tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691671699575405507.post4605258719072361871..comments2024-03-10T22:25:07.539+00:00Comments on Wrecsam.news: Dr Marek's Half Baked Plans!Plaid Whitegatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05757898330400853732noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691671699575405507.post-20534615853679953592010-12-29T12:10:29.006+00:002010-12-29T12:10:29.006+00:00A start would be a Welsh Civil Service answerable ...A start would be a Welsh Civil Service answerable to Welsh Ministers.Plaid Gwersyllthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13986006252463873835noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691671699575405507.post-75894989289234881652010-12-29T12:09:41.097+00:002010-12-29T12:09:41.097+00:00I agree that having someone directly elected would...I agree that having someone directly elected would increase beurocracy and cost a fortune and with the wrong person could be an absolute disaster, but at the same time I don't really agree with the idea of Chief Execs either (or their extre...me saleries!).<br /><br />Basically at the moment the civil service is ultimately answerable to yet another civil servant, able in many cases to over rule the political direction they're given. Take the Assembly for instance, the top civil servant (the permanent secretary) is only directly answerable to the chief civil servant in Westminster, rather than to the those that represent the people of Wales. So in other words, in this case they have no direct accountability to the people they're there to represent.<br /><br />The danger is that you end up with someone at the head of a local council or government who may be more than qualified professionally but has no concept of the welsh context nationally, or in the case of a council, the local context. Very, very often they have no experience of the people or communities they're working for and can be ignorant to local aspirations and needs. That is a big problem.<br /><br />I suppose ultimately it very much depends on the person individually, their knowledge of the local area and whether their motivation is to do the best they can for the people they're representing, or whether they're there for the position of power and the fat salery.<br /><br />I've admitedly not got an alternative that solves all these issues but the current set up isn't exactly brilliant. I think one of the biggest problems we have in Wales is the civil service, they control everything and have no direct accountability.<br /><br />It would be interesting to hear other people's thoughts on this one!Carrie Harpernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691671699575405507.post-90120673806596032522010-12-28T22:19:12.076+00:002010-12-28T22:19:12.076+00:00I suppose that if H'Angus the Monkey can be el...I suppose that if H'Angus the Monkey can be elected mayor of Hartlepool, that young John has a chance of doing the same in WrexhamCai Larsenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15349645242691098245noreply@blogger.com