Democracy - fine in thoery they just don't want to practice it

The Labour party in RCT have proven over and over that they have no understanding of the concept of democracy, and there seems to be little chance of them changing.

At the Council meeting on 28^th September Plaid put a motion forward calling for more complete answers to questions put to Cabinet Members which are currently allowed under the terms of the constitution.  During what could loosely be termed a debate on the matter there were complaints from Labour Cabinet Members that questions were being ‘hijacked’ for ‘political purposes.’  In other words opposition Councillors are asking question they don’t like.

One can only wonder then how long it will be before they change the system and take away the right of members to question them at all.  After all when they didn’t like the motions that were being put forward they simply took away the ability of opposition Councillors to put in so many motions.

As I was saying....

A New Welsh Medium Primary School is on the cards in RCT and not before time. 

However, as I was saying recently why on earth is RCT’s Labour administration wasting money on meetings they don't need.  The pretence of 'open' Cabinet session goes on even though they have already clearly made the decisions necessary.  As the press release on the RCT website says:

 “Exciting new plans to increase Welsh medium education provision by opening a new £3.3million school in the County Borough will be agreed by Rhondda Cynon Taf Council’s Cabinet Members on Monday (June 6^th 2011).

In a special Cabinet meeting, members will agree to open the first Welsh-medium primary school in the village of Llanharry, an area in the south of the County Borough where the demand from residents is greatest.”

So why bother with the meeting?  Apart from giving Cabinet Members the chance to pick up a few extra quid in expenses.

The future of YG Llanhari

The future of YG Llanhari

One good piece of news is the proposal going to RCT Cabinet (will it get passed?  oh the excitement!) to provide a new Welsh Medium Primary school at Llanhari.  There is a shortage of Welsh Medium places in RCT which is going to get worse if not addressed.

Whilst I am not wholly convinced by the idea of 3 to 19 schools, the extra provision is very welcome.  It will hopefully also increase the number of pupils going to YG Llanhari as that is currently operating at levels which are unsustainable.  It lost a huge number of pupils when the Welsh medium Secondary school in Bridgend was opened a few years ago.  It has also suffered because the replacement school for YG Rhydfelen was built in the wrong place and has attracted pupils who may otherwise have gone to YG Llanhari.

It is time that the problem of Welsh Medium provision was taken seriously in RCT and there are some very welcome proposals in this report.

Pointless posturing

Massive investment announced by leadership 

So states the press release on the front page   of the RCT Council website.   It goes on to say that  “on the 6^th June, Cabinet is to make proposals for a total of £74M of investment in our schools, libraries and highways infrastructure.”

Now this is all well and good, but what is the point of this press release, or more importantly what is the point of wasting money getting the Cabinet together.  We all know that in RCT nothing is ever open or accountable. Cabinet meetings are only there to rubber stamp decisions already made.  But why be quite so blatant about it?

“Council Leader Russell Roberts described the proposals as a clear demonstration of the administration’s commitment to delivering on its promises.”   So is there really any chance whatsoever of his colleagues not doing what they are told and nodding sagely as these magnificent proposals are put to them?  Next they'll expect us to believe that the consultation will actually matter.

Give me strength!

When is a u-turn not a u-turn?

Why is it that whenever the government actually listen to the outcome of a consultation opposition members start screaming ‘u-turn’ - such is the case in relation to the announcement that the plans to close coastguard stations will be reviewed?  Plaid are jumping up and down as they like to do shouting that they have ‘bowed to pressure.’Maybe it is because they cannot understand the concept.  Plaid and consultation have never been comfortable bed fellows in my view.  Several years ago for instance when they ran RCT Council they held a so called ‘consultation’ on what type of council structure there should be – Cabinet / cross party Executive, etc.

They had already made up their minds that they wanted a single party Cabinet structure, but the public thought otherwise.  So Plaid (with the aid of the then Chief Executive) decided that the public, simply ‘did not understand the question.’

Labour of course have a completely different approach, they know they are right in all things and so either don’t bother to ask at all, or don’t listen when they do.  Such was the case with regard to the name change of Rhydfelen School.  Hundreds of pupils, staff, governors, past pupils all said they wanted to keep the name, but the ten members of the Labour Cabinet thought otherwise.

It must be very difficult for them then to come to terms with the concept of real consultation where people’s opinions are taken into consideration.

Perhaps Leighton could give them a bit of a lecture on the value of learning.