At least I am assuming it is this gentleman who is giving political advice and direction to the Cabinet. The position is after all a political appointment – albeit you would never get the Labour party to admit to it. He is a former Labour Council candidate and son of a Cabinet Member. He was with the Labour contingent at the election count, and is ever present at meetings keeping a close eye on things.
He also somewhere in his department has a responsibility for tourism, although quite why I have never been able to fathom, suppose it says a lot about RCT Council’s attitude to the potential of that for economic development. The Lido renovation is going to bring tourists to Ponty in droves apparently, so it is only natural he should take an interest.
But I digress. What you may ask has brought about this cloud of wonderment at the ways RCT Council find to extract the proverbial? Well not surprisingly it is the latest in the farce surrounding the decision to renovate the Lido in Ynysangharad Park and remove the paddling pool.
I am not repeating the whole story as enough has been written about that both here and at www.pontylibdems.org.uk but in summary the Labour Cabinet made a decision, Welsh Lib Dem Cllr Mike Powell instigated a call in to ask Scrutiny Committee to ask them to look at it again, Labour who have a huge majority on that and every other committee voted no.
There have been doubts expressed all along about the level of public consultation – even the Labour MP for Pontypridd said it was poor. But it was ok because the Trustees of the Park were fully in favour. The Director of Regeneration said so – they had been consulted and had no objection at all to the plans.
Why then has a special meeting been called of the Trustees on the 15th August to look at the same report yet again with a view endorsing the decision? Or not? Don’t think Paddy Power will be taking bets on that one. Who are the Trustees in question? Why it's a subcommittee of the Labour Cabinet.
You really couldn’t make it up could you? Yet this is what passes as democracy in the totalitarian state of RCT.
Don’t know what size catheter they are using but I sure know where I’d like to pour what they are extracting.
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