Just who is playing politics?

Yet again a predictable reaction to the paddling pool referendum vote on 1^st November from the Labour Council in RCT.  As usual they lack the guts to actually face the public. - hence a statement from an anonymous‘spokesperson’ and a refusal to put anyone up for interview with ITV.  

The ‘spokesperson’ (at a guess Head of Strategy & Public Relations, son of Cabinet Member and former Labour Council candidate Christian Hanagan) said

 “It is disappointing that individuals have chosen to play politics with this hugely important project for the future of Pontypridd.”

Who can he (or she?) mean?  Surely not Mike Powell and me?  The ‘Lib Dems’ they try and dismiss with such contempt as being of no significance at all in RCT?  Do they seriously think we could engineer such an uprising of anger and indeed contempt for those who made this decision?

Yes we brought this to people's attention, yes we have publicized it, yes we were at the centre of the campaign, yes we wrote, printed and, alongside a swathe of volunteers who have nothing at all to do with the Party, delivered leaflets across the Ponty Town Council area.  It is an insult to them, and every one of the 2077 people who voted to save the pool yesterday to suggest that they were ‘playing politics.’

As I have said quite openly in the past there is of course a political element to this – the decision was made by politicians.  We opposed the removal of the paddling pool prior to the Council elections this year, indeed we have been opposing it since 2008 when the suggestion was first made.  It is one of the reasons Russell Roberts lied so blatantly about saving the pool – because he was afraid of losing votes.  As it happened it didn’t save him, but it was a cynical, calculated political ploy.

The statement from the faceless wonder goes on to say

 “When cuts to public sector funding by the UK government are forcing difficult decisions across the country, any amendments to the current proposals, which will effect the viability of the new Lido, place the entire scheme in jeopardy and potentially put at risk grant funding already made available.”

Leaving aside the bad grammar (it should be affect not effect) is this supposed to be a non-political statement?  I am just surprised the word ‘Con Dem’ did not appear this time as it did last time.  Mr X once again also seems to ignore a little thing called devolution – which means Local Government is under the control of the Welsh (Labour) Government.  They dish out the cash to Councils.

The people who came out to vote yesterday in the cold and the rain and the dark, voted despite the threats of the council that it could stop the lido development.  Is Mr X suggesting that they were all misguided?   Apparently so.

The Lido plans have several hurdles still to clear.  The listed building consent for the removal of the paddling pool has yet to be granted, and so far they only have a portion of the funding in place – WEFO have still to decide on whether to make an offer.

My bet is that the Labour Cabinet will stick to their arrogant, pig headed stance.  They will insist that the people of Pontypridd cannot have both the Lido and the paddling pool.  The project will fall apart, either because listed consent will not be granted or the rest of the funding will not be found - or because the Council will just put the brakes on. They will then blame it on us – the Lib Dems.  Hence their comments now about political mischief making, they want to make us the scapegoats.

Well if and when they do then we will quite happily plead guilty as charged. They have accused us of jumping on a bandwagon, but we built and drove this bandwagon.  We brought the plans to the attention of the public and stated our position quite clearly.  The public may not have agreed with us – we may have ended up with a deal of egg on our faces, but we still made a stance and stated clearly what we believed and what we wanted to see happen.

Mr X says that the Council will consider this in the wider context of the needs of RCT and the regeneration of Pontypridd, unlike the referendum.  How arrogant can they get?  Do they seriously think we are so shallow that we don’t consider the wider picture?  And what an insult to the people of Pontypridd.

You see the real problem the Labour Party in RCT have with us is that we don’t give up.  We stick to our principles, whether that makes us popular or not. We actually believe in what we do, and we care about the communities in which we live.  For us it is what the politics is all about – making things better and representing the best interests of the people.  Oh we are not perfect, and certainly not right all the time - who is?  But we don’t give up and we don’t give in and we certainly don’t bow down to bullies. And that they just don’t understand.

2077 people can't be wrong Owen

Owen Smith came down off the fence in the Ponty Observer this week and backed his Labour Council colleagues (what a surprise) over the Lido plans which would see the removal of the paddling pool from Ynysangharad Park.

People need to move on, he said, forget the emotion associated with the pool and press forward.

Well Owen it seems people have moved on - they have moved on from thinking they should sit back and take all the crap your colleagues are handing out.  They have decided to make a stand.  2077 voted in favour of retaining the paddling pool, in spite of the threats and bullying tactics employed by your Council mates.

Cllr Christopher doesn't need to worry about Pontypridd votes - he is a Cynon Valley Councillor, it is easy for him to dismiss the feelings of the residents of Pontypridd.  You on the other hand need to be a little more careful.  You are next in line election wise, and be very sure people will not forget where your loyalties lay, and we will be there to remind them.  When push came to shove you came down on the side of your Labour Council mates rather than the people you are supposed to represent. 2077 of your constituents voted to keep the paddling pool. Are they all misguided?

ghosties and ghoulies - the horror show in RCT

Well Labour Councillors in Pontypridd seem to have gone into hiding – Halloween must have been a god-send this week, lots of masks to hide behind so they can step out of their doors safely.

If the stream of phone calls I have been getting over the paddling pool referendum is anything to go by they are in for a bit of a rough ride from those residents they are supposed to be representing.

 

“What idiots decided this” is amongst the milder comments.  Several people have questioned the parentage of some of the Labour Cabinet, and there are obvious questions over the ability of some to have children given they apparently lack the essential equipment “down below” - the scrotal sack having allegedly withered and died.

Rumours that certain Cabinet Members have been seen trying to avoid contact with the general public by whizzing around on their broomsticks are, I am sure, an exaggeration.  As are the tales of Council leader Tony Christopher walking the streets of Pontypridd, with his scythe at the ready, doing a first class impersonation of the grim reaper.

No doubt wearing his underpants over his trousers MP Owen Smith waded in to the argument yet again in today’s Ponty Observer.  He starts with a heart-warming little tale of how he bunked off school when he was a young lad to go to the paddling pool, and all the wonderful memories associated with it.

He then goes on to say that this emotional nonsense has no place in today’s decision making process and people should move on. Let the Council bulldoze the paddling pool, because they know best after all.  Yes the Council’s consultation process was terrible but never mind, they are all good Labour folk and so what does it matter?  Must all stick together after all.

Still at least he has come off the fence, and is now saying clearly he agrees with the Cabinet regardless of public opinion.  Mick Antoniw AM has still to voice any opinion on this or anything else in his constituency really, but then it must be difficult for him to get up there from his home in Newport all the time.

People are furious about the plans – how stupid are the Labour politicians that they can’t see it?  Or is it just that they don’t want to see it?  There are none so blind as those who will not see.

They operate with an arrogance that comes from knowing they have a massive majority in the Council Chamber. That they can do just what they want, but really is that a good enough reason for doing something – just because you can?  Only if you lack principle, and there at least they win hands down.

 

Mick Antoniw not so Slick

GTFM radio have today been running a news item on the paddling pool referendum.  A somewhat bland piece detailing the technicalities of the process more than anything else, they decide to invite along Mick Antoniw Labour AM for Pontypridd to comment on the referendum process, as a 'former lawyer.'  Antoniw of course previously was a Director of Thompsons solicitors – they were fined by the Solicitor’s Regulation Authority for cheating miners out of some oftheir rightful compensation.

His view given on earlier bulletins was that this is a 'poorly thought out piece of legislation.' I am sure his Labour colleagues at the Assembly will be pleased to know that - they instigated it. The Local Government (Wales)Measure 2011 changed the rules Slick - perhaps you should have looked it up.

He intimated that the reason Ponty Town Council could be called upon to hold this referendum was that they had an interest as they would have been asked to comment on the plans, and so therefore they could just about to be said to have a legitimate interest. WRONG Mr A. They are the ones specified in the legislation by virtue of being the town / community Council covering the area. Maybe I should direct him towards the relevant section of the Measure?

To really cap it all in the later bulletins he said that there would be no postal or proxy votes (correct at last, hurray) and that 'there may limited opening hours at polling stations.'

Doesn't he know? Hasn't he bothered to find out? He represents the people calling for this poll, has he so little regard for them?  

He has said absolutely nothing about the paddling pool, but then he says nothing about anything affecting his constituency.  Why was his mate Owen Smith MP the one doing the talking when the Taff Vale precinct developers went bust?  Economic Development is an Assembly matter, European funding doled out by the Welsh Government.

But then of course he does live in Newport, so how can anyone expect him to know anything about his constituency.  If anyone is in any doubt then take a look at his website under the Pontypridd tab.  What you will find there is a direct lift from Wikipedia of a piece which refers only to Pontypridd town area – not a mention of anywhere else in his constituency – what about the Llantrisant and Llantwit Fardre council areas, Taff’s Well, Tonyrefail?

People do indeed get what they vote for.

 

 

 

If you say it often enough it must be true

That seems to be the attitude of the Labour administration in RCT.  Or the attitude of the press department – mind the two are interchangeable, as you would expect when you employ as Head of Department the son of a Cabinet ember, who has been a Labour candidate and who spent the night of the election count firmly ensconced in their camp.

Take two stories which appeared in the Pontypridd Observer today.  The front page carries an article on the closure of a Pontypridd business.

 AN ENTREPRENEUR who was forced into shutting his Pontypridd business has slated the “dire” state of the town.

Adrian Dumphey, who set up Cafe Zone on Bridge Street two years ago, said the regeneration work in Pontypridd – coupled with the introduction of the new Sainsbury’s supermarket – led to his business’ untimely demise

He said: “The renovation of the high street has been the real death knell of Pontypridd.”

Coun Paul Cannon has argued in the recent past that the town still has much to champion.

He said: “During this period of austerity which is affecting all town centres, it is easy to focus on the negatives.

“Pontypridd’s incredible transformation is now reaching its final phase, creating a vibrant, attractive and welcoming town centre fit for the 21st century. The council’s £10.5m investment has widespread positive implications.  New shops and businesses have opened their doors on Taff Street, High Street, Bridge Street and Gelliwastad Road and many jobs have been created."

Then there is a piece on the dis-satisfaction being felt by traders in the town over the lack of communication with RCT Council

 
MEMBERS of a town centre business forum have criticized the local authority for failing to liaise with them, despite months of repeated requests.

Salon owner Peter Lovegrove formed Pontypridd Business Forum with a number of fellow business owners in January, but says numerous attempts to “encourage true dialogue” with representatives of Rhondda Cynon Taf Council have failed to materialize.

The forum was established to allow the town’s business-owners to meet to discuss concerns and ideas, and its members were hopeful the council would play an important part in its functioning

This is a common complaint, but every time we raise it we are accused by the Labour lot of ‘making political capital’ or ‘jumping on the bandwagon’ or the old favourite that we are running down Pontypridd.

 

The Council of course refutes the claims by Mr Lovegrove and say that “Representatives of Rhondda Cynon Taf Council actually attend the Business Forum Meetings chaired by Mr Lovegrove, as part of the wider commitment to Pontypridd town centre and we strive to do our utmost to support the business community of Pontypridd.”

There is no mention of who these representatives are.  After all as we saw at the paddling pool referendum meeting, the Labour Cllrs don’t like to engage with the general public too closely.  Maybe the traders would actually like to see some of the elected representatives who supposedly make the decisions.

What there is yet again is the trotting out of the same well-worn lines

“The council has been proactively engaging with the business community of Pontypridd as it delivers the far-reaching £10.5m regeneration project in the town centre. Our scheme focuses very much on boosting the Pontypridd economy for local businesses, and we do all in our power to accommodate the needs and concerns of the town’s traders.

“We have invested hundreds of thousands of pounds to help new businesses open their doors and existing businesses to expand and employ more staff through the Townscape Enhancement Programme."

Still we needn’t worry.  All the problems are about to be solved – with an App.

This week RCT Council announced they are embracing technology and introducing an App for Pontypridd town.

That ever popular utopia dweller Cllr Paul Cannon was yet again delivering the great news.  ““The introduction of this specialist and innovative service for visitors to Pontypridd is incredible and will undoubtedly appeal to anyone who wants to discover more about the town and all it has to offer.”

Then of course the inevitable must include lines followed  “With the investment of £10.5million in Pontypridd town centre (yawn, yawn, yawn) which is not only transforming the street scene but also enhancing the local buildings, residents and visitors are being drawn back to the town centre.”

If you say it often enough it must be true – isn’t it?

Welsh Labour NHS a total shambles.

How much worse does our shambolic health service have to get before Labour get their**e in gear and do something.  It is a disgrace and I hope all those people who voted Labour to ‘send a message to Cameron and Clegg’ are happy with what they’ve got.

My twenty year old son developed a pain in one side of his head yesterday, worse behind his ear, but spreading.  Being a Sunday there was no GP available, and he said it wasn’t bad enough to go to the hospital, so he took advice from his pharmacist brother who diagnosed a probable ear infection.

This morning at a couple of minutes after 8.30 I took him to the surgery, where he was told that the lady in front of him had taken the last appointment for today and he would have to come back on Wednesday  (oh yes).  Again he said it wasn’t bad enough to bother the hospital A&E, and of course our Minor Injuries Unit is not functioning. I went off to work, and had a phone call from him a bit later saying he had rung the MIU and NHS Direct and they had got an appointment for him with his GP. 

 
Now you may ask why it needs such lengths to get an appointment - I certainly did.  A severe pin in the head and you are told to wait two days before you can see anyone. 

Anyway, he saw the locum GP – can’t expect to have anyone permanent around here after all, and was given some antibiotics, and migraine tablets, with little explanation as to what she thought the problem was, but made mutterings about an ear infection.

He took the prescribed pills but by 9 o’clock tonight it was worse – so much so that he asked me to take him to the hospital. 

We arrived to find a sign telling people they may be redirected to somewhere more appropriate (such as where?  A vet?) and the approximate waiting time was 5 hours.

Whilst waiting a poor old dear was brought in, in a wheelchair, by paramedics.  She was plonked in the corridor, although the para did get her a blanket.  She was on her own and very frail looking.  She asked for something to rest her foot on as it was hurting too much dangling as it was, only to be told they didn’t have stools, but somebody would see her soon.

My son was called to see the triage nurse, a somewhat stroppy individual who more or less accused him of wasting her time, as it was only earache and a matter for the GP.  And anyway she was just about to change the waiting time to 7 hours.  Just how a patient is supposed to tell that a severe pain which suddenly increased in severity is ‘just earache’ without a medical opinion?

I wonder if the poor old dear with the injured foot is still waiting.  And will anyone bother to check that she is ok, doesn’t need a drink or to go to the loo, or will she just sit there on her own for 5 – or 7 – hours.

So glad Labour are protecting our services.   They will be so much better I am sure when they close one of the A&E departments – then patients can have the pleasure of travelling further as well.  Great stuff.  Well done the Labour party.

RCT Labour lacking communication skills

The Labour party in RCT really haven’t got the hang of this communicating with the public lark.  I mean take their websites.

There is a Tonyrefail Labour one which really needs updating – I know it must have been hard for them to lose their leader but it was a few months ago now and they should acknowledge the fact.

There are only two pieces of news, the last poster in April.  Some things appear to have disappeared – the piece about how Russell had saved the Police Station for instance, maybe they decided such a blatant piece of misinformation was just a step too far,

 Rhondda Labour is well worth a look, of you want the refuse collection dates for last Christmas.

 Whoever was running the RCT Labour site seems to have given up, the last piece of ‘news’ being from June.  The lie about the paddling pool is still there though, haven’t bothered to remove that..

So glad they are doing their utmost to connect with residents

Ponty traffic eased - must be true the Council say so.

The traffic flow in Pontypridd has been greatly improved allegedly.  According to the Council website people are raving about how great the new system is an how much more easily traffic is moving around.

Presumably they were told this by some of the same people they claim told them they loved their regeneration plans including the one about taking the paddling pool away.  Probably during some major consultation exercise under cover of darkness on Christmas Eve.

One thing that puzzles me is when they took the photo that accompanies the press release, because the road is empty. I mean, come on, they could have waited for a bus to come past even for the sake of the story which brags about the new bus lanes.  How much are we shelling out for the PR department again?

Labour Councillors too afraid to face the music

I daresay it is too much to hope for that the Labour Councillors in RCT will now actually start to wake up a bit and smell the coffee.  For the past few weeks they have been going around accusing RCT Lib Dems of spreading misinformation about the paddling pool.  They have been telling people of the huge cost associated with a referendum (£10,500) and how it will affect the services the Town council can provide.
 

They have said often enough that they probably believed it that it was just “the Lib Dems stirring”  And of course at all times they have maintained the consultation has been “far reaching and robust.”

Must have come as a bit of a shock to them to see a packed Muni last night and have 209 residents vote in favour of calling a community poll / referendum.  There were a few of them there, huddled together for comfort, most of them Town Councillors.  None of the Cabinet Members who made the real decisions of course.  They are spineless, gutless buffoons who are too scared to face the public who instead just choose to pick up their handsome salaries and hide away. Salaries which, by the way, amount annually to more than three times the cost of the referendum.

Facing the music in the red corner, on behalf of the Council was an Officer – the Director of Regeneration and Planning.  Sent to face the music – and boy did she get an earful.

She was booed and heckled and at one stage even called a liar, a bit harsh by anyone’s standards, but then this was the strength of feeling evident.

This was no set up Lib Dem crowd – would that we had that number of members to call upon!  These were genuine residents who are furious at the Council’s plans to take away their paddling pool and not even offer them a roof on the new Lido.

They were furious that this had been going on and because of the appalling level of so called consultation by this Council there will now be a referendum where they can state their case clearly.

It shouldn’t have come to this.  No Council should be so arrogant and out of touch with what is happening that they get to this stage.  But that is the case with Labour in RCT.  Arrogant and self- serving, and as a mate of mine once said, hypocritical parasites!

Pontypridd AM stifling democracy - it's the Labour way

I make no apologies for reproducing the following post from the blog of Peter Black AM, hitting the nail on the head as he so often does.  This time it concerns Mick Antoniw, Assembly Member for Pontypridd, who it seems has one thing in common with his Council colleagues - a dislike of the democratic process.

I particuarly like the response of the Presiding Officer - herself a Labour AM - which seems to express the exasperation many of his colleagues appear to feel with Mr Antoniw.


Labour Assembly Member seeks to stifle debate   (by Peter Black AM)

On Wednesday the Assembly Plenary was scheduled to debate a Conservative motion on neo-natal services. This had been prompted by the health service reconfiguration that is underway across Wales. However, one Labour member at least thought that we should not be discussing the issue at all, whilst the Government side took umbrage and refused to vote on it. There was a clear attempt to stifle debate as is evident from this point of order:

Mick Antoniw: I wish to raise a point of order on a matter of principle regarding an item of business on today‘s agenda, namely item 6, which is the Conservative motion, which deals with matters relating to NHS configuration. It is a matter on which it is important that there is a ruling and some clarity from you, Presiding Officer.

The point is that the Welsh Government has initiated a consultation and engagement process that is, effectively, a quasi-judicial process. Recommendations will come back to Government, which will again be acting in a quasi-judicial role. It seems to me that there is a serious issue that, when we have that process under way, we have motions that are, in effect, prejudging that process. Paragraph 3.12 of the Assembly‘s principles and practice for the tabling and laying of Assembly business states that the Presiding Officer has an overriding discretion to refuse to accept a motion if it brings into question the proper conduct of Assembly business. It seems to me that this motion raises the question of whether interfering with a quasi-judicial process brings into question the proper conduct of Assembly business. Under those circumstances, will you consider using your overriding discretion, or, alternatively, give a ruling on the matter?

The Presiding Officer: Thank you for the point of order, and for giving me prior notice of your intention to raise it. We had a conversation earlier, but you obviously needed further clarification.

The Welsh Government is accountable to the National Assembly, and Members can table motions relating to any aspect of the Government‘s work. To prevent them from doing so would be contrary to the basic principle of parliamentary accountability. The motion, if passed, will not be binding on Ministers when it comes to them taking the decision in question, and I see no grounds on which to constrain the right of Members to express their views on the matter in question.

My ruling therefore is that the motion does not bring into question the proper conduct of business, and there are no grounds whatsoever to rule it out of order. In doing so, I am acting entirely in accordance with our Standing Orders and with established parliamentary practice here and elsewhere.

As Mick Antoniw sat down an e-mail arrived from his office inviting all Assembly Members to a meeting to discuss civil liberties, freedom of expression and the right to protest.

Clearly, the concept of irony is not fully understood on the Labour benches.

Innovative idea or conceptualised bovine excrement?

What is it about MPs in Pontypridd and art?  Now don’t get me wrong I like a good painting or a bit of sculpture as much as most people, although I can’t say it quite stirs me to the extent of a red jersey diving over the line.  But all things in perspective please.

First we had Kim Howells waxing lyrical about the joys of art (despite his occasional frustration with conceptualised bullshit) and the need for a gallery.  Although his suggestion that one of the Assembly buildings be converted because he was at a loss as to the purpose of the Assembly did little to endear him to those who believe in devolution.

 
Now it is the turn of Owen Smith. Fresh from his failure to get any movement out of the WRU on reintroducing regional rugby, and with some egg on his chops following the collapse of the precinct plans not long after he had assured everyone that everything was fine, he has a cunning plan.

Now that the developers who were to provide a stunning new precinct for high class shops such as Poundland and bring shoppers flooding into the town have gone bust what should happen to the site?   Owen thinks maybe a “contemporary Welsh art museum,”

He then delves even further into the realms of conceptualised bovine excrement with the suggestion that

“Although a private site, I'm sure any developer would be interested to hear what local people would like to see on the site and all ideas should be considered,"

Is he serious?  When we can’t even get the Council to consult with the public over what it is they want then why on earth should a private developer?  And given the reaction on the street and down the pub so far the majority of local people seem to think he has lost the plot just slightly.  Questions as to the colour of the sky on his planet have apparently been asked in many quarters.

Maybe the opinions of local people have been coloured by the offerings they have so far been given in the name of art – such as the Unity sculpture.  Or maybe they think that giving all the existing problems an art gallery comes pretty far down the list of what the area needs.

 

 

He cannot be serious

Following the news yesterday that Taff Vale developers have gone into receivership and the Pontypridd precinct development is dead in the water, Ponty's Labour MP Owen Smith has announced that the whole development needs a rethink and that instead of shops what is needed is 'Tate on The Taff.'   Yes, an art museum is what is apparently needed in order to re-invigorate the town and bring people flocking in. Well I suppose all those who won't fit into the new much diminished paddling pool will need somewhere to go.

So how does he see this developing?  Who is going to pay for it?  Certainly there is no public money available.  But then he seems to be developing a habit of coming up with pie in the sky ideas - his Valleys Rugby initiative was sat on firmly by the WRU recently

It is a shame that he doesn't put his time and efforts into something more attainable and that will bring real benefit to his constituents.  Still, at least he is around and saying something, unlike his Assembly counterpart Mick Antoniw who yet again is the invisible man in all of this.  This despite the fact that regeneration is the remit of the Welsh Government. 

Labour party beyond belief

My hatred of the Labour party in RCT grows by the day. They are the most arrogant, hypocritical and self-serving bunch of people I know, and so blatant in their use and abuse of the system it really does defy belief.

So what has caused this latest rant? A development control meeting Thursday evening.

First there was an application to retain part of a cafe in Treforest as a letting agency office. Officers recommended approval, despite a couple of residents having concerns about parking. There would, they said, be no difference in the levels of parking required or used if part of the premises were to operate as an office rather than the cafe occupying it all.

Local Councillor Steve Powderhill declared an interest as the applicant (a Welsh Lib Dem member) had stood against him in the Council election. That did not prevent him from then going on to speak against it and recommending it be turned down. His Labour colleagues all fell in line and agreed with him. There will be no change with regard to the number of people illegally parking in the area as a result as most of them are heading for the University not the cafe.

Then a bit further down the agenda came an application by Cllr Powderhill himself to build a house in Ynysybwl. Officers recommended it be turned down. Similar applications on the same plot had been several times in the past, before Cllr Powderhill became a Councillor! The application contravened just about every planning policy in the book and Officers had provided solid reasons for its refusal.

Still, surprise, surprise, Labour Councillors who make up the vast majority of the committee, voted to pass it. That they are so blatant in their actions almost defies belief. No ordinary mortal would be able to sway the committee in such a way and obtain permission which breaks every rule in the book.

Unfortunately it seems that when voters in Treforest and across RCT fell for the Labour line to 'send a message to Cameron and Clegg' they didn't realise that they were also sending a stronger message to the Labour party locally which was to carry on doing what they like.

There is also the question of course of where Powderhill actually lives. He gives his address as 124 Broadway, Treforest, which is where his business is located. I have certainly never seen any signs of life from the flat above where the tatty looking blinds are constantly closed.

During the election he made much of the fact that he was the only Treforest based candidate. So why is he building a house not only in another ward but another constituency, Ynysybwl being part of the Cynon Valley. But then oddly enough he gives his phone number on the Council website as (01443) 719184 - numbers starting with 71 do not tend to appear in Treforest, they are common in Ynysybwl however. Could he be doing an Antoniw?  Surely not, it must be a misconception on my part.

Here are a couple of the highlights of Powderhill’s election leaflet

“Never making promises I can’t keep and always honestly trying to do my best for the community not for my personal gain.”

“It’s about time we had someone who lives here and really cares for Treforest.”

“Which of your candidates actually lives in Treforest?”

“Which of the candidates has the time, the right motives and is committed to representing Treforest in the fit and proper manner which it really deserves?”

We may well ask what Cllr Powderhill’s motives really are.

Credit where it is due?

RCT Welsh Lib Dems, in particular Mike Powell and myself,  have been fighting against the Labour Council proposal to get rid of the paddling pool since it was first mooted in 2008.  Yes we have used it to political advantage as well, but does that make the cause any less valid?  Don’t see anyone attacking Owen Smith over the Valleys Rugby initiative.

When the plans moved forward earlier this year we were the ones who brought it to the attention of the public – if we hadn’t very few would be aware of it, and it would have been too late by the time the bulldozers moved in.

If nothing else we know how to campaign, so we did all the usual things – leaflet drops, Facebook group, public meeting.  The support for keeping the paddling pool is overwhelming and even we have been surprised by the level of anger at the proposals.  Yet there are still those who cannot resist having a dig.

They want to save the paddling pool, but don’t want to be seen to be involved in a campaign with us.  By doing so they fear they will be ‘condoning the actions of the coalition.’  They think we are doing a great job fighting the pool plans, but we should take the logo off our literature, and do it anonymously.  Happy to accept our help, as long as we don’t want any credit for it.

I hasten to add that this attitude is coming from relatively few people, but it still makes things difficult.  It prevents the campaign from moving forward with the vigour it should, and in effect could end up creating two campaigns, and diluting the effort which can only benefit those we are campaigning against.

It seems it is ok for us to take the blame for anything and everything – including so much that is out of our control, but heaven forbid we should be credited with doing something positive.

Why it is easier to not get involved

There are times when I really wonder why I do what I do, the politics, the community stuff, school governor, etc.  Why I don’t just join the ranks of those whose idea of making a difference is writing the odd letter to the press or online jibe. 

Now don’t get me wrong, I am not coming over all holier than thou, I have my faults - yes, really even me ;-)  I am not always right, but I am at least honest about what I believe in and not afraid to speak out about my views.  But is in any wonder that the majority people don’t want to get involved in either their community or politics when they see the constant stream of barracking that goes on.

A couple of things this past week or so have set off this particular rant.  Firstly a couple of letters which appeared in the Rhondda Leader and Ponty Observer in response to one I had printed criticising Leighton Andrews ( a slight variation of this piece)

Now I have no problem with people having a go at me, I am used to it – local press, various online forums, it goes with the territory, don’t dish it out if you can’t take it and all that jazz.  The fact that I am not even an elected politician makes no difference, they see me as fair game, and at least they know I am around.

What annoyed me about one of the letters in particular is that it named the school I am a Governor at and launched into quite a scathing attack on the school.  Now I never take my politics into school, and that somebody would sink so low as to denigrate the efforts of a local school they should be supporting just to have a dig at me makes me really angry. 

This same person recently wrote attacking the achievements of the local Communities First programme, again something I have been heavily involved in.  She has never taken the opportunity to get involved with it herself.  

It is so much easier to snipe from the side-lines isn’t it?  But then why would anyone seeing this be persuaded to actually get out there and get involved in actually trying to make a difference?

 

P.S.  If my ‘mates’ from Ponty Town forum are still watching, so glad you’ve not forgotten me ;-)

 

First a congestion charge now Labour want to ban cars altogether

Just what planet is this man living on? Labour Councillor Ralph Cook is Cardiff’ Cabinet Member for Transport.  He has recently been at the centre of controversial plans to introduce a congestion charge in Cardiff.

Now, as reported by the BBC, he thinks there should be a car free housing zone created in the city.  Come on, I mean we all get a bit annoyed by traffic jams and there should be a better public transport system that enables more people to leave their cars behind, but really.

What I can’t understand is why he thinks the city’s traffic is so bad.  I work in Cardiff, usually at the Bay, but in recent weeks have been spending a bit of time in Roath at our by election campaign office there.  I travel to and from work at more or less peak time each day, and yes there is the odd delay, and traffic is a little slow up North Road and along the Ely link road, but not that bad.

In fact by far the worse of the congestion is in Pontypridd, closely followed by the Talbot Green crawl.  We’d better hope that his Labour colleagues in RCT don’t start getting any ideas.

As I said in a recent letter to the Echo and Western Mail a congestion charge in Cardiff would affect people from all across the region who, like me, travel to Cardiff to work. It is just another tax on people who happen to work in the Capital.

The Labour party really are a set apart from the real world aren’t they?

Community involvement & politics are not mutually exclusive

One of the main battles we who are involved in the often murky world of politics have is against voter apathy and distrust which has built up over the years.  It is easy to see why this has happened, but nonetheless the cries of ‘you’re all the same’ do get a little wearing.

It is especially difficult on a community level when it seems we can never win.  If we don’t get involved then we are not interested except at election time.  If we do then it must be because we are trying to make it political and get some electoral benefit for ourselves for it.

I have been involved in community groups well before any political involvement came about- it is why I was first asked to stand for Council. I have kept that going, during the five years I was a County Councillor and since. As Vice Chair of Governors at a Secondary School I never bring my politics into school – although unfortunately the same can’t be said of some others.  I Chair a Development Trust and Vice Chair of a football Trust locally.  Neither of these bring me any political benefit as they are located in the Rhondda and my political activities now centre around Pontypridd.  Yet I still give my time and energy to them because I believe they are worthwhile.

There are of course times when the political and the community interests come together.  A case in point is the fight to save Pontypridd paddling pool.  We (RCT Welsh Lib Dems) have been against this all along, and yes we have made a political point of that, because it is a political issue.  The decision on the renovation of the Lido and the removal of the pool is a Council one, a political one.

Councillor Mike Powell is the ONLY one who voted against the plans at Development Control Committee. He was the only Councillor who went along to the Cabinet meeting and questioned the Officers’ report and the recommendation to approve the project. He asked for the decision to be called in. If anyone out there thinks it is easy to be on your own amongst 75 Councillors in that Chamber then think again.

Yet there are people who still say that the politics should be kept out of the campaign.  Really?  Where then would the campaign be now.

We brought this to the attention of the public.  I have spent hours writing leaflets and press releases, we have given up our time to get those out and keep people informed.  We have reported back from Council meetings which the public would know nothing about. We have set up a Facebook group again to pass on information. Yes we have put our Party name on it, but why shouldn’t we?  It is what we are.  It would be far more suspicious if we didn’t.

We have now set up a community meeting to discuss areferendum, and again there are a few (very few) who condemn us for that.  Yet what have they done?  We are a campaigning unit, we know how to go about these things. So whilst the few who are against all things political sit and complain we have set up a time and date, issued the press release, produced the posters, and there are a couple of thousand leaflets publicising it ready to go out.

Hopefully the majority of people will see this for the community issue it is, regardless of who is taking the lead, and just be grateful somebody is. If they don’t then there is nothing else we can do, and there will be little point complaining once the paddling pool is gone.

RCT Council antics make Yes Minister look like a documentary

Just what size catheter I wonder is being used by RCT Director of Strategy and Public Relations to extract the urine these days?

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 15^th 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.

Permission to c**p all over us Sir

I went along to watch a Council Scrutiny meeting this morning.  It was a special meeting of Overview & Scrutiny following a call in request initiated by Cllr Mike Powell and supported by the Plaid Members on the committee. It was to discuss the scheme to renovate the Lido in Ynysangharad Park and remove the paddling pool which has caused some considerable degree of consternation amongst locals.

It was a perfect reminder if ever I needed one of what arrogant, pig headed, ignorant individuals the Labour party in RCT are.

There were 13 members of the committee present not including the Labour Chair, plus a Cabinet Member (Deputy leader Paul Cannon) and three other Labour Members watching from the sidelines.

Mike opened the so called debate, and then the two Plaid members spoke.  Not a single Labour member opened their mouths.  Not a question, not a comment. They sat there in silence and then at the appointed time all dutifully raised their hands in the air to vote against asking the Cabinet to look at the decision again.  The details of the meeting are here – one has to ask between the Officers and the Members which are the organ grinders and which the monkeys as they defend each other so perfectly.

The whole thing was a joke.  Around about 50 minutes of time wasted as they didn’t even have the intelligence to pretend to take an interest or to consider the proposal in front of them.

And the most galling thing is that they do this with the authorisation of the people of RCT. So keen were the majority of those to do as Labour suggested and ‘send a message to Cameron and Clegg’ that they forgot the message they were sending to the local Labour party was quite simple.

The message was that they were willing to continue being c*****d upon from a great height.  That they are happy for Labour to carry on as before.  To carry on taking no notice at all of public opinion and having no regard whatsoever for the people they are allegedly elected to serve.

Keeping the politics out of it

It makes me so angry when people complain about Council decisions or lack of action and then get all uptight that it shouldn’t be made ‘political.’

It happens a lot, and is perhaps a measure of how disengaged the public generally are with the democratic process.

The decision to renovate the Lido in Ynysangharad Park has been much to the forefront of the minds of RCT Welsh Lib Dems recently  - well certainly in the case of Cllr Mike Powell and myself.  The plans involve the removal of the current paddling pool and a lot of people have got hot under the collar about it.

We have put out no end of press comments and written letters and set up a petition and survey.  We have been trying to alert people to this for years and have opposed the plans all along.  Not to make a political point – our support came before the public outcry – but because we think the decision is wrong.

A number of Facebook groups have now sprung up in protest at the decision, which is good.  But the thing that amazes and annoys me is the number of people who claim it should be ‘non-political.’   How can it be non political?  This decision like almost every other decision which affects the area is made by politicians.

So people will instead gripe on Facebook, or down the pub, or maybe with the occasional letter to the press. They’ll stay away from ‘politics’ because that’s a dirty word isn’t it?  Then they will lie down and let the crap keep on coming.

What will it take for people to really get involved, take control, and really make this a democratic country?