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?

Labour lied - simple as

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

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

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

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

Big Weekend Big Letdown for many

According to the Council’s website

As thousands of people prepare to descend on Pontypridd for the biggest event of the year, the town’s  owners with the aim of promoting the town, a whole host of meal deals are being introduced on the Big Weekend.

Now whilst it is good to see events which promote Pontypridd the Council are a long way from getting it right in terms of the balance between publicity and genuinely bringing trade into the town, or between putting on popular events and allowing local residents to enjoy the Park.

Local traders should benefit from events such as the Big Weekend – but the Council should be taking the lead and doing all they can to support them and enable them to cash in on the influx of visitors.

Last year amongst the complaints the fact that people were not allowed to take food into the Park was amongst the most common. Only bottled water was allowed in, people were instead expected to buy from the franchises inside – who were not local traders and charges in some cases extortionate prices.

This year the Council and its partners are allowing ticket holders to enter the Park along the designated route with their food as long as it is consumed prior to reaching the actual concert area itself.

Wow!  How great is that?  You can buy a bag of chips in town and the Council will graciously allow you to eat them as you walk along the ‘designated route’ – as long as you finish them before you enter the hallowed ground where the concert is to be held.

The same hallowed ground that includes the cricket pitch.  The users of that facility are furious that some un-named person in the Council has decided that the concert should encroach upon the pitch yet again, a move which threatens to rule it out of use for months to come.

The Labour Council have no interest in Pontypridd or in local residents.  Headlines are all well and good but it is what happens behind the headlines that matters.

Independent naivety versus Labour bullying.

The Rhondda Leader today reports a spat between a newly elected Independent Councillor and a Labour Cabinet Member. 

Heated words were exchanged at last week’s meeting of Rhondda Cynon Taf council when Independent councillor Phil Howe read out a letter he had written to Chris Bryant and Leighton Andrews, the MP and AM for Rhondda, about the employment practices of a local shopfitting firm.

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

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

I was in the public gallery at the meeting on 4^th July and watched this little battle play itself out.  I don’t doubt that Cllr Howe did not mean his comments to be racist, but the minute he made his comments the question was which Labour member would react first. 

They are only too eager to pounce and take advantage of the inexperience of any new Councillors. They already succeeded in intimidating Cllr Howe to the extent that he pulled out of the Welsh Liberal Democrat alliance group and will see him as an easy target.

I have in the past questioned the effectiveness of Independent Councillors.   The Council Chamber is not an easy place to be, you need broad shoulders and thick skin.  You also need to be very careful of what you say.  Political correctness is sometimes a card that is overplayed, but that is the way it is.  People who are in the public eye need to be careful of what they say.

This particular episode did no favours to either side and would be best left alone.  He was naive, she was bullying. Both acting in a way that does not belong in the Chamber.

Playground politics

In the Blue corner we have the blonde bombshell, Tory Welsh Secretary Cheryl  ‘Chezza’ Gillan.  And in the red corner Shadow Secretary Pontypridd prowler Owen ‘Oily’ Smith.  Battling it out in a classic ‘he said’ ‘she said’ contest worthy of a nursery playground.

The subject?  Nothing important - just the reorganisation of the constituency boundaries in Wales and a possible change in the way in which we elect the people who govern this country. Nothing to trouble themselves about.

Oily seems to be a bit upset because Chezza called a meeting so that Welsh MPs could discuss it.  Allegedly (although he seems to have a different take on things) he complained that it was to be held on a Monday morning and MPs would have to cancel meetings in their constituencies to get there.

Surely this is not that rare an occurrence?  That MPs have to get to Westminster on a Monday for business of one kind or another.  And a look at Oily’s website doesn’t indicate that he is doing a lot in his constituency at the moment.

Grow up people.

Hey, Owen, over here mate

Now I know being an MP (or indeed an AM) is not only about constituency business, there is a wider role to be undertaken as well and responsibilities beyond the narrow confines of parliamentary boundaries.

However, a balance needs to be struck, and elected representatives at all levels need to remember who put them there and where their first priority should be.

Owen Smith, MP for Pontypridd, seems to be struggling with that at the moment.  The news section on his website is full of articles in his capacity as Shadow Welsh Minister.  The first mention of Pontypridd comes on page 4, an article from the Ponty Observer on 24^th May in which he promises to ‘continue to work hard for Pontypridd.’

But where is the evidence of that?  This week the leader of RCT Council announced that there were problems with the Pontypridd town precinct development – this in direct contrast to Owen’s assertion just seven days previously that everything was fine and work would start in August.

Maybe a word or two of clarification would help?  Maybe  a few questions from the MP on the subject?  A little of the jumping up and down in outrage that he is so fond of directing at the UK Government these days?

Communication is key - somebody obviously misunderstood

Perhaps Owen Smith was too excited by his recent Shadow Cabinet appointment, his mind was elsewhere?  Maybe Tony Christopher is still stunned at the loss of his mate Russell from the Council and he misheard what was being said?

Either way there seems to be a major gap in communication regarding the plans for the new precinct in Taff Street in Pontypridd.

RCT Welsh Lib Dems last week welcomed what seemed to be good news about the development when Ponty MP Owen Smith assured Ponty Observer readers that he had spoken to the developers and everything was ticketty boo.  The rumours have been going around like wildfire that the development was in trouble - they had failed to find enough tenants for the shops there and could not afford to risk pressing ahead without a guaranteed take up.  Obviously those rmours were ill founded and we could all rest easy knowing that the Labour party had saved Ponty.  Such a relief.

But wait, what is this?  Just seven days later in his column for the very same paper Tony Christopher has the opposite view.

The developers have told him they are in trouble and whilst they are fully committed to the project then they are "facing a number issues with their funding package.”

Did the note taker make a mistake?  Did one of them fall asleep momentarily during the conversation and missed a sentence or two?  Because obviously there is a major discrepancy here.

But I have no doubt that a full explanation will be forthcoming from the cabinet member responsible, Cllr Paul Cannon.  Well now he hasn't got the Police Commissioner election to worry about he can turn his attention fully back to the job.

The shame of the Welsh Government

I am developing an increasing liking for the columns of Matt Withers who, it seems, hits the nail on the head more often than not these days.

Take his column today in which he looks at Nick Clegg’s criticism of Carwyn Jones and his Welsh Government.  

‘The Welsh Government was guilty of “the politics of grievance, blame and finger-pointing”, he said, with “an increasingly shrill and narrow and ungenerous approach to how the spoils are divided within a increasingly devolved union”.

This, he added had made him a “staunch opponent” of fiscal devolution to Wales until the Welsh Government was prepared to shoulder more accountability and drop its current approach.

The sound in the background was Carwyn Jones’ advisers readying their responses. Angry words for the First Minister to hurl at Welsh Lib Dem leader Kirsty Williams in the chamber this week. Anonymous briefings against Mr Clegg and his UK Cabinet colleagues, perhaps, to follow’

Mr Withers has certainly got Carwyn pegged

‘Carwyn Jones has cleverly set himself up as the only Minister of the Crown to also be a leader of the opposition. As the most senior elected Labour figure in Britain, to the outsider it can appear his role is to attack the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats first and be First Minister second.

Witness First Minister’s Questions, where he long ago gave up giving proper answers. To the Tories, he “will take no lessons from the party opposite”. To questions on the NHS, and controversial hospital restructuring in particular, come answers on Andrew Lansley’s even more controversial changes in England.

The Lib Dems’ questions are met with answers about propping up the Tories in London, and on supporting regional pay. Even Plaid Cymru, who are not and never will be in government at Westminster, are labelled “human shields” for the UK Government for letting them off the hook and attacking Labour in Cardiff Bay instead.’

The attitude of Carwyn and his followers makes a mockery of devolution.  Playing the blame game helps nobody. With greater powers comes greater responsibility, and those in charge owe it to the people of Wales to ensure those powers are used to best effect.  Or do they?  After all it was the people of Wales who allowed themselves to be duped by the Labour spin and who turned to them for perceived salvation from the dreaded Tories and us evil Lib Dems who are backing them.

As Matt points out

‘Perhaps that is all people want from their devolved government, after all – something to vent their anger and frustration at the administration in London. Mr Clegg may be furious about that. Others may just think it’s a bit of a shame.’

It’s that alright – a real shame, a shame for all the children who are not getting the standard of education they deserve, for those who have to put up with a below standard health service, for those who cannot get jobs because the Labour Welsh Government are too busy blaming the coalition to do anything useful themselves.

 

What was that about a democratic society?

Youngsters in Bangor are to be banned from the city after 9pm unless accompanied by an adult.  Any ‘group’ of two or more young people under the age of 16 will be asked by Police to leave the area.

Wales Online reports that “failure to comply could lead to up to three months imprisonment and or a fine of up to £2,500.”

This is absolutely disgraceful.  The reason for the ban is because of reports of anti social behavior and underage drinking, but if that is the case why aren’t the Police and the Council dealing with the issue and not punishing every young person for the bad behaviour of a few?

How do they expect youngsters to grow up with any respect for society and authority if this is the way they are treated?

The report quotes Nick Pickles, director of civil liberties campaign group Big Brother Watch,

``The idea you could be fined or imprisoned for walking through the town centre simply because you are 15 and not accompanied by a parent is simply madness.

 “Criminalising every young person in Bangor – without any need for them to be engaged in any wrongdoing – is an unwarranted and disproportionate intrusion onto the civil liberties of thousands of perfectly law abiding young people.”

I agree with Nick!

Good news at last for Ponty?

In his monthly column in the Pontypridd Observer Owen Smith MP gives a brief update on two issues that the Welsh Lib Dems locally have been concerned about for a long time

"First, the baths. The business case for redevelopment is progressing positively and I was delighted to see Labour council colleagues ruling out any closure of the small pool.

"Secondly, the precinct. I am in regular contact with developers and am told plans are on track. Over £6m funding has been secured for the next phase and construction should begin before the end of August,"

I hope this turns out to be the case.  We have been campaigning on the paddling pool issue for some time, and the change of heart by Russell Roberts came very late - just before the May election in fact.  Still we have been waiting far too long for redevelopment of the Lido.  Let's hope we don't have to wait too much longer.

Rumours have been rife regarding the precinct development - mainly that they have failed to attract enough businesses to the project.  This seems to dispel those rumours and again if it the case is good news at last.

Cardiff Blues in the red

No I am not referring to the change of kit for Cardiff City - to be honest I have no interest in football and couldn't care less if they played in lime green, although it does seam a pretty daft move.

I am talking of course about Cardiff Blues, the 'regional' rugby team who recently announced they wanted to grace Sardis Rd with their presence.

According to the BBC It seems they have found themselves a little short of cash.  £2.3 million to be precise.

No doubt the WRU will be waiting in the wings with support though,  As short of cash as they always claim to be they surely wouldn't let one of their favoured few go to the wall.

Preserve our town centres - online at least

Wales Online reports on ‘A new online archive has been set up to show how Wales’ high streets looked before they came to be dominated by national chain stores.’

The website is collaboration between the National Library and the National Museum and comes at a time when empty shops are becoming more and more prevalent in many of our town centres, Pontypridd being a prime example.

Shops there are closing down it seems on a weekly basis.  The Council’s much vaunted Townscape Regeneration Scheme is having no affect whatsoever, and the regeneration work is taking place in a totally haphazard fashion which makes it a nightmare to walk through the town centre. All this helped by a traffic system which is a seemingly designed by a two year old (I apologize for insulting any two year olds.)

If anyone has any photos of Ponty then they had better upload them to the site fast, before any semblance of what was once was a thriving town centre is completely lost.