulate the provision, there is no need for RCT back up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Without
knowing what is planned for future phases it is very difficult to comment
fully.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It would have been much easier ha
this Council followed the same route as others and laid out all its proposals
in one go.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Q35 – equality <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Whilst
these proposals will not affect me personally because of any of these reasons
they will affect others unfairly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Pupils
at Welsh Medium and Faith schools will be disproportionately hit by the removal
of transport to schools and the cut to part time education.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Women
will be unfairly hit, as they are the ones statistically more likely to be in
lower paid or part time jobs which they will have to give up if they cannot
find or afford childcare.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also the large
proportion of Nursery school teachers and teaching assistants who stand to lose
their jobs are female.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Children
in poverty will be hardest hit as they will lose out on essential education and
the social benefits that being in school full time and having a hot meal at
lunchtime brings.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08029903387138434562noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17511795.post-12133986568367274092013-11-09T00:19:00.005+00:002013-11-09T00:19:49.859+00:00Don’t be shy Cllr, say what you mean
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">I
have just come across this remarkable piece of fiction from RCT Labour <a href="http://christopherwilliams.org.uk/blog.php?post=7" target="_blank">CouncillorChris Williams</a> on the subject of the proposed cuts from RCT Council which have
caused so much concern.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Cllr
Williams found a little local fame recently when it was reported that he had
parted company with his former employer, Labour AM for Pontypridd Mick Antoniw following
<a href="http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/labour-am-mick-antoniw-accused-2495076" target="_blank">disagreement over time off</a> for Council meetings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To be fair to him he is one of the very, very
few Labour Councillors in RCT who have an online presence to let his electorate
know what he is up to, although his last blog post was in July, and his last
newsletter on there from April, so he obviously does not have a great deal to
say to them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">His
blog piece sticks firmly to the accepted Labour party line followed by all the Labour
sheep, er sorry, Councillors. In fact he states <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“However, the Cabinet and other Labour councillors are essentially
being forced into doing so by a lack of finance, traceable back to the UK Tory
and Lib Dem government. RCT’s Labour councillors are adamant on this point.”<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Well
they can be as adamant as they like but that doesn’t make it fact – people were
once adamant that the world was flat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes
it is true that the block grant from Westminster to the Welsh Government has
been trimmed back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After 13 years of
Labour Government the <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2347524/On-eve-cuts-David-Laws-finally-reveals-Liam-Byrnes-flippant-note-joked-sorry-money.html" target="_blank">note from Liam Byrne</a> said it all – there was no money
left.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This country cannot spend what it hasn’t
got.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">However,
it is then up to the Welsh LABOUR Government to decide how to distribute that
money.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Councillor Williams bemoans the ‘fact’
that <em>“the Welsh Government has been forced into reducing the finance it can
give to Wales' 22 local authorities.”<o:p></o:p></em></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Now
that may be true to some extent, they may have had to reduce spending, but then
just like RCT Council some of their spending is frivolous and in my opinion a
total waste of public money that could be better spent.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Take
for instance their purchase of Cardiff airport.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>A snip at £52million, but it was bought with no business plan in place
and with no idea what they were going to do with it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They have ludicrously expensive foreign
offices that fail to bring in expected benefits, and civil servants were revealed
by the Welsh Liberal Democrats to be sending <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/wales_politics/8148458.stm" target="_blank">thousands on first class travel.</a> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">They
handed out money to pay for the Porth relief road a road which has done nothing
at all to bribing investment into the Valleys.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The estimated cost was £37 million, it ended up at £98 million.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They then allowed RCT Council to appoint the
same contractors to build the Church Village by pass which saw a similar trebling
in costs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">So
Cllr Williams don’t bring the hard done by stories here they don’t wash.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">He
of course has a few little digs along the way, but can’t quite bring himself to
say outright just what he means.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Must be
a Labour trait.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">He
claims <em>“there is a great deal of misinformation being put about on those
websites, and it is clear that certain individuals with particular political
agendas have been using these well-meaning online groups as a means to peddle
their lies, and cloud over the truth of the situation.”<o:p></o:p></em></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Now
just who is he referring to I wonder?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And what ‘misinformation’ and ‘lies’ have been put out there?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact if he is so concerned then why doesn’t
he join in the debate and give the public the benefit of his wisdom?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am sure the thousands of people on the ‘parents
against the cuts to education in rct’ site would love to have him on
board.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or has the group whip forbidden
it?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">The
uncertainty amongst the Labour camp obviously continues as he states <em>“Rhondda
Cynon Taff will lose out substantially. Figures of £56million to £70million
over 4 years have been mentioned: it is likely the actual figure will be to the
higher end of this scale.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></em>This does
not engender confidence amongst the general public.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Surely they have a better idea of how much
they need to save?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How can they balance
the books if they don’t know how much is needed to be trimmed?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">He
has another little dig at un-named individuals “<em>I believe it is fair to say
that none of RCT’s councillors (perhaps with the exception of one or two
unfortunate individuals) want to make any cuts to any front line services.
However, the Cabinet and other Labour councillors are essentially being forced
into doing so by a lack of finance.”</em><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><em> </em>
</span>Just who are these unfortunate individuals in the Labour camp who want to
do this, because certainly nobody on the opposition benches seems to?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">They
are not being forced into anything they are simply being lazy and accepting the
officer’s recommendation of easy targets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That is not what they are elected for.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">The
public are waking up Chris to you and your cronies and the attitude of disdain
you exhibit towards the electorate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At
least be man enough to have debate in public and name names if you are
determined to have a pop.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08029903387138434562noreply@blogger.com1