One of many varied and I am sad to say, pointless ways in which residents can contact Carmarthenshire Council is through this ironically titled email address listeningtoyou@carmarthenshire.gov.uk I am not sure who is on the other end, but I am sure it causes some laughter in the office. Anyway, one of my recent 'white elephant alerts' mentions the taking over of the disused Technium centre in Llanelli by Carmarthenshire County Council. An article in today's paper says that the Council are looking for suggestions for a new name for the centre. Hopefully it will not turn out like the last PR disaster earlier this year, when public votes were invited to name a new theatre in Llanelli, the Council ignored the majority vote and quietly picked the losing name, the one which they preferred.
I am including the 'listening' email address here just in case any readers would not only like to make some suggestions for a name, but may like to address the council on any other issue, especially now we know they're listening....
Incidentally, Y Cneifiwr has today added his views on Carmarthenshire'scontempt for treatment of public opinion.
Back to the perils of the Public Gallery and following on from Monday's post, 'trapped in the stairwell...' I have had an acknowledgement from the Fire Service but nothing as yet from the 'listening' council. I have been passed a few figures though concerning regulations for public buildings etc. Firstly, the Public Gallery has only one means of escape and as it is intended to hold 50 souls this is quite possibly insufficient (leaving aside for the moment that even if you make it through the exit you are likely to become trapped in the narrow stairwell). Secondly, should you trip or stumble in the Gallery, all that is stopping you from falling over the balcony and landing on some surprised Councillors is a low level 'wall', topped by a very shiny piece of polished wood. There are a couple of very short rails, but according to regulations it should stretch the entire length of the surface. The barrier itself should be at least 1.1 metres high, I haven't been there yet with a tape measure (and I will) but I do not believe it reaches this height.
We know that the safety of members of the public attending the gallery has been nothing more than an irritating afterthought prompted by complaints, and comes a poor second to the control-freakery exhibited since the 8th June but this is all very serious and possibly unlawful stuff. Perhaps the Council will have to close the gallery? And then what?
There is only one option of course, we (including me) will have to be allowed in the Chamber.
The next full meeting of Carmarthenshire Council will be at 10 o'clock on Wednesday 9th November at County Hall. I shall be there. As no one from 'authority' seems to give a hoot about the dreadful way members of the public are being treated, I hope as many people as possible will join me to request that the undemocratic restrictions are immediately lifted and that they will also refuse to sign the unlawful undertaking. Perhaps our political representatives would like to join me?
Last but not least I must again thank @AlexMurraySmith, reporter for the Carmarthen Journal for today's report on the Wales Blog Awards and for diligently following (and breaking) the whole #daftarrest story;
Arrested Blogger Jacqui wins award for her political views
I am including the 'listening' email address here just in case any readers would not only like to make some suggestions for a name, but may like to address the council on any other issue, especially now we know they're listening....
Incidentally, Y Cneifiwr has today added his views on Carmarthenshire's
Back to the perils of the Public Gallery and following on from Monday's post, 'trapped in the stairwell...' I have had an acknowledgement from the Fire Service but nothing as yet from the 'listening' council. I have been passed a few figures though concerning regulations for public buildings etc. Firstly, the Public Gallery has only one means of escape and as it is intended to hold 50 souls this is quite possibly insufficient (leaving aside for the moment that even if you make it through the exit you are likely to become trapped in the narrow stairwell). Secondly, should you trip or stumble in the Gallery, all that is stopping you from falling over the balcony and landing on some surprised Councillors is a low level 'wall', topped by a very shiny piece of polished wood. There are a couple of very short rails, but according to regulations it should stretch the entire length of the surface. The barrier itself should be at least 1.1 metres high, I haven't been there yet with a tape measure (and I will) but I do not believe it reaches this height.
We know that the safety of members of the public attending the gallery has been nothing more than an irritating afterthought prompted by complaints, and comes a poor second to the control-freakery exhibited since the 8th June but this is all very serious and possibly unlawful stuff. Perhaps the Council will have to close the gallery? And then what?
There is only one option of course, we (including me) will have to be allowed in the Chamber.
The next full meeting of Carmarthenshire Council will be at 10 o'clock on Wednesday 9th November at County Hall. I shall be there. As no one from 'authority' seems to give a hoot about the dreadful way members of the public are being treated, I hope as many people as possible will join me to request that the undemocratic restrictions are immediately lifted and that they will also refuse to sign the unlawful undertaking. Perhaps our political representatives would like to join me?
Last but not least I must again thank @AlexMurraySmith, reporter for the Carmarthen Journal for today's report on the Wales Blog Awards and for diligently following (and breaking) the whole #daftarrest story;
Arrested Blogger Jacqui wins award for her political views
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| Source; Carmarthen Journal. (me, badly in need of a haircut) |
7 comments:
Of course, any new name for Technium would preferably be Welsh and easily pronounced by non-Welsh speakers. So to welcome this latest new white elephant to the herd, how about "Tŷ Neli" or even "Tŷ Dymbo" after the cheeky little fellow with the big ears in the Disney film. Although I suspect that unlike him, this one won't fly.
Strangely this reminds me of a story I heard from a friend in Llanelli who questioned a senior council officer about a large new office development there. My friend was sceptical that the new buildings would find tenants, to which the council officer replied, "Not a problem. If there's no take-up, we'll just use them as council offices."
Stones with cement mortar. Tut tut, Jacqui. It should always be lime mortar!
@cneifiwr
I believe there are council offices in Parc y Scarlets...
@Photon
I've always had the impression you were a bit of a purist!
Jacqui, here in Broken Barnet the unwashed masses in the public gallery of our Town Hall are kept at a safe distance from our councillors by a high glass wall, even though we are (physically speaking) on the same level. This is, I believe, to prevent the throwing of rotten tomatoes, or, in my case, to prevent me jumping over the seats and clipping the more objectionable Tory councillors round the ear, as they so richly deserve.
I hope others will join you at these meetings and remind your elected representatives that they are ultimately accountable to the community, no matter how hard they try to keep you distanced from the democratic process.
You will be amused to hear that Camarthenshire County Council has been visiting my blog, for some reason!
I understand our Council RCTCBC has also got the defensive glass barriers in the Council Chamber. However as it is secreted well away in the outer wilderness of the Rhondda Valley I have never been able to get there to see for myself along with a large percentage of the population.Make of that what you will.Are we to take it that Photon is offering to re render your fireplace Caebrwyn?
Mrs Angry, with elections looming next year, perhaps chief executive Mark James is doing a recce to establish whether there are any openings for his talents in Barnet. If you see someone who bears an uncanny resemblance to former Tory leader Michael Howard lurking in the shadows, let us know.
Cneifiwr: I think that Camarthen CC & Barnet have much in common, and I'm sure your CEO would be very much at home here. Lots of boshy bloggers to make him feel welcome too. Pays not bad either: £218,000 per annum ...
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