Next week's Executive Board meeting will back safely on home turf. Residents of Newcastle Emlyn were recently honoured with one of Kev's 'On the Road' Executive Board trips to the outback. Unfortunately three out of the ten members couldn't make it quite that far but the remaining convoy was suitably escorted by seven senior officers, including a press officer. Corporate press releases and photo opportunities duly satisfied, the entourage hurried back to Carmarthen without, I suspect, a backwards glance.
Monday's meeting will approve up to five days free parking during the year to help promote specific events in Carmarthenshire towns. December will be excluded of course as this is the most lucrative period for the council. Seems reasonable enough but naturally there are strings attached and with County Hall ever on the lookout for PR opportunities, event organisers will be required to pay for an ad in the council rag and ensure that 'The Council’s support is acknowledged in all marketing literature, adverts and publicity for events'. It's like selling your soul...
With four local authorities and two health boards (led by Carmarthenshire Council) establishing a 'Regional Board' to 'streamline' health services and produce 'efficiency through collaboration' blah blah , it is heartening to see they've got their priorities in order. The first task? Support to young carers? A couple more nurses? Even a consultant for Llanelli's A & E Department? No, a 'collaboration manager' a mere snip at £81,000 per year.
The resignation of Education Minister Leighton Andrews (Lab) (yes I know, it's old news) was the inevitable outcome after joining campaigners against a school closure in his constituency, in other words, his voters. His ministerial policy to eradicate spare places has meant the wholesale closure of many schools and his recent actions must have left campaigners across Wales feeling bemused to say the least.
As Minister, he has often had the last word in any closure decision and it's always been a rejection. I wonder, if they'd asked him, whether he'd have joined the ranks of children and parents of Pantycelyn Secondary School as they delivered their 2579 name petition to Carmarthen County Hall? Of course not.
An interesting response to an FOI was released the other day, the requestor asked how many Carmarthenshire council services had been lost over the past seven years. The answer was 'none'. Presumably the council didn't have time to list the closure of luncheon clubs, elderly day clubs, libraries, pest control services, public toilets, and severe cuts to contributions to local charities (apart from the bowling alley of course) and the CAB, funding to parks and highways, etc. When 'cuts' to services are misrepresented as 'efficiency savings', rationalisation, or other such council jargon, a council can come up with an answer like 'none' and not even feel a tiny bit economical with the truth.
As the Welsh Government continues to reject Eric Pickles' advances, here's a good post from blogger Richard Taylor detailing his most recent struggle to film a meeting of an English district council.
Have a read (complete with You Tube clip) here; Battle to film at Huntingdonshire District Council
Have just noticed a BBC report here
Monday's meeting will approve up to five days free parking during the year to help promote specific events in Carmarthenshire towns. December will be excluded of course as this is the most lucrative period for the council. Seems reasonable enough but naturally there are strings attached and with County Hall ever on the lookout for PR opportunities, event organisers will be required to pay for an ad in the council rag and ensure that 'The Council’s support is acknowledged in all marketing literature, adverts and publicity for events'. It's like selling your soul...
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The resignation of Education Minister Leighton Andrews (Lab) (yes I know, it's old news) was the inevitable outcome after joining campaigners against a school closure in his constituency, in other words, his voters. His ministerial policy to eradicate spare places has meant the wholesale closure of many schools and his recent actions must have left campaigners across Wales feeling bemused to say the least.
As Minister, he has often had the last word in any closure decision and it's always been a rejection. I wonder, if they'd asked him, whether he'd have joined the ranks of children and parents of Pantycelyn Secondary School as they delivered their 2579 name petition to Carmarthen County Hall? Of course not.
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An interesting response to an FOI was released the other day, the requestor asked how many Carmarthenshire council services had been lost over the past seven years. The answer was 'none'. Presumably the council didn't have time to list the closure of luncheon clubs, elderly day clubs, libraries, pest control services, public toilets, and severe cuts to contributions to local charities (apart from the bowling alley of course) and the CAB, funding to parks and highways, etc. When 'cuts' to services are misrepresented as 'efficiency savings', rationalisation, or other such council jargon, a council can come up with an answer like 'none' and not even feel a tiny bit economical with the truth.
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As the Welsh Government continues to reject Eric Pickles' advances, here's a good post from blogger Richard Taylor detailing his most recent struggle to film a meeting of an English district council.
Have a read (complete with You Tube clip) here; Battle to film at Huntingdonshire District Council
Have just noticed a BBC report here
3 comments:
http://www.eastlondonadvertiser.co.uk/news/politics/tower_hamlets_council_halts_its_meeting_when_oap_is_spotted_filming_it_1_2253064
Boring
CCC and Tower Hamlet Council should have been charged for wasting police time.
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