Plaid Wrecsam

Another Unionist Argument Flop!

2012-01-26T21:24:00.004Z

The Foreign Secretary William Hague's threat that his overseas Embassies and High Commissions would cease to promote Whiskey if Scotland was to gain independence, has been shown in the Scottish Parliament today to be an idle threat. In fact The Scottish Development body are charged £3000 every time they hold a reception in a foreign embassy to promote whiskey.

Now I thought British Embassies are there to promote 'Britain' but it seems not to be the case when it comes to Scotland and probably Wales; this then begs the question who do these expensive governmental facilities actually serve?

Yet another example of, " We are not in this together"

A bad start to the week for Labour!

2012-01-16T09:32:00.004Z

After Ed Balls's swing to the right last week, Labour may well have been expecting better news but it doesn't appear to be so.

The first negative story relates to the head of a Regeneration Agency in Glasgow receiving a £500,000 golden handshake by Labour Councillors.

The second negative story concerns Tom Harris MP having to resign as Labour's media advisor after creating an online video which portrayed Alex Salmond as Hitler.

And the third story concerns Luke Bozier a former Senior Labour advisor defecting to the Tories.

I wonder what the rest of the week will bring poor old Ed Miliband?

Another Planet

2012-01-15T23:05:00.002Z

I no longer need convincing that these Tories are on another planet. Who in their right mind would suggest that taxpayers should fund a new royal yacht to celebrate the queen's diamond jubilee and only at a small cost of £60 million especially as were in the middle of a recession.

Who indeed but the arch monarchist and England's Education Minister, Michael Gove MP.

This is no joke, Gove has written to both Jeremy Hunt and Nick Clegg on the subject and is reported in the Guardian. Following hot on the heels of Cheryl Gillan's little 'insider dealing' this little outburst will do nothing to enhance the credibility of this coalition government.

I wonder if Cameron still intends to remind us that were all in this together

Balls to the workers - Labour accepts Tory cuts to please City

2012-01-15T09:21:00.003Z

Labour chancellor Ed Balls has let the cat out of the bag, saying Labour would not reverse Tory spending cuts, which are leading to a double-dip recession. He added that Labour would support the Tories' freeze on public sector workers' pay.

Ed Balls said:

"However difficult this is for me, some of our colleagues, and some of our wider supporters, we can't make any commitments now that the next Labour government will reverse tax rises or spending cuts and we won't because we don't know how bad things will be on unemployment, growth and the deficit."

Mark Serwotka, General Secretary of the PCS union, summed up the dilemma that fellow trade unionists in Wales had already articulated:

Labour have made a big strategic mistake because what they're in danger of seeing here is that millions of voters in core areas - people with the least - will suddenly think 'what is the point of voting for the Labour party if it still means cuts in jobs, cuts in pay and cuts in welfare?'

The Alternative Unionist!

2012-01-14T20:42:00.003Z

Not all Scottish Unionist politicians want to join Johann Lamont in supporting the Miliband/Cameron/Clegg position of picking a fight with the Scottish people over independence.

Scottish elder statesman and ex leader of the Scottish Labour party Henry McLeish distances himself from his own party's position and brands the union as not fit for purpose. The report in today's Herald Scotland goes on to say:

Mr McLeish told The Herald that pro-Union parties would ignore at their peril the question of Scottish identity.

He said that rather than talking about "devo max", a more effective concept would be an autonomous Scotland, with full fiscal and devolved powers but within the UK, because the status quo was unfit for purpose.

Mr McLeish warned his party against linking its campaign to the Tories, whom he branded toxic and the LibDems as dysfunctional.

Mr McLeish, who helped draft the Scotland Act, said his proposal reflected the country's identity and its aspirations, adding: "We care about the Union but we want to change it."

He said the Union's main backers refused to acknowledge change and were fighting bitterly against "any legitimate request or aspiration of parts of the UK to self-determination".

Turning to the prospect of an independent Scotland being banned from using the pound following comments by Chancellor George Osborne, Mr McLeish warned it was "part and parcel of a Conservative-inspired Westminster debate not just against independence but against Scotland".

He said: "The Conservatives, who are genuinely uninterested in the whole idea of devolution as their history has shown, will use fear and try to exploit ignorance."

He said they were "obsessed with central control and for some of them "Britishness" was increasingly about England, not the UK, and the struggle for power".

Mr McLeish said change was happening in countries all over the world so "why should anyone be surprised or shocked that it should happen in the UK? What the Tories don't get is the idea that this change is inevitable," he said.

He said that since the SNP first won power in 2007 there had been a significant shift from traditional class allegiances to "identity politics".

Mr McLeish claimed a negative pro-Union campaign "kicking Alex Salmond or the Nationalists or independence" would be counter-productive.

Whilst McLeish does not advocate full independence he most certainly supports 'devo-max' which is a refreshing position for a senior Labour statesman.

Redwood - the "modern English nationalist"

2012-01-14T11:32:00.002Z

Just in case you needed a reminder of why we need independence...

John Redwood used to be the Welsh Secretary (aka Colonial Governor) and is here happily describing himself as a "modern English nationalist".

There are Conservatives who would be happy to wave goodbye to Scotland because they like the idea of what might happen next.
Former Welsh Secretary John Redwood wrote on his blog: “The dream ticket for a modern English nationalist is a decision by Scotland to leave the UK, followed by the ending of membership of the EU because the member, the UK, no longer exists.”

Would never have guessed the way he belted out the anthem with such gusto...

What does make this scenario interesting is that, when Scotland votes for freedom, there will be a very strong mood in England to ditch Wales.

Salmond is making all the running while Carwyn Jones is dawdling in the changing rooms, scared of upsetting his own party unionists as much as the UK government.

More faintheart than braveheart.

Police Commissioners - The Way Forward

2012-01-14T10:36:00.005Z

An excellent non partisan article by Elfyn Llwyd MP on Police Commissioners where he invites 'like minded people' who have an interest in standing for Police Commissioners to get in touch. This is what Plaid Cymru are all about; putting the people of Wales before narrow political interests

Later this year, in November 2012, there will be the first ever elections for Police and Crime Commissioners for the four police forces in Wales.

Plaid Cymru have opposed the introduction of these elected police and crime commissioners on the grounds that this involves a probable politicisation of policing and that is not a good use of policing resources at a time of public sector cuts.

At present, policing is carried out under the supervision of Police Authorities who include a range of local councillors nominated by their local authority and also members of the public.

These powers would allow policing priorities to be determined by a single elected commissioner, according to their wishes and manifesto, rather than these priorities being determined through consensus across the political spectrum and with more than significant input from the public members of the authority.

We believe that this is a retrograde step for policing as politicisation may lead to one viewpoint being prioritised over another and the police forces themselves no longer being considered neutral in how they treat crimes.

This could damage the hard-won trust and faith in our effective and excellent police forces in Wales. Furthermore, policing has to be by consent woe betide us if that consent is eroded.

During the debates on the introduction of these commissioners, the negative attitude of the UK Government towards Wales has once again been illustrated.

As local democracy is in the hands of the National Assembly, the UK Government needed our agreement for the re-forming of police authorities into what are to be known as Police and Crime Panels to supervise the work of the commissioner.

When the National Assembly voted not to give them that authority to change the rules in Wales, they decided that, rather than listening to our democratically elected Welsh government and take part in fruitful negotiations, they would come through the back door.

In England, local authorities will decide their members on police and crime panels while in Wales they will be determined by the Home Secretary in London.

This cannot be right, as it is unwelcome interference in Wales.

However, despite our opposition, and the opposition of the National Assembly for Wales, these elections will take place.

Although we are not in agreement with the roles, it is important that strong, competent candidates are in place to fight these elections on a platform which is beneficial for Wales.

Extremist politicians who might mis-use the powers of this role must be defeated. Those who would mis-use the powers of the police force must be prevented from getting their hands on the levers of power.

Plaid Cymru believe that policing, alongside the rest of the justice and home affairs portfolios, should be devolved to the National Assembly.

This is the natural home for powers in Wales, especially when linked with the notions of social and restorative justice which run so deeply through our communities.

We propose, instead of politicising the police in the way that the Conservative and Liberal Democrat have so damagingly suggested, that a more consensual approach could help ensure that our four Welsh police forces are run in best interests of our nation.

This alternative approach could see strong candidates put themselves forward, representing the ethos of Welsh communities and their faith in a balanced, diverse, proactive police force in all four police authority areas, with support across parties and from those of no party.

If policing, crime and justice were devolved then we would have the power to determine our own policies in these areas – and develop Welsh solutions for Welsh problems.

We would have a criminal justice system which responds to Welsh needs, not that of knee-jerk responses to tabloid headlines.

Plaid Cymru have several criteria for what would make a good police commissioner in Wales. They should be people who support Welsh control of the criminal justice system from start to finish, should put the welfare of the wider community first and should be against the politicisation of the police force.

We would welcome making contact with any candidate who meets these criteria and wants to stand for election as police and crime commissioners as an independent, non-partisan candidate.

If four such candidates can be found around Wales, one for each police force area, then Plaid Cymru would support these candidates.

If, however, such candidates did not come forward, then we will put forward our own candidate so that electors would have the opportunity to support the above aims that must be represented on the ballot paper.

We therefore invite members of the public who support our aims on policing to come forward and help ensure effective and improved policing for our communities.

The right leader at the right time

2012-01-13T00:39:00.004Z

Along with many other Plaid members and supporters, I was inspired by Leanne Woods energy and vision tonight during an enthralling address to a packed audience at the Racecourse in Wrecsam.

Leanne decisively set out her vision for the party and for Wales, demonstrating why I believe she is the right choice to lead Plaid Cymru.

Leanne brings clarity and a vision which is totally in tune with the times. In one way it is radical, it’s new and it answers the problems that we face in Wales in the present day. At the same time, it provides a platform for future prosperity and a better quality of life for the people of Wales.

Leanne’s vision is built on the strengths that we posses in Wales and therefore is actually deliverable. Even better than this, Leanne bridges the gap between Welsh speaking and non Welsh speaking communities, as well as connecting with the older generation and especially the younger generation. This ability to engage and connect across the board will take Plaids message to a new generation and will rejuvenate our party. In my view, this makes Leanne Wood the right leader at the right time. Leanne articulated tonight the thoughts and feelings of the grass roots membership and she can certainly count on my vote when the time comes.

Cllr Carrie Harper, Wrecsam.

Plaid meeting packed for Leanne

2012-01-13T00:20:00.005Z

40 Plaid Cymru members and supporters packed the 1873 Suite at The Racecourse Ground in Wrecsam to meet Plaid leadership contender Leanne Wood tonight.

Leanne outlined her vision for Wales, explaining the need for "real independence" that would transform the Welsh economy and ensure a more prosperous and self-sufficient country.

The audience, drawn largely from Wrecsam, enjoyed an interesting question and answer session.

Leanne spoke in Welsh and English and it was great to see

non-members join up after the meeting, including ex-Labour Party members.

Her message of co-operation and promoting local enterprise was echoed Councillor Marc Jones, who chaired the meeting. He said : "There's a real momentum behind Leanne's campaign. She's reaching out and bringing in new members throughout Wales and I'm delighted at the new members she's bringing into the Wrecsam branch.

"They will have their say in the leadership campaign and I would urge those who want to take part in the Plaid leadership election to join up before January 26th."

Among those who have joined Plaid Wrecsam recently is firefighter Mike Davies (pictured with Leanne), the Fire Brigade Union's North Wales branch secretary.

Healthy Eating in Schools.

2012-01-12T10:45:00.003Z

Below is a petition to the National Assembly's Petition Committee:

The Petitioners call upon the Welsh Government to consider legislation to exclude Mobile Fast Food Vans from operating within a 400 metre exclusion zone around all schools in Wales during the hours of 8am to 4.30pm weekdays during term time.

Supporting Information

Wrecsam Council have recently agreed a Planning Guidance note which states that - New Hot Food Takeaways should not be located... within 400 metres of the boundary of a school or tertiary college.Planning conditions cannot be used to restrict use of mobile fast food vehicles and if they comply with highways and environmental health regulations they can operate unlicensed. It is therefore argued that to legislate as suggested will serve to promote a social objective of reducing the availability of cheap unhealthy foods to children, to reduce obsesity and to promote healthy eating.

To sign the petition copy and paste this link:

https://www.assemblywales.org/gethome/e-petitions/epetition-list-of-signatories.htm?pet_id=664 (English)

https://www.assemblywales.org/cy/gethome/e-petitions/epetition-list-of-signatories.htm?pet_id=664 (Cymraeg)

New Westminster seats for Wales revealed

2012-01-10T23:48:00.007Z

These are the proposed Westminster constituencies - a total of 30 instead of the existing 40:
1. Menai ac Ynys Môn - 74,453
2. Gwynedd - 73,297
3. Ceredigion and
North Pembrokeshire - 74,173
4. South and West Pembrokeshire - 76,039
5. Caerfyrddin - 76,549
6. Llanelli - 76,970
7. Gower and Swansea West - 77,453
8. Swansea East - 76,637
9. Neath - 76,747
10. Aberavon and Ogmore - 73,895
11. Bridgend - 73,596
12. The Vale of Glamorgan - 74,728
13. Cardiff West - 74,844
14. Cardiff Central and Penarth - 76,346
15. Cardiff East - 79,287
16. Caerphilly and Cardiff North - 73,873
17. Newport West and
Sirhowy Valley - 73,217
18. Newport Central - 76,461
19. Monmouthshire - 73,862
20. Torfaen - 76,639
21. Blaenau Gwent - 77,304
22. Heads of the Valleys - 74,029
23. Rhondda - 73,194
24. Pontypridd - 77,786
25. South Powys - 78,136
26. Glyndwr and North Powys - 74,554
27. Wrexham Maelor - 78,353
28. Alyn and Deeside - 80,268
29. Dee Estuary - 80,278
30. North Wales Coast - 78,628
Locally, the Wrecsam constituency expands to take in the Maelor Saesneg as well as the villages of Ruabon, Coedpoeth, Minera, New Broughton, Brymbo, Brynteg and Bersham. The Clwyd South constituency disappears - partly into Wrecsam and partly into the new Glyndwr North Powys seat that will stretch from Denbigh right down to Welshpool. Both become more attractive propositions for Plaid Cymru as a result. There will, however, be an unseemly scramble among existing Tory and Labour MPs to grab the remaining seats given that Wales is losing 10 seats.

The impact on the Assembly constituencies hasn't been decided yet.

UPDATE: Map here

More Thought Police!

2012-01-10T21:54:00.002Z

I'd never really thought of or come across the British Humanist Association before and even though I'm not impressed with what they've succeeded in doing you have to give them their due they do have influence.

The British Humanist Association (BHA) has welcomed a new revision of the model funding agreement for Free Schools by the Government in order to preclude ‘the teaching, as an evidence-based view or theory, of any view or theory that is contrary to established scientific and/or historical evidence and explanations.’ This highly significant change has been made in order to ban creationism from being taught in Free Schools, and prevent creationist groups from opening schools. The change follows the BHA coordinating the ‘Teach evolution, not creationism!’ campaign, which called for this precise change.

Does this mean that Religious Education or whatever the subject is now called can no longer be taught in our schools, or is the New Testament ok and just the Old Testament that is banned?

Will I also be penalised by the Humanist thought police if I put my O'level in RE down on my CV?

This is as silly as the Evangelicals in the US trying to ban evolution...haven't we moved beyond the Scopes trial?.

As we say in Wales, "Pawb at y peth y bo," (Each to his own). Let's get a life peeps

Plaid leadership contender targets Wrexham

2012-01-10T21:20:00.000Z

Plaid Cymru leadership candidate Leanne Wood will be speaking in Wrecsam this Thursday as part of her campaign to become the party’s leader.

Leanne Wood, the regional Assembly member for Cardiff and the Valleys, is speaking at the 1873 Suite at the Racecourse ground on Thursday, 12 January at 7.30pm.

Local Plaid councillor Marc Jones said: "Leanne is the reason I joined Plaid Cymru. She’s passionate and principled about her politics, putting the interests of ordinary people first rather than bankers and big business.

"She’s also an original thinker who will lead a talented team so that Wales can take greater responsibility for our own affairs. Many people are joining Plaid because they’ve been inspired by her campaign."

Ms Wood is touring Wales talking to as many of Plaid Cymru’s members as possible. Her campaign has focussed on reviving the Welsh economy, creating jobs and prosperity.

Leanne Wood said: "We are the party for the whole of Wales and Plaid has to reach out to every corner. Plaid needs to make inroads in areas likes north-east Wales if we are to become the biggest political party.

"I’m delighted to be speaking in Wrecsam and for the support of party members in the area. It is very encouraging."

Leanne Wood’s campaign has already been endorsed by Plaid MP Jonathan Edwards, former MP Adam Price and Assembly Members Bethan Jenkins and Lindsay Whittle.

Cllr Jones added: "The meeting is open to Plaid members and supporters in the area and I know many local trade unionists, who admire Leanne’s principled support for recent strike action to protect jobs and pensions, will be attending. The 1873 suite will have a bar and buffet on the evening."

Ffigyrau Gwylio S4C

2012-01-09T20:28:00.002Z

Dyma ddatganiad i'r wasg gan S4C:

Mae nifer gwylwyr S4C wedi cynyddu dros y flwyddyn 2011 yn ôl ffigurau a gyhoeddwyd gan y Sianel heddiw.

O ran cyfartaledd cyrhaeddiad wythnosol S4C yng Nghymru yn 2011 gwelwyd cynnydd o 7,000 – i fyny o 467,000 yn 2010 i 474,000. Dros y Deyrnas Unedig, mae cyfartaledd cyrhaeddiad wythnosol y Sianel i fyny 2,000 ar y flwyddyn – o 616,000 yn 2010 i 618,000 yn 2011.

Bu cynnydd sylweddol hefyd yn y nifer o siaradwyr Cymraeg fu’n gwylio S4C yn 2011. Y cyfartaledd cyrhaeddiad wythnosol yn ystod y flwyddyn oedd 223,000 o wylwyr yng Nghymru – 26,000 yn uwch na 2010.

Yn yr oriau brig, gwelwyd cynnydd o 1,000 ar y ffigwr yn 2010 – i fyny o 28,000 i 29,000.

Wrth groesawu’r ffigurau, dywedodd Arwel Ellis Owen, Prif Weithredwr S4C, “Mae’r canlyniadau hyn yn galonogol iawn ac yn profi bod mwy a mwy o wylwyr yn cael eu plesio gan yr amrywiaeth eang o raglenni sydd ar gael ar S4C. Ein nod, hyd yn oed mewn cyfnod economaidd ariannol fel yr un sy’n bodoli ar hyn o bryd, yw sicrhau bod ein harlwy ar y sgrin yn un o safon uchel ac yn un sy’n bodloni nifer cynyddol o wylwyr yng Nghymru yn bennaf ond hefyd yng ngweddill y Deyrnas Unedig.”

Yn arwynebol mae hyn yn newyddion da iawn ond hoffwn cael cardarnhad fod y 200 o focsys BARB mewn tai lle mae Cymru Cymraeg yn byw; dwi angen cael fy argyhoeddi o hyn!

Who is Maria Miller?

2012-01-07T17:22:00.004Z

Maria Miller is the Conservative MP for Basingstoke and the next in line to be Secretary of State for Wales if and when Cheryl Gillan resigns over the Government's decision to continue with the HS2 rail link between London Euston and Birmingham which goes through her Amersham constituency.

Mrs Miller's claim to the job is that she is from Bridgend and was educated at Brynteg Comprehensive School. It's anybody's guess how much contact she has had with her Welsh roots since then or what knowledge she has of Welsh issues. She does not list any Welsh Committees on her biography.

Mrs Miller has been a member of parliament since 2005 and is currently the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Disability within the Department of Work and Pensions and has been leading on the critical changes to Disabilty Living Allowances as part of the welfare reforms.

Police Overtime.

2012-01-05T20:28:00.004Z

A recent FOI request of North Wales Police by the Taxpayers Alliance elicited that overtime payements to Police Officers in the force increased by a third to £3.6 million in a year. Needles to say that the Taxpayers Alliance are critical of this increased spend notwithstanding that the North Wales Police have been forced to make massive budgetary cuts in the last 12 months due to the Conservative Government's policies so the use of overtime to make up a shortfall should come as no surprise.

In response to the report in the Daily Post I wrote the following letter:

Dear Editor,

One should not be surprised to read that North Wales Police’s overtime payments have increased (Police overtime cost hits £3.6 million, Post January 5th). The Police have a duty to protect life and property and to do that they must judge the appropriate resources that are required and if those resources are not available then the Police have no option but to pay overtime to protect the public;… who would be the first to complain if the Police failed to respond appropriately?

What is surprising in your report is that the Conservative lobby group the Taxpayers Alliance are critical of the use of overtime whilst a Conservative Councillor on the North Wales Police Authority seek to defend North Wales Police’s use of overtime. What both of them conveniently forget is the massive cuts that a Conservative led Government have imposed on the Police Service both locally and nationally is the whole and only reason why the overtime budget has increased.

What your article clearly shows is that the Conservatives have long lost their reputation as the party of law and order and are floundering in the dark when it comes to public safety; to them goes the dubious credit of having actually broken the ‘thin blue line.’

Cynghorydd/Councillor Arfon Jones,

What we can achieve

2012-01-05T00:52:00.004Z

A visit to the Wrexham Lager brewery tonight prompted a real sense of pride in our town's achievements over the past few months.

Firstly, we have a fantastic new brewery in the centre of town taking on the lager multinationals and already serving 45 pubs in the area after just a few months. Building on a great tradition and using state-of-the-art equipment, this local enterprise has produced a great tasting local product and provided local pubs with a real boost in this recession.

Secondly, we have a fine Victorian listed building in the centre of town - the old Seven Stars pub - re-opening at the end of this month as Wrecsam's Welsh centre and trading as Saith Seren. It will, of course, be serving Wrexham Lager as well as other local and Welsh food and drink and will provide a welcome for all. It's been re-opened by a cooperative venture that's attracted investors locally as well as from as far afield as San Fransisco.

Thirdly, our resurgent football club has finally been taken over by the fans with another cooperative. That has coincided with a fine run of form under Andy Morrell, which is always good to see, but in the long-term it means we will never again fall prey to the vultures that have circled the Racecourse for more than a decade. The Wrexham Supporters' Trust is fast approaching 2000 members, who all co-own the club, and deserve our wholehearted thanks and support.

The re-birth of the Crusaders rugby league team as North Wales Crusaders has also come about as a result of fans taking the lead. Having been shafted by the previous owners and subsequently dumped out of the Superleague, there will be a period of rebuilding from the grassroots. Good luck to them.

This is what we can achieve when ordinary people do extraordinary things. The bankers and big business can sit there counting their obscene bonuses because they don't care about communities. We don't have that luxury - if the Welsh economy is going to develop, we'll have to do it ourselves and these new community-based enterprises point the way forward.

All these projects have been achieved in the past six months (although some of these projects have been years in the making) - a time of deep recession and general economic pessimism. All give Wrecsam a lift and a profile both nationally and internationally. The glass is certainly half full!

Scotland Running Out of Land for Wind Farms

2011-12-28T17:07:00.005Z

The Boxing Day edition of Herald Scotland carried two excellent news stories here and here on Wind Turbine renewable energy projects in Scotland and the fact they are reaching capacity with 1349 wind turbines already built and a further 2738 turbines being progressed. Needless to say that neither of these important news stories seemed to have made the wider British press despite its significance for England and Wales.

Also published recently was the Energy Trends Report for Quarter 3 of 2011 by the Department of Energy and Climate Change. The tables at the end show that Offshore Wind Farms generate much greater Gigawatt hour of electricity per megawatt capacity than what Onshore wind farms do, but we must wait for the 4th Quarter publication of Energy Trends before we can make detailed comparisons over the last 3 years.

Finally this is a link to an interactive RenewablesUK map which shows where windfarms in their various forms of development are located. What surprises me here is the large number of Wind Farms located on the North East coast of Scotland...I was always led to believe that the west i.e. Wales was the best place to locate windfarms...clearly not the case according to this map.

Llythyr i Golwg.

2011-12-28T11:51:00.002Z

Dyma lythyr yn ymateb i'r erthygl a ymddangosodd yn Golwg ar y 18fed o Ragfyr, "Economi bregus i helpu'r Coleg Cymraeg."

Annwyl Olygydd,

Braf oedd darllen yr erthygl ar y Coleg Cymraeg (Golwg Rhagfyr 15fed), a chytunaf a Hefin Jones mae talcen caled fydd denu myfyrwyr i addysg bellach drwy gyfrwng y Gymraeg. Un o’r problemau mwyaf o ddenu myfyrwyr i astudio drwy gyfrwng y Gymraeg ydy fod niferoedd mawr o ddisgyblion sydd yn rhugl yn y Gymraeg mewn ysgolion dwyieithog yn dilyn cyrsiau TGAU ac wedyn Lefel A trwy gyfrwng y Saesneg. Cymerwn ni fel esiampl, Ysgol Uwchradd Tywyn ac Ysgol y Gader Dolgellau. Yn Ysgol Tywyn y flwyddyn yma eisteddodd 48 o ddisgyblion arholiad TGAU Cymraeg iaith gyntaf ond ni ddilynodd yr un o’r 48 yna unrhyw gwrs arall drwy gyfrwng y Gymraeg. Mae’r sefyllfa chydig yn well yn Nolgellau lle eisteddodd 60 arholiad TGAU Cymraeg iaith gyntaf ond dim ond chwarter y rhain ddilynodd cwrs TGAU Mathemateg trwy gyfrwng y Gymraeg.

Tybed faint o’r 700 o fyfyrwyr a ddangosodd ddiddordeb yn y Coleg Cymraeg sydd wedi ei haddysgu mewn ysgolion penodedig Gymraeg a faint mewn ysgolion ‘dwyieithog?

Os ydy'r Coleg Cymraeg am ffynnu, a oes angen diwygio addysg uwchradd Gymraeg tuag at greu fwy o ysgolion penodedig Cymraeg hyd yn oed yn y siroedd hynny sydd yn Gymraeg ei naws.

Cynghorydd Arfon Jones

Christmas Greetings from the 99% to the 1%

2011-12-27T21:22:00.003Z

Nadolig Llawen / Merry Christmas

2011-12-24T15:44:00.002Z

Mae hi wedi bod yn flwyddyn lwyddiannus mewn sawl ffordd (ennill y refferendwm ar bwerau ychwanegol, sicrhau ysgol Gymraeg newydd yn Wrecsam ac ymgyrchoedd lleol eraill).

Ar drothwy blwyddyn newydd, rydan ni hefyd yn cofio colli ein cyfaill Barrie Price, cynghorydd Rhiwabon. O un bleidlais yn unig, methodd y Blaid â chadw'r sedd yn is-etholiad Rhiwabon.

Daw cyfle eto fis Mai, pan fydd y Blaid yn Wrecsam yn sefyll y nifer fwyaf o ymgeiswyr erioed yn yr etholiadau cyngor.

Tan hynny, Nadolig llawen i chi gyd!

Gold Plated Pensions!

2011-12-22T15:42:00.003Z

One of the arguments put forward by the Government as to why public sector pensions need to be reformed is that they are unaffordable and provide the recipient with a far superior pension than that afforded to workers in the private sector. The reality is somewhat more sobering.

A total of 10,978 retired public sector workers are members of the Clwyd Pension Fund, 72% or 7,948 of them receive LESS than £5,000 per annum in gross pension whilst 82.6% get less than £7,500 per annum.

What this means in effect is that 80% of retired public sector workers in the Clwyd Pension Fund get less pension than what the government decrees to be the minimum income guarantee (pension credit)of £137.35 a week.

The result of the government changes will be to pay less pensions to public sector workers but have to make it up to the minimum income guarantee by paying the individual extra Pension Credit.

The crass stupidity of this coalition government knows no bounds.

Double whammy for the Government.

2011-12-22T13:48:00.003Z

Yesterday was a victory for common sense when the High Court overruled the government's arbitrary decision in October to halve the feed in tariff for renewable energy from 43.3pence to 21pence. Mr Mitting the High Court Judge described Greg Barker and the Departement for Energy an Climate Change (DECC)'s decision as 'legally flawed' opening the way to a delay in implementing the reduction.

This defeat was quickly followed by two influential select committee reports which were reported as saying:

The government's rush to cut a subsidy for people who generate solar electicity on their roofs was clumsily handled and may have fatally damaged a growing industry which had the potential to provide tens of thousands of jobs, says a new report by MPs on two influential select committees.

Joan Walley MP, the chair of the Environmental Audit Committee further said:

"It doesn't make economic sense to let the sun go down on the solar industry in the UK. As well as helping to cut carbon emissions, every panel that is installed brings in VAT for the government and every company that benefits from the support is keeping people in work. The government is right to encourage people to focus on saving energy before fitting solar panels, but these proposals will stop nine out of 10 installations from going ahead, which will have a devastating effect on hundreds of solar companies and small building firms installing these panels across the country."

The rationale behind the government's decision to reduce the feed in tariff was the fact that the cost of installing solar pv had fallen 30% and that the cost of the subsidies to household bills would be £26 for every household per annum in 3 years time or £950 million a year. The £950 million figure seems to be completely off the wall as the total cost of Feed in Tariff from the 1st April 2010 to 30th September 2011 is only £45 million or £1.80 per household. How DECC come up with a figure twenty fold more than the current cost of the Feed in Tariff is beyond me and it seems beyond Mr Mitting as well.

Congratulations to Friends of the Earth and the two solar companies who bought this action.

Wales and Scotland scarred by Wind Turbines?

2011-12-16T19:50:00.007Z

I'm grateful to Our Solar Future for bringing this quarterly report to my notice. It is a report by Ofcom E-Serve on the renewable energy feed in tariff which provides some useful information as to who has what renewable technology.

I found that the installed capacity of various technologies was particularly revealing; in Scotland for example 39% or 15.8MW of the installed capacity of 40.6MW was produced by wind technology with only 31% produced by solar.

In Wales 18% or 3MW of the 16.8MW capacity was produced by wind technology and 77% by solar.

Whilst Wales and Scotland have 57.4MW installed capacity this is only 18% of the UK's total installed capacity; but Wales and Scotland produce 66% of the total installed capacity from wind for the UK, which would indicate a disproportionate scarring and exploitation of our landscapes compared to the low number of wind installations in England

Enough is enough, it is time to make a stand against onshore wind installations in Wales, there has been enough scarring and destruction of our landscapes.

.cymru Top Level Domain Name (TLD)

2011-12-15T22:16:00.002Z

Below is a copy of an email from .dotcym who have campaigned for Wales to get their own Top Level Domain (TLD), but yet again we have been badly let down by Carwyn Jones and Edwina Hart who seem set to hand over this significant project to a commercial organisation Nominet based in Oxford:

dotCYM has been ready for years to apply for a TLD. The company was structured to ensure that it was accountable to the Welsh community. The technical side was ready to sell domains worldwide. dotCYM has even secured a $185,000 loan to pay for the application in case the Welsh Government reneged on its promise of a loan.

dotCYM were, however, unable to convince the civil servants that Wales should have its own TLD, run from Wales, by the Welsh and accountable to the Welsh people. "What's wrong with .uk?", "why don't we just get Nominet to do it for free? ". The civil servants showed no ambition or imagination. No understanding of top-level domains and no urge to work towards bringing innovation, expertise, jobs and money to Wales.

Unfortunately, before the submission date was announce by ICANN, the governing body of names on the Internet, (12th January 2012 - 12th April 2012) there was a change of government. dotCYM warned Plaid Cymru and Ieuan Wyn Jones, who was the minister responsible for a TLD for Wales, that unless they took urgent steps to guarantee that the Welsh TLD would be run from Wales there was a high risk that the new Labour minister would approach Nominet to apply for a .wales.
Nothing was done. Edwina Hart became the Minister responsible and she has refused to talk to or meet dotCYM and the civil servants approached Nominet to bring them into the game.

Carwyn Jones and Edwina Hart have stated that the Welsh Government has no interest in doing anything except for giving one applicant the "letter of no objection" that is needed as part of the application. It is unheard of for a Government to show so little interest in its own top-level domain. The London, Scottish, Basque, Galician and Breton Governments are working very close with their local applications for their names online.

Nominet has commissioned London Economics, LE Cymru and YouGov to create a document that shows that the name of the TLD should be .wales instead of .cymru, although the majority of the people of Wales want a .cymru. Instead of doing its own research the Government seems to be clinging on to every word of this research document. Yes, since the civil servants don't understand TLDs the Government is taking advice from the document commissioned by the corporation trying to protect its monopoly of the market! dotCYM has never been consulted and there is no one else to questions Nominet's misleading polls and research.

Last Friday the Government invited potential applicants to compete for the letter of no objection that's required from the Government as a part of the application to ICANN (http://sell2wales.co.uk/notices/display.html?NoticeId=28474).. With a deadline of 6th of January, just three weeks away and over the Christmas holidays, this makes it almost impossible for dotCYM to find the 300,000 investment it needs and so the civil servants and the Government have successfully paved the way for Nominet, an Oxford-based company, to take ownership and control of .wales (and they may go for .cymru as well if forced to). Once Nominet owns Wales' name and brand online, the Welsh will never regain control of it. Nominet are not accountable to the Welsh people in any way. They can create a Welsh front with an Advisory Committee and even open an office in Wales with a token Welsh-speaker to give phone support, but that doesn't change the fact that the policy will be decided by people foreign to the Welsh community.

Of course, as well as losing ownership and control of our TLD, this will result in the loss of the jobs, special expertise and money that would have come into Wales.
Nominet has tried to persuade the London and Scottish governments that it should own and run their TLDs. Both rejected the idea and are working with local companies to deliver a successful TLD. Nominet may eventually run the technical side of .london but it would not own and control it. The Bretons, Basques and Galicians are doing the same - a local company, accountable to the people it represents, cooperating closely with the Government. But this is not the case in Wales where there was no support or interest in a local initiative.

It's very unlikely that dotCYM will be able to put a bid up against Nominet on the 6th of January. Even with the big potential return of investment we've found that companies can't make decisions quickly enough to turn this around before the deadline. If someone has access to money that they are able to invest, please contact us.

All hope is not lost. A top level-domain is not a devolved issue; the last word resides in London. The real letter of no objection must come from Ed Vaizey, the Minister for Culture, Communications and Creative Industries. dotCYM hopes that the Conservative and Liberal Democrat politicians can show the leadership needed here to try to save this grave injustice and ensure the Welsh keep control of their name online.

You, as dotCYM's supporters, have as much power as dotCYM now to try to make the Government realise the error of its ways and keep control in Wales and ensure that there's an application for a .cymru as well as a .wales. dotCYM had the resources to apply for and run a TLD but not to compete against Nominet. Your help is now vital.
You can contact your local AM and MP. More Labour politicians need to become aware of the situation and Conservative and Lib Dem politicians can put pressure on the UK Government. The Department of Culture, Media and Sport in London has experts in Internet governance that understand the importance of community TLD applications such as ours to increase diversity and competition on the Internet. Since this is not a devolved issue it's important that they realise that it's their responsibility to ensure that Wales gets the TLD it wants and needs and not one that has its policy decided in Oxford.

For more details on the situation or information on how you can help please contact me (maredudd@dotcym.org) and follow us on Twitter (@dotcymru)

Please contact your Member of Parliament.

No more Takeaways near schools in Wrecsam

2011-12-13T19:16:00.004Z

Wrecsam Council are the first local authority in Wales to approve a Planning Guidance Note for Hot Food Takeaway which seeks to impose a 400 metre exclusion zone around schools and colleges for new hot food takeaway applications.

Whilst there has been some healthy skepticism by elected members for the proposal based mainly on 'nanny state' arguments, difficulty in enforcement and effectiveness; members supported the proposal 9 to 1 following strong representations by Dr Andrew Jones, Director of Public Health for the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board as well as wholehearted and overwhelming support by Wrecsam's Senedd yr Ifanc.

A recent Judicial Review has found that social objectives like restricting planning consent for takeways and the like near to schools are a 'material consideration' in determining planning applications.

Let's hope that other Welsh local authorities will follow Wrecsam's lead and introduce similar guidance. There is after all little point in promoting Appetite for Life and healthy eating in schools if takeaways are allowed to open unrestricted nearby.

The Daily Fail (2)

2011-12-10T09:34:00.003Z

Readers will recall the Mail Online's major 'cock up' in reporting the incorrect story on the Amanda Knox trial from Italy back in October this year. The Mail Online incorrectly reported that Knox's appeal against conviction for the murder of Meredith Kercher was dismissed when in fact it had been upheld and she had been released.

Although pleasing to note that the Press Complaints Commission have upheld a complaint against the Daily Mail in respect of accuracy (or lack of it as was the case here) but they have no sanction to punish the Mail and to ensure it won't happen again.

What is needed is a complaints procedure for the press that has teeth.

Miriam Beard jailed - but what about the rest?

2011-12-09T20:17:00.004Z

There's justifiable anger about Miriam Beard stealing more than £50,000 from one of Wrecsam's poorest communities:

When Miriam Beard "milked" a charity out of more than £50,000, she stole from one of Wales' poorest communities.
As the former co-ordinator of the Plas Madoc Communities First Project, it was her job to ensure the charity's funds helped improve the Wrexham community.Many residents believe the money could have enhanced life for those on the estate, particularly children.
Beard, 56, of Henllan, Denbighshire, was jailed for 32 months on Friday at Caernarfon Crown Court.
She was appointed the charity's co-ordinator in 2003 after working as a welfare rights money adviser for Wrexham council's social services department. Even before she began work, she had misled the organisation. During her trial - before she changed her plea to guilty - Mold Crown Court heard she had concealed her past by claiming to be 10 years younger than she was.She claimed that she left university and went straight to work after obtaining A levels and GCSEs.In reality, she had been due to sit six CSE examinations, failed three and failed to turn up for three, and never went to university, the court heard.
She had also been convicted of offences of dishonesty and other matters in the 1970s, and in 1979 went to prison for conspiracy to defraud.
Her most serious crime though, according to many Plas Madoc residents, was stealing money that could have improved the lives of local children.
The charity was intended to provide activities to boost the quality of life for local residents.According to the Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation 2011 - which breaks the country down into 1,896 small areas - Plas Madoc is ranked the 24th most deprived in Wales.
Welsh government statistics on Communities First areas (dated 2001), said nearly 83% of people lived in rented council accommodation or housing from a registered social landlord.
Figures suggested more than 10% of households were overcrowded.
Tracey Pritchard, Post Office worker: "There used to be a youth club here, but that's gone. It was somewhere for the children to go at night, at least, but there's nothing here anymore."There's a leisure centre, but I don't think half the people here can afford to use it."
Resident Laura Hughes, 32, an unemployed carer for her autistic daughter, said: "My daughter was going to a group called Reflections, but they had to stop it. The children would play and learn there."You don't rob £50,000 off places like this. People haven't got any money."

But there are plenty of questions as yet unanswered and there are suggestions that there are more revelations about money stolen or wasted on hotels, fancy meals and alcohol by Miriam Beard and others.

What has happened to Andrew Bunning, the Plas Madoc Communities First finance officer, who resigned after admitting defrauding the state?

Above all there has been a deafening silence from two very important sources.

Firstly the trustees who employed Miriam Beard and allowed her to buy a car with "petty" cash, buy a caravan and not advertise its existence to locals and failed to check her claims that she had a degree and no criminal convictions. Why was a woman with so few relevant qualifications allowed to take such a powerful post without safeguards?

Firstly, the trustees have yet to apologise to the people ripped off, have yet to hold up their hands and be accountable. They have presided over this disaster and should resign. The fact that they haven't says everything about their lack of accountability.

Secondly, the Welsh Government who set up the Communities First programme a decade ago. More than £200 million has been spent in our poorest communities and, although Plas Madoc is an extreme example of what can go wrong, there is also a huge question about the effectiveness of the programme in many areas. What have they achieved? Would they survive if government funding was pulled? How have they empowered those communities? It seems that these questions are belatedly being addressed as the next stage of Communities First funding comes on stream in October 2012... 10 years too late for places like Plas Madoc.

Fuel poverty and the energy lobbyists

2011-12-09T19:24:00.004Z

Struggling to pay rising energy bills? Wondering why nothing is being done?

Two stories that tell us so much about who really runs thing in UK plc and how badly Wales does from being governed from London.

First is the news that big energy firms who effectively supply all the UK's electricity as well as multinationals such as Shell Oil have "leant" 50 staff to the UK Government.

The revelation came after Freedom of Information requests by Green MP Caroline Lucas:

"Companies such as the big six energy firms do not lend their staff to government for nothing – they expect a certain degree of influence, insider knowledge and preferential treatment in return. At such a pivotal time in the UK's energy and climate change policy, as ministers must get to grips with the realities of climate change, rising costs and energy insecurity, the strong presence of vested interests is a real cause for concern."

These firms also lobbied the Department for Energy and Climate Change (Decc) to make sure they were able to continue charging rip-off prices for fuel:

Decc declared 195 ministerial meetings with energy companies and their lobby groups and 17 with green campaign groups. The big six energy companies, which provide 99% of the energy used in UK homes, feature prominently, with 34 face-to-face meetings and a further seven with trade bodies representing their interests.
"Cash-strapped UK households are struggling with rocketing bills driven by the spiralling price of gas that the big six energy firms rely on to fuel their power stations," said Friends of the Earth executive director, Andy Atkins. "It's time to break the cosy relationship between the government and energy giants, and help new British companies provide clean home-grown energy we can all afford."

This might explain the growing scandal of four in ten Welsh households being in fuel poverty, as revealed in a Guardian exclusive:

A quarter of all households in England and Wales have now fallen in to fuel poverty following an autumn of steep increases in energy bills and stagnating incomes.

The dramatic increase in fuel poverty - up from nearly one in five households last year to one in four now - will be highly embarrassing to the government, which has a statutory obligation to eliminate fuel poverty by 2016. It now looks certain to fail to meet its legal duty.

Previous government projections forecast that this year would see 4.1m households in fuel poverty, which is defined as those who have to spend 10% or more of their income to achieve adequate warmth and light.

The breakdown reveals some startling differences - 17% of households in south-east England living in fuel poverty while Wales has 40%, more than double.

With the UK Government tucked up in bed with the energy companies, is it any wonder that the voices of those struggling to pay rapidly rising fuel bills is being ignored?

Cancer patients made to beg for benefits - whose fault?

2011-12-09T19:03:00.002Z

The last sentence of this piece by Laurie Penny says it all:

Cancer patients are to be made to beg for their benefits. It sounds like a joke, doesn't it? After 18 months of cuts, austerity measures and scantily disguised attempts to punish the poor for the failings of the financial sector, somehow this Government still retains the power to shock. A report to ministers by Professor Malcolm Harrington, the government adviser on testing welfare recipients, contains proposals that those undergoing chemotherapy in hospital be forced to prove their unfitness for work before receiving the bare minimum of benefits required to live out what may be their final weeks in comfort. It may be one of the most monstrous minor outrages against human dignity ever enacted by a Labour government.
Yes, a Labour government. It seems to have escaped public notice that it was Labour that pioneered the Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) system, requiring everyone in receipt of sickness benefits to negotiate a bureaucratic fun-house of forms, fit-for-work tests and bizarre inquisitions in remote buildings that may or may not be accessible by wheelchair. The Tories added their special brand of barbarity to the process, but by 2010 the damage was done – and cancer patients were not exempt from Labour's original proposals to placate the tabloids by pursuing "scroungers".
In three years of research and campaigning on the ESA, I have collected countless stories of pain and humiliation – the result of a policy administered by Atos Origin, the private company with a £300m contract giving them responsibility for the work capability tests. The man with crippling arthritis who was required to walk until he collapsed from pain. The girl with serious mental health difficulties who was made to strip to show her self-harm scars, and was thrown off benefits anyway. Mental health charities have informed the Government that the tests are already prompting suicides, and are likely to lead to more.
All this for a system with such a high failure rate that the appeals process costs the Exchequer tens of millions of pounds a year – and barely shaves anything from a benefit fraud bill already dwarfed by the cost of tax avoidance and evasion by the super-rich. Callousness and inefficiency: the demon offspring of the hell-marriage between pitiless Thatcherism and New Labour neuroticism.
It would be easy, at this point, to adopt the clichéd radical posture of throwing up your hands and declaring that all mainstream parties are the same. They are not all the same. There is, however, so little clear air between the welfare policies of this Government and the previous one that anyone who believes in a society that cares for the needy is left to feel their vote is being held hostage – by a party whose sole claim to electability seems to be that the Tories are worse.

School Banding in Wrecsam.

2011-12-08T19:55:00.002Z

Despite what the analysts say about school banding in some areas it seems to have been pretty accurate overall in Wrecsam. Most people with any knowledge of education in the county would have predicted that St Joseph's Anglican and Catholic School would top the band with a 1 and that Ysgol Clywedog, Ysgol Rhosnesni and Bryn Alyn would be in Band 4 or 5; this would have been in line with August's GCSE results.

The one surprise for most people would probably be Ysgol Rhiwabon who came in Band 1 ahead of Darland, Maelor and Morgan Llwyd who were in Band 2, but is another acknowledgement of the excellent work that has been going on in Ysgol Rhiwabon over the last year with big improvements in the 5 A*- C GCSE grades.

Banding:
St Joseph's Catholic and Anglican High School - Band 1.
Ysgol Rhiwabon - Band 1.
Darland High School - Band 2.
The Maelor School, Penley - Band 2.
Ysgol Morgan Llwyd - Band 2.
Ysgol y Grango, Rhosllanerchrugog - Band 3.
Rhosnesni High School - Band 5.
Ysgol Bryn Alyn - Band 5.
Ysgol Clywedog - Band 5.

Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol.

2011-12-04T17:39:00.003Z

Diddorol oedd darllen atodiad y Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol yn Golwg wythnos yma oedd yn hysbysebu ysgoloriaethau; ac yn gneud i fi feddwl faint o fyfyrwyr sydd yn dilyn cyrsiau'r Coleg Cenedlaethol sydd ddim yn cael ysgoloriaeth? Fasa rywyn yn meddwl fod 'na ddigon o ddisgyblion wedi cael ei haddysgu mewn unai ysgolion Cymraeg penodedig neu ysgolion dwyieithog Gwynedd ai thebyg, fel bod ddim angen cymhelliad ysgoloriaeth.

Dwi wedi gneud ryw chydig o waith yn ddiweddar ynglŷn â dewisiad iaith disgyblion mewn ysgolion dwyieithog yn yr hen sir Feirionnydd ac mae'r dewis yn amrywio gyda niferoedd mawr o ddisgyblion Ysgol y Moelwyn ar Berwyn yn astudio mwyafrif pynciau drwy gyfrwng y Gymraeg. Wedyn mae gennym ni Ysgol Ardudwy, lle eto mae mwyafrif bychan yn dilyn cyrsiau drwy gyfrwng y Gymraeg. Mae pethe’n dirywio tuag at dde'r sir, hefo mwyafrif disgyblion Ysgol y Gader yn dilyn cyrsiau drwy gyfrwng y Saesneg e.e. Mae 60 o ddisgyblion yn dilyn cwrs/eistedd arholiad Cymraeg iaith gyntaf ac 11 ail iaith; ond dim ond 15 o’r 60 sydd yn astudio Mathemateg drwy'r Gymraeg. Mae'r sefyllfa yn debyg yn bron pob pwnc.

Mae'r sefyllfa yn Ysgol Uwchradd Tywyn hefyd yn wael gyda 48 o ddisgyblion Blwyddyn 11 flwyddyn yma yn ddigon rhugl i ddilyn cwrs Cymraeg iaith gyntaf ond ddim un wan jac o’r 48 yn dilyn unrhyw gwrs arall drwy gyfrwng y Gymraeg.

Y cwestiwn amlwg sydd yn codi yw, o le mae myfyrwyr i'r Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol yn mynd i ddod o? O'r ysgolion dwyieithog traddodiadol neu o ysgolion penodedig Cymraeg. Fe fydd hi'n werth gweld y data mewn rhyw flwyddyn neu ddwy.

Trust the trust

2011-11-30T21:52:00.002Z

As of today, Wrexham FC is owned by us, the fans. The Wrexham Supporters' Trust has played a blinder in securing ownership and freed us from the horror of dodgy owners and freeloaders.

Despite all those who doubted and, in some cases, conspired against the Trust - they have delivered and deserve our support. We have never doubted them.

We're on top of the league and on top of the world.

Llyr Huws Gruffydd, Plaid Cymru AM for North Wales, put it rather well:

"I am absolutely delighted that the deal has finally gone through. The Wrexham Supporters' Trust has already shown its business acumen and proven to have a steady nerve under pressure - as is evident from the rollercoaster ride of the past few months. My congratulations go to them for all their hard work in securing this deal.

"This has been a long time coming and I hope that the democratic ownership of the club now puts to bed the nightmare years of Hamilton, Gutterman and all the others who have sought to profit at the expense of North Wales's premier football club.

"As someone once said, this isn't the beginning of the end it's the end of the beginning. A bright new future beckons for this great club. Things are going the right way on the football field and we now have the chance to make sure things to the right way off the pitch as well."

Firefighters back public sector strikes

2011-11-30T13:20:00.002Z

Great turnout from Wrecsam firefighters in support of the N30 strike today.

Biggest march in Wrecsam in living memory

2011-11-30T12:47:00.004Z

About 700 marchers joined the protest by public sector unions in Wrecsam today, including many who were not on strike today - including RCN nurses and firefighters. The mood of sympathy and solidarity was very evident throughout the town.

Plaid Cymru distributed 500 leaflets to marchers and passersby and the turnout marks a real escalation in the growing conflict between workers and the ConDem government.

A rally is currently being held in the Little Theatre. With hindsight we should have booked the "big" theatre!

The strike in Wrecsam

2011-11-29T09:50:00.003Z

Plaid Cymru will be marching in solidarity with public sector workers in Wrecsam tomorrow, as surveys reveal growing support for the strike among the general public.

Whether you're out on strike on November 30 or supporting the campaign against public sector cuts to pensions and services, join us at Queen Square at 11.30am.

Q and A's

2011-11-28T17:42:00.002Z

Which one is right?:

Wrexham CBC Q and A:

Q I am not a union member but I don’t want to cross the picket line on 30 November. Can I take part in the industrial action?

A .Yes. As a non- union member you are deemed to be taking part in “unofficial strike action”. However, as there will be colleagues taking part who are union members and thus taking part in “official action” you will be protected from any breach of contract claim that could be made against you.

Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board Q and A:

Q Can I take strike action if I am not in an union?

A Staff not in a Trade Union will technically be in breach of their contract if they do not attend work on the 30th November. Staff are therefore strongly advised to attend work as usual, if they do not belong to a trade union.

Be interesting to see if non TU member employed by the BCU is disciplined for refusing to cross a picket line!

Colledion Steddfod Wrecsam.

2011-11-26T18:51:00.008Z

Dwi wedi peidio blogio ar y pwnc yma gan obeithio neith y tymer wella ond annhebyg ydy hynna o ddigwydd felly waeth i fi gael deud fy neud.

Yn gyntaf oll mae angen datgan siomedigaeth fod Steddfod arbennig o lwyddiannus fel Steddfod Wrecsam wedi gneud colled ariannol o £90,000, ac mae rhaid hefyd datgan fod y targed lleol o £300,000 ar targed noddi o dros £400,000 mwy neu lai wedi ei chyrraedd.

Y broblem hefo Steddfod Wrecsam fel nifer o Eisteddfodau diweddar ydy gormod o bethau ymlaen a dim digon o fobol i'w mynychu. Er enghraifft, roedd gan Faes B ddau lwyfan ym Mhrifysgol Glyndŵr, roedd gan Faes C lwyfan a gweithgareddau yn Ysgol Bryn Offa, roedd Theatr Bara Caws yng nghlwb RAFA ac roedd nosweithiau hynod lwyddiannus Cymdeithas yr Iaith yng nghlwb yr Orsedd Ganolog; ac ar ben hynny roedd Cyngherddau drudfawr yr Eisteddfod yn y Pafiliwn. Nawr, mi fues i mewn pedwar gweithgaredd yn y Pafiliwn, un yn Faes C a dau yn yr Orsaf Ganolog, ac ar wahân i'r Pafiliwn roedd popeth arall yn ddigon fforddiadwy.

Yr ail broblem ydw i'n weld ydy cost tocynnau am y cyngherddau nos; roedd tocynnau i'r Cyngerdd Agoriadol hefo'r Tri Thenor ar Cyngerdd Pop hefo Caryl tua £30 punt yr un, oedd tu hwnt i nifer o selogion y Steddfod ac oni bai fy mod yn teimlo dyletswydd i fynd fel aelod o'r Pwyllgor Gwaith mae'n debyg faswn i wedi ffendio rhywle mwy fforddiadwy hefyd.

Yn drydydd mae cwestiwn mawr sydd wedi ei ofyn ers rai blynyddoedd rŵan, a hynny ydy, a yw artistiaid sydd yn perfformio yn ecsploetio'r Steddfod ar cynulleidfaoedd drwy drin yr ŵyl fel ryw fath o 'bonws Dolig ariannol? Er bod gen i ddim yn erbyn yr artistiaid gymerodd ran yn y Cyngerdd Pop roedd diffyg arweinyddiaeth, defnydd o gerddorfa ar ffurfioldeb yn ei neud yn gyngerdd diflas, difflach a heb fymryn o awyrgylch. Y teimlad cyffredinol oedd bod y cyngerdd yma i S4C ac i neb arall; mewn ffordd roedd y gynulleidfa yno i sybsideiddio S4C i neud rhaglenni.

Diddorol iawn fasa gwybod yn lle mae'r golled o £90,000 wedi dod o? Y teimlad cyffredinol ydy mai ffioedd afresymol o uchel i RAI artistiaid sydd yn gyfrifol.

Mae'r ateb i'r broblem yn ddigon syml yn fy marn i a hynny ydy rhoi gorau i'r cyngherddau uchel ail drudfawr (neu cael mwy o noddwyr i ariannu) a mynd yn ôl at ein gwreiddiau a chael gweithgareddau traddodiadol llai ei maint mewn lleoliadau lle gall cynulleidfaoedd fod yn rhan o'r gweithgareddau. Hefyd mae angen cadw be sy'n gweithio fel gigs Maes C ac mi ddylsa y Steddfod adael i Gymdeithas yr Iaith ail afael yn yr awenau a rhedeg gigs Maes B; allwn i ddim fforddio'r 'sbats' blynyddol yma!

Mae hi'n gwbl amlwg o'r trafferthion y cawsom wrth godi arian fod yna brinder yn gyffredinol a bod pobol yn gwario llai; hwyrach ei bod hi'n amser i'r Steddfod sylweddoli hynna ac yn arbennig artistiaid fwyaf drudfawr Cymru a lleihau ei disgwyliadau cyn iddynt brisio ei hunain allan o'r farchnad.

No to TeamGB.

2011-11-26T18:45:00.002Z

This is what Alex Ferguson had to say about Team GB:

"Speaking as a Scot I would say it is a no-no for us in case [world governing body] Fifa seizes the opportunity to try to make the home countries play together as Great Britain all the time, and we wouldn't want that,"

Another Con Dem U-Turn.

2011-11-25T19:40:00.002Z

The decision by the Ministry of Justice to remove the Youth Justice Boards from the threat of abolition as part of the Public Bodies Bill is to be welcomed. There has long been uncertainty surrounding long term planning and funding for Local Authority Youth Justice Management Boards who are responsible for preventing youth offending and re-offending. This is an area which is ripe to be devolved to the jurisdiction of the Welsh Government so as to avoid the tripartite funding mechanism which is in place at the moment. The Youth Justice Board in Wales must be the only body with such complex funding systems with the Home Office providing funding to the Community Safety Partnerships, the Ministry of Justice to the Youth Justice Board and the Welsh Government to all 22 Local Authority Youth Justice Services. With such uncertainity over funding streams it is impossible to plan ahead. Now is the opportunity to change.

Wrex recycling opens new stall at People’s Market

2011-11-25T19:12:00.003Z

A recycling project established by the Caia Park Partnership is about to open a new stall on the People’s Market in the town centre. The project which aims to sell used babies and children’s clothes collected locally has gone from strength to strength in the last few months. The new stall will be open from Thursday 24th November and local supporters are urging residents across the borough to call in and pay them a visit.

Wrex Recycling now has 11 red recycling clothes bins installed across Wrecsam, with all profits generated being reinvested to expand the project itself and also to support local initiatives.

Queensway councillor Carrie Harper who has been involved with the project from the start praised the work of staff and volunteers in taking the project to its next phase: “Wrex recycling is an exciting project and the only one of it’s kind in Wrecsam. The team have already reached the finals for the Wales Recycling Awards for ‘Community Recycler of the Year 2011’ for their efforts in getting it off the ground. Staff members and volunteers at the Caia Partnership collect and sort the clothes and prepare them for re sale, the clothes are top quality and I’m sure the stall will be very successful”.

Project organiser Tracey Prandle said: “ We’re really excited about the stall and are looking forward to the opening. We collect all sorts of used items such as clothes (Adults,childrens and babies),shoes, bags, belts, bedding and hangers. We’ll also come to collect these items from residents if they have 3 bin bags or more for us. The new stall means we now have a base to distribute these items in the centre of Wrecsam which is a huge step forward for the project.”

Wrex Recycling now has red clothes banks installed across the borough at the following locations:

The Red Dragon pub car park Prince Charles Road
The Hand pub car park Holt Road
Water Ways garden centre car park Holt Road Llan Y Pwll
Kings Mills pub car park Kingsmills Road
Travellers pub car park
Kingsmills Road Plas Coch retail park, opposite DW Sports
Island Green retail park, first car park
Co op store car park, Rhosymedre
Co op store car park,Johnstown
Cross Foxes pub car park, opposite pub
Somerfield car park, Gwersyllt

Items can also be dropped off at the Caia Park Partnership itself, residents can get in touch on 01978 310 984. Alternatively for more information, the project has a Facebook Page which can be found under ‘Wrex Recycling’

Y ffordd newydd Basgaidd o gyfathrebu?

2011-11-25T00:23:00.003Z

Mae'r erthygl yma ar golwg.360 yn haeddu mwy o drafodaeth, yn enwedig yn sgil diflaniad tebyg papurau dyddiol Cymreig dros y blynyddoedd nesaf. Yng Ngwlad y Basg mae newyddiaduraeth tanddaearol wedi goroesi wedi degawdau o arbrofi.

Ydio'n bosib creu llwyfan arlein tebyg i Goiena yma yng Nghymru, sy'n debyg i Wlad y Basg o ran ei natur gymunedol/blwyfol a chryfder cyfryngau lleol/rhanbarthol yn hytrach na chenedlaethol? Oes modd dod a phapurau bro, radio arlein, blogiau, gwefannau cymunedol a ballu at ei gilydd i greu rhwydwaith Gymraeg o newyddion?

Yn sicr mae'n well bet na trio atgyfodi dadl Y Byd byth a beunydd.

Mae'r un ddadl yr un mor berthnasol i'r cyfryngau Saesneg yng Nghymru wrth gwrs.

New bus service for town centre

2011-11-24T17:08:00.003Z

A new 19-seater bus service will run between the train station, bus station right down to the High Street and then Eagle's Meadow as part of efforts by the council to attract more shoppers to the town centre.

The move, which was backed by the council's Environment and Regeneration Scrutiny Committee, comes after a long battle by myself, Cllr Carrie Harper and Cllr Keith Gregory to get the buses back into the High Street.

Despite initially sounding keen, the private bus companies decided against this and now the council is developing its own service that will come down Regent St and pick up passengers on the way.

This will be a great bonus for those who are less mobile and find it difficult to walk all the way from the bus station to the High Street.

It will mean some loss of parking spaces for Blue Badge holders but there will be some compensation because they will be able to park from 9am.

Darren Williams and his team deserve praise for working through a novel solution to answer the needs of shoppers and traders in what has been a very difficult balancing act.

The last Post?

2011-11-24T13:23:00.005Z

News that Liverpool Daily Post (an entirely separate animal to the Daily Post produced in Wales) is to go weekly will send shivers down many journalists' spines.

The Liverpool DP only has a circulation of 8,200 and is part of the Trinity Mirror group that has also seen the Birmingham Post go weekly. Although the Western Mail and Daily Post (Wales edition) are still a long way from that kind of circulation, it appears to be a group tactic to deal with falling circulation.

The Leader too, which is rumoured to be about to ditch its Mold HQ and move to the Deeside print headquarters, has seen dramatic falls in circulation - currently below 17,000.

The ability to adapt to rapidly changing ways of accessing news and media generally will determine which media outlets survive the next few years. But the further erosion of the Welsh newspaper industry would be a disaster, albeit one largely of their own making.

Join the march against cuts in Wrecsam on November 30

2011-11-22T23:22:00.003Z

This from the North Wales Against Cuts campaign:

PUBLIC SECTOR WORKERS MARCH AGAINST CUTS IN WREXHAM ON NOVEMBER 30

Hundreds of public sector workers are expected to take to the streets of Wrexham next Wednesday, 30 November, to protest against the Tory-Liberal Democrat government's cuts agenda.

The march and rally, which starts in Queen Square in Wrexham town centre, is one of hundreds being organised across the UK as part of a TUC day of action by millions of trade unionists protesting against cuts in their pensions and the wider government cuts.

Strike action will see health workers, school teachers, council workers, tax inspectors, lecturers and civil servants join the march with community activists such as disability campaigners also getting involved.

Peter Jones, of the UCU lecturers' union and a leading member of the alliance of public sector trade unions behind the march, said: "There's incredible anger that public services are being cut and workers' pensions are being raided to pay for the reckless gambling of the bankers.

"This day of action is all about public sector workers saying 'enough is enough' to the government about their pensions being cut while they're expected to pay more and work longer. As well as those affected directly, there are millions more who will be hit by cutbacks in services and benefits. This march is for everyone - whether in the public sector, private sector or among the growing army of unemployed - affected by the cuts."

He added: "Thousands of people work in the public sector in this part of Wales, whether in the NHS, the council, schools or civil service. This attack on workers, many of whom are low paid, will have a major knock-on effect on the local economy. That's why trade unionists have banded together to form North Wales Against Cuts - we must fight back to defend our jobs, homes and families, schools and hospitals among others."

The march through town begins in Queens Square at 11.30am and will end with an indoor rally at the Grove Park Little Theatre on Hill Street at 12.30pm.

Health and Social Care.

2011-11-18T21:53:00.002Z

It's been over two years since the report, "Setting the Direction" was published. The key purpose of this document was to:

"... to set out a framework aimed at assisting LHBs in the development and delivery of improved primary care and community based services for their local populations; particularly for those individuals who are frail , vulnerable and who have complex care needs."

It goes on to identify key elements of the framework as:

"close alignment of health and social care in a system that delivers preventative, pre-emptive, reactive and rehabilitative care focused around the needs of the individual;"

Despite the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board being responsible for the GP Out of Hours service in the Wrecsam area it seems that the service is unaware of how to contact carers outside normal working hours.

In response to a recent complaint I made regarding a lack of joined up/seamless working between Health and Social Care in Wrecsam I received the following explanation from Grace Lewis Jones, Director for Communications for the Trust:

"The GP Out of Hours have never been made aware of the existence of a specific 24/7 Care Service based at Plas yn Rhos, but Dr .... is now in the process of investigating the remit of the Plas yn Rhos Service...

"As a direct result of ..........'s experience the Out of Hours Service are now reviewing their system for accessing social care at night to ensure it still remains appropriate."

Where have the Out of Hours Service been over the last 2 years?

Perhaps this is something for the Community Health Council to address.

Our Unambitious First Minister.

2011-11-18T15:36:00.002Z

This is a letter I wrote to the Daily Post AND which was published today. The letter is in response to our First Minister's Institute of Welsh Politics lecture and reported in the Daily Post here:

Dear Editor,

Much has been written about Carwyn Jones’s competency as First Minister since May of this year, but nothing demonstrates his timidness and lack of ambition for Wales than his lecture to the Institute of Welsh Politics at Aberystwyth and reported in the Post, Nov 15th, ‘Carwyn sets out Devo Limits’, where he seems to be content to sit back and to pick up the crumbs left by Scotland’s march to independence. What sort of First Minister allows the governance system in HIS country to be decided by Scotland’s relationship within the UK? Shouldn’t he govern to meet the needs of the people of Wales?

What the people of Wales need is a constitutional change to be able recall moribund politicians like Carwyn Jones who are not delivering for the people of Wales.

Cynghorydd/Councillor Arfon Jones,

Ruabon by-election

2011-11-18T02:20:00.002Z

Ruabon by-election result

Dana Davies (Lab) 231

Pol Wong (Plaid Cymru) 230

Andy Kendrick (Ind) 155

Adam Owen (Tory) 59

Llongyfarchiadau mawr i Pol am wneud cystal mewn tair wythnos o ymgyrchu.

Congratulations to the victor. Roll on May 2012.

Question Time, Ruabon style

2011-11-16T21:59:00.004Z

Question Time came to Ruabon on the eve of the county council by-election. Or rather it didn't for three of the four candidates as they failed to turn up. Only Pol Wong, Plaid Cymru's candidate, faced questions from voters that ranged from planning to parking.

Stella Matthews, the mother of the Labour candidate and also the agent, turned up and tried to get the meeting cancelled on the grounds that they had refused to take part. She had also earlier told people in the village that the meeting had been cancelled and tried to insist to one shopworker that she take down a poster advertising the event. This annoyed the shopworker enough to bring her along to the meeting but by then Stella had gone.

It's a shame the other candidates didn't stay to listen to the concerns of local people. It's a shame that they treated the democratic process with such contempt. If they're not willing to answer to the people before they're elected, what hope is there of them being answerable once they're in post?

Fortunately, the signs for tomorrow are good. The campaign has entered its final 24 hours and Pol is on course to retain Barrie Price's seat for Plaid Cymru.

Use your vote on Thursday - vote Pol Wong

Labour Market Statistics.

2011-11-16T10:35:00.002Z

The Regional Labour Market Statistics (November 2011) were released today and overall it shows an increase in unemployment and claimant counts. The total number of unemployed in Wales had gone up from 122,000 (April/June Quarter) to 137,000 in the second quarter.

The situation for the 18 to 24 age group has again worsened with the numbers of claimants in that age group who have been claiming for more than 12 months having doubled between May and October this year with 900 more long term claimants.

Ieuan Wyn Jones is quite right in warning the First Minister that Wales is in danger of losing a whole generation to the ranks of the unemployed. Plaid Cymru are also right in opposing the government's budget and demanding more emphasis on economic development.

It will be interesting to see how the First Minister and the Government will spin these statistics, best guess is... let's blame the Con Dem government in London!

Scottish Tories are still in disarray!

2011-11-11T08:38:00.008Z

I wrote a few weeks ago about the race for the leadership of the Tory Party in Scotland and the bad feelings and dirty tricks that were going on. Despite electing the establishment favourite Ruth Davidson MSP as their new leader the simmering discontent seems set to continue as Ms Davidson fails to command the loyalty of the 15 MSP's in the Tory Group with defeated leadership candidate Murdo Fraser refusing the Deputy Leadership whilst his campaign manager Liz Smith refused Ms Davidson's attempt to move her from Education spokesperson to Rural Affairs. It therefore appears that the new deputy leader will be another defeated leadership challenger Jackson Carlow MSP who came in third in the Leadership elections. Ms Davidson's immediate concern will however be her inability to form a front bench team of spokespersons to scrutinise and challenge the work of the SNP Government.

It seems therefore that Ms Davidson will not enjoy a leadership honeymoon period that most new party leaders benefit from. Perhaps there are lessons here for all political parties who are considering electing new leaders and that is to gain the support of the MSP's who you intend to lead, or as the Scotsman leader said in an aptly titled piece, "Tories’ new leader reaps what she sows as rivals kick back":

The reasons for this mood of rebellion among Tory MSPs is obvious to all, and should be to Ms Davidson herself. Many of the party’s few tribunes at Holyrood voted for her rival Murdo Fraser, who yesterday refused her offer to remain as deputy leader, the position he occupied under Annabel Goldie, and promptly walked off to the back benches after being refused the job he wanted of leading the Tory campaign against independence.

Hunterston - a tale of two energy policies

2011-11-09T00:01:00.001Z

Today, North Ayrshire Council rejected a planning application for a new coal-fired power station at Hunterston. This decision is to be welcomed because it was to be sold on the basis that emissions would be 25% less (and increasing over the years to 90%) because of CCS Technology (Carbon Capture and Storage). This is as we all know unproven and untested technology and to grant planning permission on such technology would be grossly negligient on the part of the council.

One thing that struck me when I heard the report today was that the final decision would rest with the Scottish Ministers. Had the same thing happened in Wales, say Wylfa B, the final decision would have been taken by Chris Huhne (or is the unelected unaccountable Infrastructure Planning Commission still in place?) and not Welsh Ministers - a situation that our Prime Minister Carwyn Jones finds preferable!

Plas Madoc Communities First - heads should roll

2011-11-03T21:01:00.003Z

The Plas Madoc Communities First scandal first erupted in October 2009 when a BBC Wales radio programme aired concerns about misuse of public money. The concerns had been raised by whistleblower Mandy Bostwick, who had been employed briefly by PMCF. Her concerns were backed by Plaid's Janet Ryder AM, despite attempts by the police, PMCF and the local council to rubbish both her claims and general credibility.

To her very great credit, Mandy Bostwick stood her ground in the face of intimidation and the blackening of her name in a campaign orchestrated by Miriam Beard.

Janet Ryder's office was called following the radio programme by an incandescent Miriam Beard demanding that she attend a public meeting for the people of Plas Madoc to express their anger. She agreed but the meeting mysteriously never took place as the police and Wales Audit Office started investigating.

Throughout this sorry saga, recorded at length on this blog, the trustees who oversaw the project failed to take a lead. Among them is Councillor Paul Blackwell. This is what he had to say in December 2009, six weeks after the allegations were made in the media but a full TEN MONTHS after Mandy Bostwick took her concerns to the directors of PMCF:

Yesterday Plas Madoc Councillor Paul Blackwell, who sits on the PMCF board said the scheme was fully co-operating with the investigation.
Coun Blackwell said: “There is full co-operation with the investigation and at the moment there is no evidence of any wrong doing.”

Well it's there for all to see now.

For their failure to oversee a project that has spent millions on the Plas Madoc estate, for their failure to take seriously the whistleblowing of an employee, the directors of Plas Madoc Communities First should hang their heads in shame and resign.

Welsh Government Inspection Regimes!

2011-11-03T16:12:00.002Z

I have written previously, in critical terms of the demanding and bureaucratic nature of Welsh Government inspection regimes i.e. Estyn, CSSIW and HIW (Health Inspectorate Wales) and their lack of joined up thinking.

Towards the end of last year (perhaps beginning of this year) Wrexham's Local Safeguarding Children's Board was inspected by a team that consisted of representatives of CSSIW. HIW, Estyn together with HMIC (Police Inspectorate) and HMIP (Probation Inspectorate) spent 3 days there looking for bad practise to justify their existence. A few months later Wrexham's LSCB amalgamated with Flintshire and 10 months later CSSIW produced its report on Wrexham LSCB, which frankly has little value because of the structural changes.

The CSSIW also produced an overarching report on all 19 LSCB's in Wales and the most interesting part for me was this:

LSCBs operate within a complex framework of partnerships and
organisational structures. These include Health, Social Care and Well
Being Partnerships, Community Safety Partnerships, Children and Young
People’s Partnerships (CYPP) and Local Service Boards (LSB); four
police authorities, seven local health Boards and 22 local authorities. On
the one hand, this results in many of the same people sitting on more
than one partnership, which can lead to the responsibilities of the
partnerships becoming blurred (e.g. some CYPPs taking responsibility for
safeguarding) and on the other hand a range of different people from one
agency being involved in different partnerships and there being little
clarity about how the cross cutting issues are dealt with.

Doesn't this just sum up what is wrong with the whole system?

Welsh Government creating partnerships and Welsh Government Inspectorate criticising them because they don't understand how they are supposed to work together; were they supposed to work together? If the Inspectorate don't know how it all works together then we would be hard pressed to explain how these partnerships deliver outcomes for children

I shall say it again, what is needed is a rationalisation of the bureaucracy; we cannot afford to have more people checking than we have doing.

Plas Coch roundabout - no traffic lights, no congestion

2011-11-02T22:16:00.002Z

The roadworks on the Plas Coch roundabout by Homebase currently mean that's it's down to one lane and there are no lights in operation. Despite this, I've sailed through at various times of the day.

Should we turn the traffic lights back on when the roadworks are finished? One for the highways dept to ponder.

Miriam Beard trial - 2

2011-11-02T22:13:00.001Z

Criticism of trustees as well as Miriam Beard

A fraud trial heard today how an internal auditor from the Welsh Government found significant and fundamental failures in the financial controls of one of its scheme set up to alleviate poverty.

It led to a full investigation which uncovered a culture of generosity among staff in the Plas Madoc Communities First project.Clare Collett, of the Welsh Government's internal audit service, made a two day visit to Plas Madoc in 2009 for a review of the files and found the failures in the financial controls in place.

In evidence at Mold Crown Court, she said that there was confusion about the ownership of a caravan which was used by residents for holidays at Rhyl.Co-ordinator Miriam Beard, who is on trial for fraud charges she denies, told her that the charity owned the caravan but said that they had kept it fairly quiet because they did not want the residents to know.

It was felt that if they did, then they would feel that they would have a right to use the caravan when they wanted to.

The prosecution say Beard purchased the caravan for £9,000 then paid rent for it to one of her sons but then claimed that he was being paid to maintain it and keep an eye on it.

It is alleged that she defrauded the charity by paying more than £25,000 into the bank account of her elderly father, names as a Mr D Gay, and then diverting the money to her own.It was invoiced as providing drama tuition for young people although it is claimed her father knew nothing about it.

Beard claims that the money was paid out with the approval of the board when it was not used up at the end of the financial year – so that it would not have to be returned to the Assembly. It was later used for future projects, she says.Miss Collett said Beard had said that she had given her fuel card to Sinead Moynihan, a Hollyoaks actress, and had told her that it was to be used once a week when travelling to Plas Madoc to provide drama classes.

But the prosecution say that her son, who was Miss Moynihan's partner, ran up a £4,000 bill on the fuel card. There is no suggestion of any wrongdoing by the actress.

Cross examined by Russell Davies, defending Beard, Miss Collett agreed that problems in financial controls were previously identified in 2003 during a review by Wrexham council but there was no evidence of any follow-up.

Mr Davies said that while his client was in the dock, the Welsh Government audit raised wider concerns than her role and said there were control weaknesses throughout the organisation. He said the board of trustees had not effectively discharged its duties.

He suggested that his client was an creative and artistic person rather than an accountant, and was not qualified to coordinate and control financial matters.
Mr Davies said that while Beard's two sons had been employed by the charity, it was clear that other people, including board members, had families working for it.

Beard, 55, is alleged to have milked the charity, set up to improve the large estate near Wrexham, one of the poorest in Wales, out of more than £54,000.
Beard, of Tryfan Uchaf at Henllan near Denbigh, denies 12 charges of fraud in a position of trust and one of joint theft with her husband.
James Beard, 46, of the same address, denies eight charges - six charges of fraud and two of theft.The case continues.

Farm Subsidies.

2011-11-01T21:00:00.003Z

Whilst Gregory Barker argues that Feed In Tariffs for Renewable Energy need to be reduced because it adds £26 to each households energy bills a year, Caroline Spelman on the other hand is quite happy to continue creating more and more farm subsidy millionaires from the CAP (Common Agricultural Policy) grants which costs each taxpayer (not households) a £107 a year.

This is how the Guardian reported on the CAP a few weeks ago:

Britain will try to "substantially" reduce European subsidies handed to millions of farmers each year but will resist European commission plans to limit payments to the richest...

Britain will argue that the commission's plan to cap the amount of money paid to Europe's biggest farmers is unworkable, and would lead to artificial changes of ownerships. In addition, it will argue that proposals to pay younger farmers more in order to encourage new entrants into the industry would prove unworkable.

The campaign group farmsubsidy.org says there are 1,212 farm subsidy millionaires across Europe, including 268 in Germany, 174 in France and 29 in Britain. Charities such as the RSPB and corporations such as Nestle are believed to receive more than £1m a year. The Queen qualified for £473,500 in farm aid in 2009 for Sandringham farms.

Several government ministers and their families receive large sums from Europe. The environment and fisheries minister Richard Benyon's family estates received over £200,000 in EU farm subsidies in 2009, the farming minister Jim Paice and the Northern Ireland secretary Owen Paterson both have farms, and David Cameron's father-in-law, Lord Sheffield, is a wealthy landowner believed to be receiving large EU subsidies. Benyon resigned his chairmanship of the family estates business when he became a minister.

In total, nearly 200,000 farmers in Britain received payments of £3.3bn in 2009, up from £2.6bn in 2008, but the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has enforced an information blackout on the subsidies paid to the richest.

Sugar and dairy processing companies were among the largest recipients of European farm subsidies last year. The number of farmers and food companies who received individual payments of more than €1m this year increased by more than 20% on the previous year, according to farmsubsidy.org.

So there we have it the Con Dem government want to reduce the CAP but not to the richest which means that if they have their way small farmers in Wales will suffer; whilst the Duchy of Cornwall, the Queen, Nestle and Tate and Lyle will continue to add to the millions of pounds of taxpayers money that they've already accumulated in farm subsidies since 1999.

Retrospective Consultation!

2011-11-01T19:23:00.002Z

Yes, retrospective consultation is a new one on me as well, but obviously isn't to Gregory Barker MP, Climate Change Minister at the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC).

The hapless Mr Barker has been given the 'poisoned chalice' job by Chris Huhne of consulting on a reduction in domestic feed in tariff for renewable energy. He is so anxious to be rid of the job that he announces that the reduction of the Feed in Tariff will be introduced on the 12th December 2011; a full 11 days before the consultation ends on the 23rd December 2011!

I now have a whole new understanding of 'meaningful consultation.'

Plas Madoc Communities First trial - 1

2011-11-01T15:08:00.004Z

For legal reasons, comments should avoid prejudicing the ongoing case against Miriam Beard.

Plas Madoc housing scheme boss 'milked £54,000'

James and Miriam Beard arriving at Mold Crown Court for a previous hearingThe head of a scheme to regenerate a deprived housing estate "milked" £54,000 of its funds for herself and her family, a jury has been told.

Miriam Beard, 55, who ran Plas Madoc Communities First Project at Acrefair, Wrexham, also hid her previous convictions, Mold Crown Court heard.Mrs Beard, of Henllan, Denbighshire, and her husband James, 46, deny a number of fraud and theft charges.

Prosecutor Karl Scholz said the case centred on dishonesty, deceit and lies. Mr Scholz said the case was primarily orchestrated by Mrs Beard. He said Plas Madoc Communities First Project was a registered charity set up to improve the local community.

Mrs Beard had been appointed its co-ordinator in 2003 after working as a welfare rights money adviser for Wrexham council's social services department. But Mr Scholz alleged that she concealed her past by claiming to be 10 years younger. She claimed that she left university and went straight to work after obtaining A levels and GCSEs.

In truth, Mr Scholz told the court, she had been due to sit six CSE examinations, failed three and failed to turn up for three. She never went to university.He said Mrs Beard did not disclose her criminal record and had been convicted of offences of dishonesty and other matters in the 1970s. Mr Scholz said that she had served a prison sentence in 1979 for conspiracy to defraud.

He said Mrs Beard was answerable to no-one at the scheme apart from a board of trustees who apparently had very little hands-on knowledge of what was taking place. He added that she was, in effect, using the assets of the charity for her own ends and "milked" £54,000 from it.

The court heard Mrs Beard found a way to pay her son Daryl Kelly £18,300 on the pretext that he owned a holiday caravan on the coast and was renting it to the project for the use of residents. When checks were made, she changed her story and said she was hiring him - at £18,300 for two years - to maintain and keep an eye on it. The caravan was at all times owned by the charity.

The charity also paid £3,000 for a vehicle for Mr Kelly and the evidence showed that he bought another vehicle for £2,000 and sold it to the charity for £8,000.

She also arranged for him to use her fuel card and he ran up a £4,000 bill over a 15-month period, it was alleged. It was alleged that she arranged for two cheques, totalling more than £25,000, to be paid into her father's account for running or providing services for children. The court was told that no such services were provided. The money was then withdrawn and paid into her account and there was no suggestion that her father knew what was going on.

The court heard that Mrs Beard had produced a document outlining youth activities that were proposed which, among other things, would help quell the stigma attached with Plas Madoc, she said. Drama groups were planned to build confidence and self-esteem, together with football, rugby, healthy eating sessions and drama producers, directors and make-up artists would give talks. Other issues would be tackled including bullying, drugs, alcohol, environmental issues and the programme would end up with a presentation to showcase the youngsters' achievements.

But the platitudes contained in the document she prepared was all a tissue of lies, said Mr Scholz. He said she had arranged for building materials and the hire of a digger which she needed for work at her home at Henllan to be invoiced to the charity together with two hotel bills at the Wild Pheasant in Llangollen. Mrs Beard denies 12 charges of fraud in a position of trust and one of joint theft with her husband. Her husband denies eight charges - six charges of fraud and two of theft.

The trial, before Judge Rhys Rowlands, is expected to last two weeks.

Freedom of Information Act - Decision Notice (BBC)

2011-10-31T13:52:00.003Z

On the 6th June 2011, I made an FOIA request of the BBC to determine the composition of the BBC Question Time audience from Wrecsam because it was generally felt that the audience was not representative of the Wrecsam area. The BBC refused to provide the information based upon a statutory exemption in the Act.

The Information Commissioner upheld the BBC's position and the comprehensive decision notice is shown below.

fs_50401168

The fact that the BBC is specifically exempted by the Act is perverse, a public service broadcaster funded by licence payers (a form of taxation) should be open and transparent but it is not. The Freedom of Information Act should be amended to include the BBC as a public body.

Not the greenest of governments after all!

2011-10-29T18:59:00.003+01:00

Another Con Dem promise of being the greenest government ever will be dumped on Monday when Chris Huhne the Climate Change Secretary will allegedly reduce the Feed in Tariff on renewable electricity from 43.3 pence a Kilowatt/hour to 21pence, or a 50% reduction. The claim in the report is that it is a levy on housholders electricity bills and the government are increasingly concerned about rising bills:

The feed-in tariff scheme, introduced 18 months ago, has been a huge success and has led to 100,000 households installing solar power.

This is because the levels on return on a typical £10,000 investment have been very generous, at about seven per cent per annum – far in excess of rates that can be found in the banks.

This has sparked a mini-solar boom, and from fewer than 500 companies employing about 3,000 people before the FIT was introduced, there are now 3,000 companies with a 25,000 workforce, which has been predicted to expand to 360,000 by 2020.

Yet the Government has become nervous of the subsidy's cost, as it is paid not from the Treasury but by a levy on household electricity bills – an increasingly sensitive subject – and wants to limit it.

..."Coming from a Government that said it would be the greenest ever, this is completely misguided and will be a devastating blow for the solar industry," said Howard Johns of Solar Trade Association.

"Solar installation will be limited to a few rich people, and all the installation going on in solar housing will stop. Hundreds of companies will go bankrupt."

What Howard Johns says is quite right, if the Feed in Tariff is reduced by 50% thousands of jobs in solar PV manufacture will go in places like Sharp in Llay as the reduced incentive will make people think again on spending £10,000 when it will take 18 years to recoup their original investment. Solar renewable energy generation will grind to a halt.

Arguments in support of a reduction in FIT are flawed; it is claimed that the FIT subsidy is paid through a levy on household bills which is quite right but which only adds 5% to the bill...compare this to the 30 to 50% increase in energy prices over the last two years. The FIT subsidy is therefore money well spent to reduce our carbon footprint and to generate renewables

A rough calculation of the cost of the Feed in Tariff since its introduction in April 2010, is around £800 million (based on 100,000 houses having produced 3,500 KWh and being paid 43.3p per KWh), this is the same as the PROFITS of nPower and Scottish Power put together for the last year. Imagine what the profits of all the gas/electricity producers are? No doubt it would dwarf the cost of the FIT subsidy.

Chris Huhne and the Liberal Democrats in the Coalition have rolled over and acquiesced to the anti climate change Tory agenda.

Campaign banner unveiled in by-election

2011-10-28T18:15:00.003+01:00

The new campaign banner is unveiled on the main entrance to Rhiwabon - you can't miss it!

Former Labour councillor backs Plaid candidate in Ruabon

2011-10-28T18:10:00.003+01:00

A former Labour councillor is the latest to back Pol Wong's campaign to become the new Plaid Cymru councillor for Ruabon.

Cyril Williams, who represented the village for 27 years as a Labour and then independent councillor, said:

"I have known Pol for many years and am fully supporting his campaign. He will make a great contribution for Ruabon as our councillor."

Mr Williams, who lives in the same street as Pol's martial arts school, is the latest community figure to back the by-election candidate, who was chosen by Plaid Cymru after the sudden death of their popular councillor Barrie Price.

Cllr Price's wife, Elaine, also urged voters to come out to vote for Pol. In a statement of support she told voters in Ruabon:

"I would urge you to give your support to the Plaid Cymru candidate to carry on the good work Barrie had started and intended to continue."

Pol Wong, who has run martial arts classes in his village gym for the past 15 years, said:

"Elaine is a very well-respected person in her own right in the village and worked tirelessly alongside Barrie for the benefit of the community. I'm very humbled to have her backing.

"The same can be said for Cyril, who has been a good neighbour of mine for many years and is also a hugely respected figure in the village.

"We've had a great response on the doorstep so far and intend to step up the campaign in the coming week. We will knock on every door in the village so that people can tell me of their concerns and problems."

* Get involved in Plaid Cymru's election campaign in Rhiwabon: contact 07747 792 441 or e-mail plaidwrecsam @ gmail.com

Deisebau Newydd i'r Cynulliad

2011-10-28T14:04:00.002+01:00

Dyma ddwy ddeiseb newydd sydd ar wefan y Cynulliad:

Adolygiad Asedau ac Eiddo

Rydym yn galw ar y Cynulliad Cenedlaethol a Llywodraeth Cymru i gynnal Adolygiad Asedau ac Eiddo ar eu hadeiladau a / neu eu heiddo unigol i leihau nifer yr eiddo nad yw n cael ei ddefnyddio n ddigonol ac i ddefnyddio r cyfalaf a gaiff ei arbed i ariannu Rhaglen Ysgolion yr 21ain Ganrif.

Gwybodaeth gefnogol - Mae gan y Cynulliad Cenedlaethol swyddfeydd yn Rhodfa r Tywysog, Bae Colwyn, ac mae gan Lywodraeth Cymru swyddfeydd yng Nghyffordd Llandudno, nad ydynt yn cael eu defnyddio n ddigonol ac sy n rhannol wag. Nid oes cyfiawnhad dros ariannu dau adeilad sydd mor agos at ei gilydd yn yr amseroedd ariannol caled hyn i drethdalwyr yng Nghymru. Gwerthfawrogir bod Llywodraeth Cymru a Chynulliad Cenedlaethol Cymru yn ddau sefydliad ar wah n ond nid oes rheswm pam nad oes modd iddynt rannu r un adeilad. Mae r un sefyllfa yn wir mewn ardaloedd eraill yng Nghymru hefyd mae n debyg.
Mae'r linc yma

Targedau Ailgylchu ar gyfer Byrddau Iechyd

Rydym yn galw ar Gynulliad Cenedlaethol Cymru i argymell wrth y Gweinidog Iechyd ei bod yn cyflwyno targedau ailgylchu sy n gosod rhwymedigaeth gyfreithiol ar fyrddau iechyd yng Nghymru ar lefel sy n debyg i r hyn a osodir ar Awdurdodau Lleol .

Gwybodaeth Gefnogol - Nododd cais Rhyddid Gwybodaeth diweddar fod Ysbyty Maelor yn Wrecsam wedi cael gwared ar 1,200 tunnell o wastraff y llynedd (nad yw n cynnwys unedau trydanol WWEE). Dim ond 3 y cant o r gwastraff hwnnw a gafodd ei ailgylchu ac aeth 55 y cant i safleoedd tirlenwi, gan gynnwys yr holl wastraff bwyd. Mae r diffyg ymrwymiad hwn i ailgylchu n annerbyniol a chan fod nifer o gyfleusterau ailgylchu lleol ar gael, ni ellir ei esgusodi. Cyfanswm y gost o waredu gwastraff o Ysbyty Maelor yw tua £350,000 bob blwyddyn, a phe byddai hyn yn batrwm cyffredinol drwy Gymru, yna byddai r gost yn tua £5 miliwn.

Mae'r linc yma

This blog draws attention to 2 new petitions on the Assembly Website; to access the petitions click on the above links and then select English in the top left hand corner of the webpage.

Taffy is a Welshman - Alun Rees

2011-10-28T09:32:00.003+01:00

Alun Rees wrote this poem in response to the anti-Welsh 18th Century nursery rhyme: "Taffy was a Welshman, Taffy was a thief, Taffy came to my house and stole a piece of beef".

TAFFY IS A WELSHMAN

Taffy is a Welshman,
Taffy is no thief.
Someone came to Taffy's house
and stole a leg of beef.

Taffy made no protest,
for he doesn't like a row,
so the someone called on him again
and stole the bloody cow.

They stole his coal and iron,
they stole his pastures, too.
They even stole his language
and flushed it down the loo.

Taffy is a Welshman,
Taffy is a fool.
Taffy voted no, no, no
when they offered him home rule.

Six days a week upon his knees
Taffy dug for coal.
On the seventh he was kneeling, too,
praying for his soul.

And now the mines are closing down
and chapel's had its day,
Taffy still lives upon his knees,
for he knows no other way.

Now sometimes Taffy's brother
will start a row or so,
but you can bank on Taffy:
he doesn't want to know.

For when they hanged Penderyn
he had nothing much to say,
and when Saunders Lewis went to jail
he looked the other way.

Taffy is a Welshman
who likes to be oppressed.
He was proud to tug his forelock
to a Crawshay or a Guest.

They give him tinsel royals,
so he has a pint of beer,
and sings God Bless the Prince of Wales
as he joins the mob to cheer.

Now Taffy is a fighter
when he hears the bugle call.
Name any war since Agincourt:
Taffy's seen them all.

He's fought in France and Germany
and many another land;
he's fought by sea and fought by air
and fought on desert sand.

He's fought for many a foreign flag
in many a foreign part,
for Taffy is a Welshman,
proud of his fighting heart.

He's fought the wide world over,
he's given blood and bone.
He's fought for every bloody cause
except his bloody own.
Alun's collection of poems "Yesterday's Tomorrow" (Dinas) is highly recommended.

Crime and the council

2011-10-27T21:38:00.003+01:00

You might imagine that the council's Crime and Disorder Scrutiny Committee would be the ideal place to raise concerns about anti-social behaviour and policing the town centre - especially when it's making the local front pages.

But the committee has a very narrow remit - to scrutinise the work of the Community Safety Partnership and the particular issue was not discussed.

The meat of the business was the Flintshire and Wrecsam Community Safety Partnership's plan to measure success between now and 2014. Many crime stats in Wrecsam are significantly worse than in Flintshire, yet there was no explanation as to why that is. Both areas have similar social and economic profiles, so why is Wrecsam worse in terms of burglaries, assaults and substance misuse? Why do we have more young offenders re-offending than Flintshire?

These are the questions you'd expect councillors to raise at such a meeting but when you're presented with a 43-page report on the night it's impossible to do more than skim read the contents. Not so much a scrutiny committee as a rubberstamp before the report goes to Exec Board then.

One explanation for higher re-offending rates among youngsters offered by a representative of the CSP was the high number of private care homes in Wrecsam. These take youngsters with behavioural and other problems from authorities all over the UK, often at extortionate rates of thousands of pounds per week. The bonus for the other councils is that it gets problem kids off their streets - for us it's the opposite.

Although other councils are meant to inform the host county when this happens, many "slip under the radar". So when the kids abscond or commit crime locally, we clear up the mess.

It's time authorities and private care homes were forced to report what they're up to and it's time we asked why Wrecsam has a disproportionate number of such homes.

At least we will be allowed to scrutinise that properly in the future.

The Race for the Áras

2011-10-27T20:03:00.004+01:00

You are 15% ahead in the Opinion Polls in the race for the Presidency of Ireland with a few days to go so what could possibly go wrong?

I'm sure Gallagher wishes the ground would just open up!

Whilst Martin McGuiness's brilliantly timed ambush is unlikely to help him to get to Áras an Uachtaráin, it could help Labour's Michael D Higgins to win.

Not long now to wait!

Anglesey Council : Are they a law unto themselves?

2011-10-25T14:42:00.002+01:00

There has been a lot said over the years about the way that Anglesey Council run their business but to disregard legal obligation is probably a new low for them. I am course referring to Anglesey Council exempting Wales largest bus operator, the multinational Arriva from conducting enhanced CRB checks on the drivers that drive school buses:

A spokesman for Anglesey council said that Arriva had been excused the checks because of the widespread nature of its business.

He said: “All drivers and passenger assistants used on our [school bus] contracts by all companies apart from Arriva have been CRB checked.

It seems that there is one rule for one bus operator and another for 'smaller' bus operators; but that is not the only point. The other and far more important point is that there is a very good reason for enhanced CRB checks and that is Ian Huntley.

Huntley killed Jessica Chapman and Hollie Wells in Soham in 2002 and was later convicted of murder. Huntley was a school caretaker with no convictions but had previous arrests for sexual offences. An enhanced CRB check would have identified his previous arrests and intelligence. As it was at the time, checks revealed nothing.

Following on from Soham the Bichard enquiry made a number of recommendations in relation to safe recruiting of staff to work with children. These recommendation were encapsulated in legislation The Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006, which places requirements on employing staff engaged in 'regulated activities' that is working with children. Amongst those requirements are enhanced CRB checks; school Bus driving is a 'regulated activity.'

I therefore cannot see how Anglesey Council can legally exempt Arriva from conducting enhanced CRB checks on drivers of school buses.

I for one will be seeking reassurances from Wrecsam Council that ALL school contracts will stipulate that the drivers were subjected to enhanced CRB checks.

Ex-martial arts champion to fight by-election for Plaid Cymru

2011-10-24T05:00:00.003+01:00

A former martial arts world champion has been selected by Plaid Cymru to fight the Ruabon by-election.

Pol Wong, who has run a martial arts gym in the centre of the village for the past 15 years, will be standing for Plaid Cymru after the sudden death of their popular councillor Barrie Price last month.

Mr Wong said: "It's a very great honour to be chosen to follow in the footsteps of Barrie Price. He was a very hard-working and conscientious councillor for Ruabon and is sorely missed.

"He was also a very rare politician in that very few people had a bad word to say about him, as we have seen in the many tributes paid to him since his passing.

"I will do my utmost to carry on his good work and ensure that people in Ruabon have a strong voice in the Guildhall and someone who will represent their interests at all times."

Commenting after the candidate selection, Plaid Cymru's group leader on Wrexham Council Marc Jones said: "This has been a very difficult time both for Barrie's friends and, more importantly, his family. The best tribute we can pay to Barrie is to continue his good work as a Plaid councillor and do what's best for the people of Ruabon and Wales.

"That's why we are delighted to have selected a candidate who is well known locally and who has campaigned on a range of issues over the past few years.

"Pol has taught hundreds of local children over the years and many now bring their children to his gym. He was also active in the last-ditch attempts to stop Merseyside's waste being dumped in the Hafod quarry and has campaigned against plans to over-develop North-east Wales for the benefit of Cheshire commuters."

Mr Wong added: "I've always been very proud to be Welsh and always been involved in voluntary work in the community. Along with my close connection with Ruabon and my genuine respect for and friendship with Barrie, it's a natural step to take to stand as a councillor."

The by-election was called by Labour and will be held on November 17.

To get involved with the campaign, contact plaidwrecsam @ gmail.com or 07742 073 949.

The other candidates who have put their names forward for the by-election contest are:

Dana Davies (Labour)

Adam Owen (Conservative)

Andy Kendrick (Independent)

The Observer gets it wrong!

2011-10-23T19:43:00.002+01:00

Today's Observer reports on Sinn Féin's Martin McGuiness's faltering campaign to become the next President of Ireland. McGuinness is in third place on 14% behind Labour's Michael D Higgins and the Independant Sean Gallagher who tops the opinion polls on 40% with 4 days to go until the voting commences.

Although the report is quite right about McGuiness's slump in the polls; it wrongly identifies Michael D Higgins as being in the lead when in fact the last few opinion polls show Sean Gallagher leading by 12 points over a week ago this has now been extended to 14 points; and barring a disaster with second preference votes looks very likely to become Ireland's next President.

Basic editorial mistakes likes this does nothing to enhance the credibility and reliability of what is our most reliable and balanced media outlet.

Lost in Care

2011-10-23T12:14:00.005+01:00

In July of this year, Keith Towler the Children's Commissioner for Wales published his report, "Lost in Care" about the experiences of Looked After Children leaving care:

The aim of this publication is to give readers a flavour of what it is like to leave care and to demonstrate the experiences of young people who are currently preparing to leave care as well as those who have recently left care. It draws on the information we have gathered from young people themselves as well as drawing on reports and statistics produced by other key organisations.

This report was discussed at Wrecsam's last Corporate Parenting Panel and it was agreed that steps would be taken to implement those recommendations of the report not already in place.

Following on from this report, Assembly Member Ken Skates (having won a backbench ballot) now intends to introduce a Private Members Bill to extend care for Children Leaving Care from 18 to 25 years of age with a particular emphasis on housing. Such initiatives are to be welcomed as there are many young people leaving care who end up on the streets or in prison and further support for them is long overdue.

Despite asking Ken whether his proposed bill has being costed and whether the Government will support the substantial increase in funding to Local Authorities that introduction will entail; no reply has been forthcoming.

In recent years the numbers of children placed into care has increased substantially but budgets for Looked After Children teams have not seen similar increases. Additionally court judgements such as Southwark (Homeless 16 and 17 year olds treated as being in care) and Barking and Dagenham (unaccompanied Asylum Seekers) have imposed a further financial burden on local authorities which has not been considered in past budget settlements.

Ken Skates and the Welsh Government need to reassure the WLGA and opposition parties that his Private Members bill will be fully funded so as to obtain cross party support.

It is somewhat ironic that the only 'ambitious' piece of legislation aimed to improve ourcomes for a vulnerable group, which has emanated from the government benches in the last 6 months is a private members bill.

Labour's control and centralisation agenda.

2011-10-22T20:53:00.002+01:00

A written statement by Gwenda Thomas the Deputy Minister for Social Services, "Safeguarding and Protecting People at Risk" seems to have been missed by most media outlets and commentators. It is however well worth a read if only to show the controlling and centralising nature of the Labour Government's agenda:

I intend to use the Social Services Bill to require the establishment of Safeguarding & Protection Boards to replace the current LSCBs and non statutory adult protection committees.

The functions of the Boards will be subject to consultation in 2012, but will encompass the existing statutory functions of LSCBs including developing policies and procedures to co-ordinate work, disseminate best practice, awareness raising and undertaking research and the scope of the adult protection committees.

I have said many times that doing things 22 times is not sustainable. Evidence presented by CSSIW and other inspectorate bodies earlier this month again suggested that LSCBs are not working as effectively as we had hoped. The rationale for fewer boards is considerable. As is the case for placing adult protection boards on an equitable footing with those for children.

Both the Independent Commission and the Safeguarding Children Forum saw merit in reconfiguring the current structure of LSCBs to align with the current Local Health Board footprint.

I have decided that the new Safeguarding and Protection Boards should be match the proposed Public Service Delivery footprint of six.

In advance of the legislation, my expectation is that LSCBs will begin planning for the change and move onto a collaborative model as soon as possible. The functions of LSCBs, prescribed in regulation will remain unchanged in the interim. The consultation period around the Bill will enable us to discuss and plan with stakeholders the changes to current adult protection arrangements.

The LSCB here refers to LOCAL Safeguarding Children's Board which will no longer be LOCAL as the 3 LSCB's in North Wales will be amalgamated into 1 to follow the blueprint of the Local Health Board and we all know that they don't work. As one who sits on the recently formed joint Wrecsam and Flintshire LSCB I really cannot envisage one that works across North Wales because of the sheer volume of the work and the differences in practise across the six counties; it will be exceptionally cumbersome and bureaucratic. The other problem here is that Ministers will not stop tinkering with processes and are basically changing things for the sake of changing them and with no evidence base that new structures will work. LSCB's were after all not introduced until 2006 following legislation in 2004. Five years is not a long time. All this does is introduce more bureucracy to distract front line managers away from their work in protecting children. Constant interference by politicians and administrators does nothing to ensure better outcomes for children.

When Westminster comes to town

2011-10-20T11:32:00.009+01:00

The Welsh Grand Committee - a toothless body including all Welsh MPs and a few representing English constituencies - was meeting in Wrecsam's Guildhall today.

They were met by campaigners opposed to Tory plans to cut 120,000 public sector jobs while also cutting the 50% tax rate for the rich.

Among those confronted were Welsh Secretary Cheryl Gillan, who oozed patronising sympathy, and her fellow Tory minister Chris "Grey" Grayling. This is a man so grey that he could barely look the protesters in the eye as they asked him to tax the rich not cut jobs.

But the best fun was had with the appearance of Michael "No it's not a wig" Fabricant, Tory rightwinger and MP for Lichfield.

Why was he there claiming expenses on a trip to Wrecsam? What could he possibly know about Wales?

Well, Michael got on his high horse very quickly and said: "My mother is from Wales and I own a house in Wales. And I probably speak very good Welsh."

Stop digging please, Michael.

At a time of pay freezes, pension cuts and job losses for public sector workers, how much is this grand committee costing us? It won't be cheap if you factor in all the travelling and accommodation costs for the MPs and the penguin-suited minions (see below). The archaic trappings of Westminster belong to a different age as well as a different country.

Provisional Welsh Local Government Settlement 2012/13

2011-10-18T18:12:00.000+01:00

Welsh Local Government Settlement.

Rhieni Dros Addysg Gymraeg (Rhan 2)

2011-10-16T19:11:00.002+01:00

Yr ail ŵr gwadd i siarad yng Nghynhadledd Flynyddol Rhieni Dros Addysg Gymraeg oedd y Gweinidog Addysg, Leighton Andrews a llongyfarchiadau iddo am areithio yn y Gymraeg ag hefyd ateb cwestiynau yn Gymraeg.

Prif themâu'r Gweinidog oedd rôl bwysig rhieni ond bod angen parchu'r gwahaniaeth ar amgylchedd lleol yn arbennig safonau a sefyllfa tlodi plant. Canmolodd y Gweinidog yr Awdurdodau Lleol hynny oedd wedi mesur y galw am addysg Gymraeg ac wedi cynllunio darpariaeth ond roedd yn feirniadol iawn o'r awdurdodau oedd heb ymateb i'r galw. Dywedodd y gweinidog ei fod am ddeddfwriaethu fel bod rhaid i Awdurdodau Lleol fesur y galw a chyhoeddi cynllun yn flynyddol ar sut y maent yn mynd i gyflawni'r ddarpariaeth Cymraeg yr ôl y galw. Fe gyhoeddir Papur Gwyn i'r perwyl yma.
Symudodd y Gweinidog ymlaen i son am safonnau a chydnabod fod cyrraedd safon boddhaol mewn llythrennedd yn fwy o sialens mewn ysgolion cyfrwng Cymraeg nag Ysgolion Saesneg ond fod ysgolion Cymraeg yn llwyddianus ar y cyfan. Cydnabu y Gweinidog hefyd fod cylchoedd Meithrin yn gweithio yn dda ond fod angen mwy o gydweithio rhwng y Mudiad ag ysgolion cynradd.

Pwysleisiodd y Gweinidog hefyd bwysigrwydd 'normaleiddio' defnydd o'r iaith bob dydd a thu allan i'r dosbarth drwy hybu gweithgareddau Cymraeg i deuluoedd.

Gofynnwyd nifer o gwestiynau o'r Gweinidog ond y teimlad yn gyffredinol oedd am i ni gynnwys ein sylwadau a chwestiynau mewn ymateb i'r ymgynghoriad sydd mynd mlaen i'r strategaeth ac wedyn y Papur Gwyn.

Fel Keith Towler mae angen croesawu ymroddiad Leighton Andrews i wella pethau yn y sector Cymraeg fel bod dysgwyr trwy gyfrwng y Gymraeg yn cael yr un tegwch a phawb arall.

Rhieni Dros Addysg Gymraeg (Rhan 1)

2011-10-16T15:50:00.003+01:00

Cynhaliwyd cyfarfod blynyddol RhAG yn Ysgol Gymraeg Bryn Tawe, Abertawe, dydd Sadwrn, pan groesawyd y Comisiynydd Plant, Keith Towler i annerch fel un o'r siaradwyr gwadd.

Cychwynnodd Keith drwy longyfarch RhAG gan ddweud na fasa Strategaeth Addysg Gymraeg yn bodoli heb eu dylanwad. Aeth ymlaen i sôn fod holl waith y Comisiynydd a'r llywodraeth wedi ei selio ar hawlia Confensiwn y Cenhedloedd Unedig ar Hawliau'r Plentyn gan bwysleisio pedair erthygl:

Erthygl 12
Mae gan blant yr hawl i ddweud eu barn ynghylch yr hyn a ddylai ddigwydd pan fo oedolion yn gwneud penderfyniadau sy’n effeithio arnyn nhw, ac i’w barn gael ei
hystyried.

Erthygl 13
Mae gan blant yr hawl i gael a rhannu gwybodaeth onid yw’r wybodaeth yn niweidiol iddyn nhw ac i eraill.

Erthygl 29
Dylai addysg ddatblygu personoliaeth a thalent pob plentyn yn gyflawn. Dylai annog plant i barchu eu rhieni,a’u diwylliant nhw ac eraill

Erthygl 30
Mae gan blant yr hawl i ddefnyddio iaith ac arferion eu teuluoedd, boed y rhain yn cael eu rhannu gan fwyafrif y boblneu beidio.

Wedyn defnyddiodd Keith yr esiamplau yma i gefnogi ac i feirniadu'r ffordd mae rhieni ac eraill yn mynd o gwmpas ymgyrchoedd i sefydlu ysgolion Cymraeg. Yn gyntaf cadarnhaodd fod gan blant hawl confensiwn i addysg drwy'r Gymraeg ond ar y llaw arall beirniadodd gefnogwyr a gwrthwynebwyr addysg Gymraeg am ddefnyddio iaith emosiynol yn ystod trafodaethau a bod angen meddwl sut mae hyn yn dylanwadu ar blant, ar pwysau mae ymgyrch yn ei roi ar y plant i gydymffurfio. Mae hefyd angen i blant fod yn rhanddeiliad mewn unrhyw ymgynghoriad ac mae angen gwrando ar ei lleisiau nhw.

Wedyn aeth ymlaen i sôn am eiriolaeth ar angen am hynny drwy'r Gymraeg a hefyd gwasanaethau i blant ac anghenion arbennig drwy y Gymraeg a dyna be fydd ymchwiliad nesa y Comisiynydd.

I orffen dywedodd yn ddigon di-flewyn ar dafod, na ddylai swyddogion/athrawon ddwyn perswâd ar blant na rhieni plant hefo anghenion ychwanegol i dderbyn gwasanaethau drwy'r Saesneg a bod hynny yn gwahaniaethu ar sail anabledd.

Mae ymroddiad Keith Towler tuag at hyrwyddo hawliau plant i dderbyn gwasanaethau trwy gyfrwng y Gymraeg i'w groesawu.

Tories on the verge of imploding in Scotland

2011-10-16T14:32:00.002+01:00

It's not only Labour that are in crisis in Scotland but the Tories as well. Going by this article in the Herald their situation is critical and it hinges on the bitter leadership battle to replace Annabelle Goldie as Leader of the Scottish Tories.

In the midst of this battle is the Tories's new Glasgow Regional list MSP, Ruth Davidson who is apparently the 'establishment' favourite to win the leadership and who has been accused by the campaign teams of the other 3 candidates of being favoured by the party in Scotland. Davidson's campaign team hit back:

In a sign of the civil war raging within the Tories, John Lamont MSP, Davidson’s campaign manager, hit back at what he called a “deliberate, vicious and frankly desperate” bid to smear her, and accused others of being prepared to embarrass the party in a “shocking display of naked self-interest”. The extraordinary developments suggest whoever replaces Annabel Goldie as leader on November 4 will inherit a party riven by internal feuds.

Isn't life a bitch!

Labour MSP attacks free prescriptions

2011-10-16T01:53:00.003+01:00

More evidence, if it was needed, that Labour politicians really are quite stupid:

A Labour MSP has launched an attack on the SNP, describing one of the Nationalists' key achievements – the removal of prescription charges – as "right-wing economics".

Kezia Dugdale, the newly elected regional MSP for Lothian, launched the attack whilst appearing as a guest on Radio Scotland’s ‘Call Kaye’ phone-in programme on Thursday.
The Labour MSP, who was a surprise addition to Labour’s Holyrood ranks, was discussing a speech by Douglas Alexander in which the senior Labour MP admitted the party had been "well and truly gubbed" in May’s Holyrood election and that they needed to move on from negative politicking in order to regain lost support.
Ms Dugdale hit out at suggestions that Labour had abandoned its socialist roots and was losing former supporters to the 'socialist' SNP as a result.
Responding to callers who had described the SNP as more social democratic, Ms Dugdale said: "I simply do not accept that analysis. If you look at some of the stuff they’ve done over the past four years, like bridge tolls, freezing the council tax, prescription charges, business rates down and now their plans to cut corporation tax – they’re all tax cuts, they’re all very much right-wing economics."
Ms Dugdale’s labelling of the council tax freeze and free prescriptions as "right-wing" will puzzle many given that her own party had pledged a two-year freeze in their manifesto. Indeed, it was Labour-run Glasgow council that first introduced the policy in 2006 – prior to the SNP coming to power.

Did no-one think to tell her that it was Labour in Wales who introduced this policy? Or is it only right wing because the SNP introduced it in Scotland.

Bill Brereton's sour grapes?

2011-10-12T00:18:00.004+01:00

Aled Roberts's nightmare start as a Liberal Democrat Assembly Member isn't yet over. A Labour member from Clwyd South has asked the police to re-open their investigation into whether he should be an AM. And now the Lib Dem candidate for Wrecsam, Bill Brereton, has joined the calls for a re-investigation of the whole affair:

Yesterday Mr Brereton confirmed that several weeks ago he had asked senior officials of the party to provide him with a satisfactory explanation for the discrepancy between Mr Roberts’ statement that he had accessed the Electoral Commission document on a particular day and Ms Jenkins’ assertion that the document had not been accessed on that day.
Mr Brereton said: “Kay Jenkins was very explicit in the statement she released.
“I have not received the answer I was seeking from a senior party official. If there is a comprehensive explanation and it is provided to me, I would be the first to say I was satisfied. But the last time I spoke to the party official, on September 28, his last words were ‘I hear what you say’.”

Why now Bill?

A spokesman for the Welsh Liberal Democrats said: “There is nothing new here.
“This is just sour grapes from someone who had been hoping, a few weeks ago, to work for Aled Roberts. Perhaps that explains why these issues are being raised so late in the day."

And we thought the Tories were the nasty party.

Youngsters give councillors a grilling

2011-10-11T10:45:00.003+01:00

Members of Senedd yr Ifanc, Wrecsam's youth parliament, were at the Guildhall last night to give councillors a grilling as part of Democracy Week.

The youngsters were also out in Queen Square on Saturday, where Plaid councillors met up with them.

They're already leading the way in challenging council perceptions and helping to shape their communities by making sure youngsters' views are taken on board. All too often, the only publicity youngsters get is bad publicity and Senedd yr Ifanc are challenging that.

They gave the councillors present last night a hard time when it came to questions and long may it continue. The coming generation face a real struggle in terms of education, housing and jobs - far worse than the generation before them. But with intelligent questions about the dangers of coalition, Welsh independence, potholes and how councils spend their money, this group are well equipped to deal with these challenges.

Perhaps the most poignant moment was when asked "do you know who your councillor is?" only one could answer. "Barrie" she said.

Duncan Barkes!

2011-10-10T22:32:00.002+01:00

Who is Duncan Barkes you may ask? Well apart from being a current affairs blogger on Dale & Co (Iain Dale), he is also a radio broadcaster. One thing he is not is an expert on all things Welsh especially S4C; but that doesn't stop him writing some real rubbish in his most recent contribution to Mr Dale's blog - S4C should be privatised.
The blog is worth quoting in full just for its entertainment value:

There is much rumbling in the Valleys regarding S4C, the Welsh language television channel that you and I fork out for. Currently the channel receives a £100million grant from the Government. However, as of 2015 the funding will come from the BBC licence fee.

Either way, we are paying for something that is an unnecessary indulgence in these challenging economic times. I like the Welsh, especially their lamb, cider and music (the Manic Street Preachers being a personal favourite pop beat combo of mine), and one of the best evenings of my life was spent quaffing ale with the finest folk of Flintshire in the Blue Bell Inn, Halkyn.

I love the TV show ‘Gavin & Stacey’ which is partly set in Barry Island, and there are several unprintable things I would like to get up to with Welsh singing goddess Katherine Jenkins given half the chance.

Yes, my affection for the Welsh and their beautiful country is sound, but I do not believe that Wales should have its own television channel. In short, I am fed up with my money being used for projects or services that are no more than cultural or political vanity projects.

A study last year by the Broadcasters Audience Research Board revealed that 196 out of 890 programmes broadcast on S4C had ZERO audience. That’s right, from Cardiff to Anglesey thousands of Welsh people simply did not tune into vast chunks of the output of their dedicated TV channel.

The background to S4C is fascinating. It was set-up by the Conservative Government in 1982 when Channel 4 launched in the rest of Britain.
It was launched by Gwynor Evans, the then leader of Welsh nationalist party Plaid Cymru, who threatened to starve himself to death if the station was not created.

Almost thirty years on and times have changed. And whilst there are still obviously Welsh speakers in the country there is clear evidence that increasingly there is no real appetite for a TV channel that broadcasts exclusively in the Welsh language. With the wealth of content also available online, surely a fresh outlook is called for.

The Government has made it clear that it can no longer afford to fund this luxury. It has cleverly passed the buck to the BBC, who will fund it through the licence fee that we are all forced to pay. I do not want my already extortionate licence fee to be used to underwrite a service that appeals to an increasing minority.

The BBC is complaining about the freeze of its licence fee and has announced many cuts in the last few days. If it had any sense it would either offer S4C as a subscription only service (then we would see how popular it really is) or hand the responsbility of it back to the Government with a suggestion that the service is privatised.

You and I should no longer be funding S4C. As the economy once again goes belly-up an obvious cut is surely the public funding of a niche TV channel that nobody seems to care much about.

Far more deserving of a blog is the excellent informed and accurate response by 'Iwan' to Barkes's rant:

*Sigh*. The S4C BARB viewing figures have been debunked many, many times by people who actually know what they're talking about, including the cross-party Welsh Affairs Committee. Yes, a lot of programmes registered as zero, but that's because during daytime S4C runs an award-winning service for pre-school children, and BARB doesn't count those children in its figures. They're actually very popular programmes.

So since the whole premise of this blog is a load of cobblers, it's hard to know how to respond.

Should public funds only be used to fund majority interests? That would mean cancelling all religious programming, all arts programming, all sports programming… even Eastenders isn't watched by a majority of the British public, should it too be cancelled as a minority interest? If not, where exactly would you draw the line? (And bear in mind that Pobol y Cwm, S4C's soap opera, is actually watched by a higher percentage of the available audience than Eastenders.)

You can either believe that some public funding for cultural initiatives is a good thing in general (whether you personally appreciate them or not), or you can believe that funding for S4C, opera, theatre, libraries etc (they're all pretty much in the same boat – appreciated by their audiences, not understood by anyone else), is inherently a bad thing. In which case you're probably a charlatan, but you may well have saved yourself a few pennies, to the cultural detriment of the country. Well done you.

Lib Dem AM slates own party over S4C cuts

2011-10-08T15:27:00.002+01:00

Lib Dem Assembly Member Aled Roberts has slammed his own party over cuts to S4C's budget.

Speaking at a Cymdeithas yr Iaith rally in Wrecsam today he said "The [UK] coalition government's plans will harm broadcasting in Wales. The statement by the Minister [Jeremy Hunt] made hours after the Bill was passed - will mean we have potentially no Welsh Channel after 2015.

"If the Channel has no financial security, its independence is gone. That's not right."

He insisted he was not a rebel and said all four parties in Wales were against the moves to absorb S4C into the BBC, itself facing major cuts.

The rally, outside the BBC's centre in Wrecsam's Glyndwr University, also heard from local Labour MP Ian Lucas. Previously hostile to the Welsh language, he said he "believed in diversity in broadcasting in Wales. I will support a properly funded S4C, an independent S4C."

Cllr Marc Jones, leader of the Plaid Cymru group on Wrecsam council, said we should expect nothing else but attacks on the public sector from the Tories but we should remember that S4C is unique - as the only television channel born of struggle and protest. He attacked the way the channel had become remote from its original roots in Welsh communities and had become corporate and complacent.

"S4C is in crisis at the moment. But in every crisis there is opportunity - this is our chance to reclaim S4C as 'Sianel Pobl Cymru' - the people's channel - rather than Sianel Crachach Cymru. Let's re-launch S4C as an independent channel free from control in London."

Lucas o blaid y Gymraeg? Sgersli bilif!

2011-10-05T16:11:00.004+01:00

Mae'n destun gryn syndod yn Wrecsam fod Ian Lucas, yr Aelod Seneddol lleol, am anerch rali Cymdeithas yr Iaith Ddydd Sadwrn yma.

Dyma'r gwleidydd a ymatebodd i lythyr Cymraeg fel hyn, a wastraffodd amser yn ceisio cael y ddraig goch ar Jac yr Undeb a chefnogodd cais i stopio cyhoeddiadau rheilffordd dwyieithog rhag bod yn Gymraeg yn gyntaf.

Wrth gwrs bydd Mr Lucas yn defnyddio'r cyfle i lambastio'r Toriaid am dorri cyllideb S4C. Rhaid gofyn a fyddai o a'i blaid yn gwneud unrhywbeth yn wahanol pe bae nhw mewn grym rwan?

Health Minister refuses to rule out PFI for hospitals

2011-10-05T12:04:00.003+01:00

This exchange in the recent Plaid Cymru debate about district general hospitals set alarm bells ringing.

The Private Finance Initiative (PFI) is generally agreed to have been a financial disaster in England, where it is on the verge of bankrupting some local NHS trusts. A Commons select committee condemned the use of private finance schemes to fund public services such as hospitals and schools as "extremely inefficient" because of the costly long-term levels of repayment.

Under the One Wales agreement, when Plaid was there to provide some backbone, PFI was ruled out of the NHS and rightly so.

So it was a huge concern to see our local AM Lesley Griffiths, also the Health Minister, open the door to this discredited financial system:

Bethan Jenkins: You mentioned ageing infrastructure. Under the One Wales Government, we agreed not to use private finance initiatives in the health service. So far, this Government has been silent on the use of PFI. Will you commit here today not to use PFI in the health service?

Lesley Griffiths: I am not a fan of PFI. You have to accept, however, with regard to putting money into hospitals, that our capital budget has been reduced by a huge amount and that we are not going to have the money that was available to the last Government. The more we try to say that change is not an option, the more problems we will create for the future. We have to keep reviewing services and rethinking how best to use our staff and how best to focus services on the basis of the evidence.

PFI was a Tory invention, to artificially balance the books and funnel public funding into providing profits for their friends in big business. Gordon Brown and New Labour took up the idea with enthusiasm and only now the chickens are coming home to roost. The failure of PFI seems to have bypassed the new Welsh Government.

Occupy Wall Street.

2011-10-04T11:44:00.003+01:00

If we relied on the BBC, Sky or the British (establishment) newsmedia would we have known about the massive protests that have been going on in Manhattan and Wall Street against bankers and corporate greed. The answer is probably not because it seems that there has been a deliberate attempt at imposing a blackout on the story. For those who were determined to find out what was going on, we had to revert to watching the news on Russia Today or Al Jazeera

The following is an excellent summary from the thejournal.ie for those who have believed for too long that the BBC is a public service broadcaster and has the public interest at heart:

THE OCCUPY WALL STREET protests have spread across the United States, as the demonstrations enter their 18th day.

Demonstrators marched on Federal Reserve banks and camped out in parks from Los Angeles to Portland, Maine, in a show of anger over the country’s economy and corporate greed.

In Manhattan, hundreds of protesters dressed as corporate zombies in white face paint lurched past the New York Stock Exchange clutching fistfuls of fake money. In Chicago, demonstrators pounded drums in the city’s financial district. Others pitched tents or waved protest signs at passing cars in Boston, St Louis and Kansas City, Missouri.

The arrests of 700 protesters on the Brooklyn Bridge over the weekend galvanized a slice of discontented America, from college students worried about their job prospects to middle-age workers who have been recently laid off.

The Occupy Wall Street protesters are using a common slogan – we are the 99 per cent – to highlight the inequalities that see in their society. On their website, organisers have written that they are inspired by “the revolutionary Arab Spring tactic” to achieve their ends, and stress the need for nonviolence during the demonstrations.

It's hard to believe that Occupy Wall Street protests have been going on for 18 days and the sad part about it is that we can never question the BBC's ban on reporting this story because they are protected from being accountable to licence fee payers by an exemption in the Freedom of Information Act.

The BBC are an organisation that lacks openess and transparency and that is bad for democracy.

The Daily Fail

2011-10-03T22:21:00.005+01:00

The Daily Mail screwed up spectacularly tonight by accidentally publishing on the Mail Online website the WRONG story about the Amanda Knox appeal hearing in Perugia, stating that her appeal against the conviction for the murder of Meredith Kercher had been rejected

HT to @SimonNRicketts for the screen print before the Mail Online managed to pull the story down.

Just goes to show just how poor the journalism at the Mail really is.

In the race to publish, accuracy goes out through the window.

UPDATE - To read the whole fantasy and the 'made up' quotes go here

There must surely be some serious repercussions here for the Mail.

This is a new one for the Tories.

2011-10-02T22:15:00.003+01:00

Ex leader of the Scottish Tories, Annabelle Goldie will tell the Conservative Party conference, that Scotland is NOT subsidised by the rest of the UK and its the rest of the UK that will be worst off by Scotland leaving the union. That settles it then, Welsh independence it must be. Thank you Annabelle for your honesty, but not too sure that the English Unionists including Cameron will be overly impressed. Yet another nail in the coffin of the Union.

Wythnos ddigon tila!

2011-09-30T16:18:00.002+01:00

Dwi'n siwr y bydd Now Gwynys, Seimon Glyn ar gweddill o be sydd ar ol o Lais Gwynedd yn falch o weld yr wythnos yma yn dod i ben, mae hi wedi bod yn wythnos gach go iawn. Ddoe, mi fethodd Llais ac ennill sedd oddi ar Plaid Cymru mewn is etholiad yn Penrhyndeudraeth ac yn gneud petha'n waeth fyth yn colli hen sedd Gwilym Euros yn Stiniog i Blaid Cymru sydd yn rhoi mwyafrif i'r Blaid ar Gyngor Gwynedd. Mae petha wedi taro'r gwaelod hefo y Cyngh Aeron M Jones, Llanwnda, yn cael ei wahardd o'r Cyngor am fis am torri côd ymddygiad y Cyngor drwy ddeud petha cas am Dyfed Edwards ar ei flog. Mae popeth yn digwydd mewn tri, be fydd nesa tybed

Estate office closure plan kicked out

2011-09-28T17:08:00.003+01:00

Plans to drastically cut the hours of estate offices in various parts of Wrecsam have been thrown out by the council's Social Affairs, Health and Housing scrutiny committee.

The recommended proposals would have seen estate offices in Caia, Broughton, Gwersyllt, Plas Madoc, Rhos and Central closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. This was despite officers acknowledging that more than 3700 people used the offices weekly.

The committee heard from Cllr Carrie Harper that the plans, which were uncosted, would see a massive reduction in services for little or no saving. She moved an amendment to retain current opening hours that won 6-3.

The scheme was also described as a false economy, given that officers themselves conceded that changing UK government policies on benefits would probably mean an increased number of people needing help, advice or make payments at the offices under threat.

Caia's Plaid Cymru councillors Marc Jones and Carrie Harper described the plans as "short sighted" at a time when more pressure was being put on the local housing offices since the closure of the central paying office in Lambpit Street.

They and Gwersyllt West councillor Arfon Jones expressed concern following the meeting that the main problem facing Wrecsam Council was the £11 million going out of the Housing Revenue Account each year to the UK Treasury in the form of the Housing Revenue Account Subsidy. Cllr Jones said: "Much more needs to be done to pressurise central government to give up this unfair subsidy for London councils. Wrecsam tenants are being deprived of improvements and renovations to their homes because of this daylight robbery.

"Securing that funding for the borough would enable us to invest millions more each year in modern kitchens and bathrooms."

Robin Hood Tax

2011-09-27T21:40:00.002+01:00

The European Commission led by France and Germany intend to unveil detailed plan for the introduction of a new Financial Transaction tax or a Robin Hood tax in Europe. This proposal is not supported by the UK, Sweden or the US because of fears that Financial institutions will move out of Europe unless the FTT is implemented globally. The Swedes sum up the argument against the FTT:

The Swedish finance minister, Anders Borg, explained this month the opposition of his country, which does not use the euro.

‘‘We have substantial experience in Sweden,’’ he said. ‘‘Basically, most of our derivative and bond trading went to London during the years we had a financial transaction tax, so if you don’t get a solution that is universal, it is very likely to be detrimental for European financial markets.’’

The arguments for such a tax are persuasive but will only succeed if the global financial centres agree to adopt it, but at least the Europeans are looking at other ways of reducing deficits without the need for such deep cuts. They should be applauded for their efforts.

We have previously blogged in favour of a Robin Hood tax here, here and here

Fire service cutbacks put lives at risk

2011-09-27T01:10:00.002+01:00

Today's Leader makes it clear the risk of further cuts in the fire service caused by the Con-Dem coalition's cuts agenda.

There's more to this story still to come out. Fire Authority members need to be very careful before they vote for frontline service cuts next month when there are serious questions to be asked of the Fire Authority's management decisions.

Cutbacks at Wrexham fire station could put lives at risk

Published date: 26 September 2011 |

Published by: Phil Robinson

LIVES could be put at risk if proposals to cut down on cover at Wrexham Fire Station get the go-ahead.

That was the grim warning after it was revealed North Wales Fire and Rescue Authority will trim £2.4 million from its budget over the next two years.

At its meeting last week, the authority’s executive panel was presented with five options for saving the money, which saw members back a plan to roster crews in a way that needs fewer firefighters.

Although this ensures stations are not closed or the number of appliances cut, it will lead to between 22 and 36 job cuts and save between £850,000 and £1 million.

But further options considered by the panel could have drastic consequences for the Wrexham station.

One would see the axing of one of the two full-time fire engines based at Wrexham along with 24 crew jobs and another would mean the removal of the third back-up engine manned on a part-time basis.

Plaid Cymru’s leader on Wrexham Council, Cllr Marc Jones, warns that if fire chiefs do not hit their £2.4 million cuts target simply by altering rostering arrangements they will turn their attention to the other options, which could endanger lives in Wrexham.

He said: “The authority went for the rostering option but that won’t save them the amount of money they are looking for.

“This is the thin end of the wedge and puts the Wrexham station in the firing line.

“Wrexham has a growing population and more houses being built mean more people.

“There is also a large industrial estate to consider.

“The fire authority has got to come clean on what its plans are for Wrexham because if cuts are made at the station lives could be put at risk.

“The whole community here will be very concerned about any cutbacks.”

A report on the options considered by the executive panel says the axing of the second fire engine at Wrexham, which covers the town centre, Gwersyllt, Coedpoeth, Rossett and Farndon, and reducing 24 full-time posts, along with the second appliance at other stations, would save £874,000.

Cutting the third appliance at Wrexham, which is crewed by part-time firefighters, and elsewhere would save £664,000 but, says the report, would lead to delays in attendance times.

There is also a warning in the report that these cuts could spark industrial action by union members.

A spokeswoman for the fire authority said: “The executive panel voted unanimously to recommend to the authority an option which involved rostering firefighters for duty in a different way to the current system.

“This has the benefit of maintaining all the current stations and appliances within North Wales.

“However, the decision has not been made by the full authority and this will not happen until the meeting on October 17.

“The authority may instead choose one of the five options listed which could be either the removal of the second or third appliance at Wrexham.

“We await the decision of the authority in discharging its duty to deliver a balanced budget for 2012 - 2013.”

Top of the league... supporters take control of club

2011-09-26T21:02:00.003+01:00

It's finally happened - Wrecsam Supporters' Trust has taken control of our football club after months of uncertainty and agonising.

The 1505 (and counting) members of the Trust, who have raised £500,000 over the past decade to keep the club afloat and now invest in its future, are now the proud owners of our football club.

It's a huge challenge but the club is flying high on the field and the business projections for attendances are being exceeded every week at the moment.

Yma o hyd... as a community club.

Scottish Labour dump Ed the Red!

2011-09-26T20:01:00.002+01:00

Despite it being Ed's big day tomorrow with his long awaited Leader's speech to the Labour Party conference in Liverpool, the normally loyal Scottish Labour party have decided that their demise in May's local elections is somehow down down to Milipede Junior and not the grey Iain Gray. Scottish Labour's answer is to dump Ed the Red as the Scottish Leader which is basically the same as what the Scottish Tories are doing with their re-branding exercise. It has not been a good day for Labour with Ed Balls's self flagellation day of apologies and the Scots sticking two fingers up at Red Ed.

Let's have more of the same tomorrow.

Some thoughts on Greece.

2011-09-24T12:21:00.003+01:00

Since I've come from a short holiday at one of my favourite destinations, the island of Kos, all I've heard on the news is of the financial crisis, the Euro and Greece defaulting on its debt. There were plenty of indications on the ground, one might say that Greece is most cetainly in a deep recession.

For starters prices in Kos were lower now in 2011 than when I was last there in 2006, with half litre of Mythos Greek lager selling at 2 to 3 Euros in local tavernas and 4.5 in the more expensive hotels. A great many tavernas had closed down with the locals putting the blame firmly on the shoulders of the international hotel companies for offering all inclusive deals rather than half board or B&B. In the tavernas and hotels there were far fewer staff than had been before indicating that the private sector had most certainly tightened up with fewer staff working much harder.

One promising aspect of the tourism economy in Greece is that their prices are now cheaper than those in Bodrum, Turkey, which would indicate that tourists may once again come flooding back to Greece from Turkey and Egypt.

It is however difficult to envisage how Greece will succeed in paying its debt when it seems that the main pastime of so many business owners on Kos was tax avoidance and evasion, with ever more inventive ways of paying for goods and services i.e. bill for drinks the bill for food made up as they went along and both bills paid separately.

Having tasted Turkey and Egypt, neither do it for me, I can't wait to get back to Greece, recession or no recession.

NB - For those of you who haven't been Kos Airport it is something to behold! disorganised chaos is an understatement

Flintshire councillor criticised over bacon butty demands

2011-09-23T16:32:00.002+01:00

Thought the goings on in Flintshire politics was deserving of a wider readership than just the North East of Wales. Ex Labour AM and now Conservative Councillor Alison Halford, giving councillors everywhere a bad name!

Mwy o wastraff arian!

2011-09-23T09:42:00.002+01:00

Mae o wedi cymeryd dan heddiw i fi sylweddoli fod adeilad y Cynulliad y Bae Colwyn yn dal i fodoli er bod yna adeilad newydd sbon yng Nghyffordd Llandudno, sydd yn ôl be dwi'n ddeall yn hanner gwag.

Pan ofynnais y cwestiwn pam fod angen dau adeilad o fewn ychydig filltiroedd i'w gilydd derbynies y math o ateb y disgwyliech gael gan was sifil sef adeilad Cynulliad Cenedlaethol sydd yn Princess Drive, Bae Colwyn ac adeilad Llywodraeth Cymru sydd yng Nghyffordd Llandudno!

Tybed faint o arian fasa'r Cynulliad ar Llywodraeth (a ni fel trethdalwyr) yn ei arbed os fasa na rywyn yn rhywle yn defnyddio chydig o synnwyr cyffredin ac yn cau Bae Colwyn ac yn symud gweithgareddau i Gyffordd Llandudno.

Siawns na chawn ni gwestiwn ar y mater gan un o'n 'haelodau.

Georgia on my mind.

2011-09-23T07:47:00.005+01:00

Troy Davies a black person convicted of killing an off duty Police Officer but which he strenuously denied was executed on Georgia's death row.

Samuel David Crowe a white person convicted of killing a store owner in 1988 and which he admitted to, was spared execution and his sentence commuted to life without parole by the same Georgia Board of Parole and Pardons.

The Georgia Board of Parole and Pardons is made up of 3 whites and 2 blacks all of whom were appointed by former Repuplican Governor of Georgia, Sonny Purdue.

Say no more!

BBC World News.

2011-09-22T15:24:00.002+01:00

Whilst I was away on holidays in Kos recently, BBC World News was the only option available and it was on BBC World News that I heard the tragic news about the death of the four miners in the Swansea Valley. At that point I was quite impressed with the service with extensive coverage of the Chief Constable of South Wales and the Chief Fire Officer addressing the media and stood next to them was Carwyn and Peter Hain. The report then quickly moved to an interview with David Cameron and Ed Miliband about the tragedy but no comment from Wales's First Minister.

This sums up to me all that is wrong with the BBC's coverage, the BBC should have transmitted Carwyn Jones's response to the tragedy as the First Minister of Wales. This is a perfect example of devolution not even registering with the BBC, so much for impartiality and accuracy in reporting.

An invitation to the Saith Seren - Seven Stars back in business

2011-09-20T10:21:00.004+01:00

The old Seven Stars pub in Chester St, Wrecsam, has now been secured on behalf of Canolfan Gymraeg Wrecsam.
This is a new community cooperative venture that's looking to re-open the building as a centre to promote all things Welsh locally with food and drink downstairs and room for offices, meeting rooms and classes upstairs. As well as welcoming Welsh speakers, learners and supporters, it will also focus on providing local produce and Welsh food and drink, especially real ale (we plan to open a micro-brewery in the cellar).

The intention is to lease the building in the short-term with the option to buy in the future.

We need to raise money in order to get the bar and kitchen ready for opening in December and we'd like to invite you, as a potential investor, to a meeting in the Saith Seren (Seven Stars in Welsh) this week.

+ + + + +

Public meetings for potential investors:

IN WELSH - Wednesday, 21 Sept - 2pm, 5pm or 7pm - please note which one you'd like to attend.

IN ENGLISH - Thursday, 22 Sept - 2pm, 5pm or 7pm - please note which one you'd like to attend.

There will be a short introduction, a question and answer session and then a quick tour of the building to allow you to see the potential for the Centre.

Wine and light refreshments available.

As we only have limited space for each meeting, we need to know whether you are coming in advance: Contact 7saith [at] gmail.com or text 07747 792 441.

If you can't make it, you can also invest online now here and find out how to volunteer at the centre.

Croeso i'r Saith Seren

2011-09-20T10:17:00.004+01:00

Mae adeilad y Saith Seren (yr hen Seven Stars) yn Stryt Caer, Wrecsam, bellach wedi ei brynu ar ran Canolfan Gymraeg Wrecsam, y fenter gydweithredol sy'n bwriadu ail-agor y lle fel canolfan i hyrwyddo popeth Cymraeg yn lleol.

Y bwriad yw y byddwn yn ei lesio yn y tymor byr gyda'r opsiwn i'w brynu.

Mae angen codi arian er mwyn cael y bar a'r gegin yn barod i'w agor erbyn dechrau mis Rhagfyr a hoffwn eich gwahodd chi, fel buddsoddwr potensial, i gyfarfod yn y dafarn yr wythnos yma.

Cyfarfodydd cyhoeddus i fuddsoddwyr potensial:

DRWY'R GYMRAEG - Dydd Mercher, 21 Medi - 2pm, 5pm neu 7pm - nodwch pa un rydych am fynychu.

DRWY'R SAESNEG - Dydd Iau, 22 Medi - 2pm, 5pm neu 7pm - nodwch pa un rydych am fynychu.

Bydd cyflwyniad byr, cyfle i holi cwestiynau ac yna taith fer o amgylch yr adeilad er mwyn gweld sut le fydd y Ganolfan.

Gwin a lluniaeth ysgafn ar gael.

Dim ond nifer cyfyngiedig fydd yn cael dod i bob cyfarfod felly rhowch wybod os ydych yn dod erbyn 17 Medi os gwelwch yn dda.

Cysylltwch â ni ar 7seren [at] gmail.com neu tecstiwch 07747 792 441 os am ddod.
Os na fedrwch fod yn bresennol ond am fuddsoddi, mae'n bosib gwneud yma a thalu gyda PayPal neu cerdyn credyd.