Frank Little

When members on the Planning & Development Committee forget about party & group loyalties and concentrate on the merits of each application, as the law requires, then there are usually satisfactory outcomes.

Yesterday, we saved a bio-diverse tree-covered mound in Waunceirch from being flattened. There was also a vote against an application by Prenergy to vary a condition in the approval for their proposed woodchip-burning power-station in Port Talbot which would involve, members felt, some significant “creep” in terms of proximity and noise.

There was even some joy for those who object to any privileges for councillors: there were no biscuits in the members’ room kitchenette yesterday!

Council endorsed two papers - on the strategy for older people, and on open space policy - and heard that ex-leader, Derek Vaughan, will take his seat in the European Parliament on 14th July.

There was nothing to object to in the strategy papers, but Cllr John Warman (Liberal Democrat, Cimla) took the opportunity of his response to draw attention to the continuing ageism on the part of employers, even though it was against the law. He also begged the medical profession and NHS administrators to cease compartmentalising patients by age, but instead to use purely medical criteria for treating people.

On the subject of open spaces, John recalled the pioneering legislation of the post-war Attlee (our greatest prime minister) government. Alun Llewelyn (Plaid Cymru, Ystalyfera) put in a word for the work done by community councils - then spoiled the pitch by complaining about the state of footpaths in his area. Ystalyfera CC needs to visit Cadoxton and other Blaenhonddan villages to see what can be done when a community council takes the initiative in this area.

In his summing-up, council leader Ali Thomas alluded to the difficulties created by private owners of land crossed by footpaths and bridle-ways. There is no doubt that some individuals are trying to put footpaths out of use, and the council needs to be perpetually vigilant,  but I would like him to have balanced this negative with the positive attitude of companies like Tennant Navigation.

It would have been good to hear how Councillor Vaughan intends to look after his Neath North constituents from Brussels and Strasbourg. It is a large ward, and, while there is no doubting the capabilities of Manny Loaring, Derek Vaughan’s Labour co-councillor, it will mean that one councillor will have to do the work of two for the foreseeable future.

In a press release, the new MEP stated that he would resign from the County Borough Council when the next general election is called in order, he said, to save the cost of a separate by-election. Well, a press release does not the same status as a formal statement to his fellow council members and we still don’t officially know Cllr. Vaughan’s intentions. Besides, releasing information to the media in advance of, or even instead of, reporting to council is at variance with the standards at Westminster which the new Speaker seeks to establish.

No voter has called for an election to fill the vacancies left by the resignation of six Plaid Cymru members a month ago. Accordingly, the council has resolved to co-opt people to bring the council up to strength. The clerk has advertised the vacancies in the community, calling for volunteers to put their names forward before mid-day on Friday, 10th July.

Members must have lived within the community or 3 miles of its boundaries for the last twelve months. There is no requirement for co-opted members to come from the wards which have been vacated. There are also work and land ownership qualifications*.

The current state of the parties on Blaenhonddan CC is Labour 8, Plaid Cymru 3, Liberal Democrat 1. There are no independents.

[Later] I have now seen the advertisement. It emphasises that applicants must be prepared to stay on for the full three years which the council has left to run.

*A person is qualified to be a Councillor if he or she is a British subject, a Commonwealth citizen or a citizen of the Irish Republic; if on the relevant day is 21 years of age or over; has during the whole 12 months preceding that day occupied as owner or tenant any land or other premises in the parish, or his principal or only place of work during those 12 months has been in the parish; or during the whole of these 12 months has resided in the parish or within three miles of it. (This is my understanding of the law and should not be taken as definitive - if in doubt, consult the clerk.)

There was a brief ceremony at the Neath Civic Centre to initiate Armed Forces Week locally. The week culminates in a service in St Mary’s church in Swansea.

Party colleagues Des Sparkes and Keith Davies could not attend for personal reasons, but it was good to see John Warman and neighbouring councillors Doreen Jones (Labour, Aberdulais) and Tony Wyn Jones (Plaid, Bryncoch South) there.

I couldn’t resist linking to this vintage Pathé 1945 general election short, even though it has no local interest (apart from the Welsh dragon flag in the background!). It is of Sir Archibald Sinclair, the Liberal leader in 1945, reminding the voters of the progressive policies which the Liberal Party had introduced - the secret ballot, health & unemployment insurance and free education, for instance. Labour did a lot between 1945 and 1949, but it is easy to forget how the foundations had been laid by Liberal governments, and by Liberal thinkers like Keynes and Beveridge.

Sinclair lost his seat of Caithness & Sutherland in that Labour landslide. Perhaps he didn’t campaign too hard locally, relying on a “promise by Sinclair’s Conservative opponent to resign his seat in Sinclair’s favour if he won. Needless to say, the promise went unfulfilled” (Liberal Democrat History Group biography). The beneficiary (if that’s the correct word) as leader of the Liberal Party was Clement Davies, member for Montgomery, now held by Lembit Öpik.

Alcohol abuse is the next “task-and-finish” project to be tackled by Neath Port Talbot’s Social Services Health and Housing Scrutiny Committee. A reminder of this comes from a report in today’s Daily Post (the equivalent of the Western Mail in North Wales) that there has been a large rise in the number of mid-teens girls being found drunk and disorderly.

Locally, there has been some discussion about the designation of alcohol-free zones (AFZs). Children’s playgrounds and other open spaces would be prime candidates. One has already been established in Skewen (in Coedffranc community) at the suggestion of the police, who were obviously confident of supervising it. This is the sticking point: these zones work only if the police are able and willing to patrol them. So far, we don’t know the attitude of the police to AFZs in Cadoxton, or in Blaenhonddan generally.

If people feel there is a case for a local defined area to be designated an AFZ, the next PACT meeting (July 14th at Llangatwg School) would be a good time to raise the matter with the police.

The first monthly meeting since chairman Dick Matthews’ “mission statement” was held tonight. There will be a full press release which, hopefully, will be replicated on the council’s official web-site.

There was an above-average turnout for the European Parliamentary elections from Cadoxton, which is gratifying. Back-of-the-envelope calculations at the verification at Cwrt Herbert last night suggest that wards which return Labour councillors had lower turnouts, implying that the Labour vote was well down. Well, we shall all know on Sunday night when the count finally takes place, roughly synchronously with the rest of Europe.

I was unable to attend the session earlier today, when the official turnout figures for both Aberavon & Neath were announced. I was in the Cardiff Justice Centre attending a hearing in which our council was able to extend a court order preventing the release to the public of certain papers from an earlier child custody case. Judge Sais Llewelyn’s summing-up suggested to me that some documents concerning the principle of the case (without mentioning names)  may be revealed, but I am not a lawyer and will be guided by senior colleagues who are legally advised. Any further developments will be published on the local party web-site.

(With apologies to those who have already done so, in person or by post.)

As the Oberver puts it in last Sunday’s leader: “The worst possible consequence would be mass abstention. Failure to vote this Thursday risks ceding the field to a tiny minority of well-mobilised zealots - the racist BNP and scarcely less fanatical Ukip.”

Of course, while I hope that most people will cast their ballot based on European issues, there will be a large number who will use it to pass judgment on the Gordon Brown’s government, and the greed of MPs in both the major parties. In the absence of an overdue general election, that would be a valid decision, in my opinion.

The writer concludes: “it is the expenses scandal that will decide how most Britons vote on Thursday. While MPs from all parties are tainted, the parties themselves are not equally guilty. A credible record of support for transparency and for constitutional reform reflects well on Nick Clegg’s team.”

I would only add that this goes for Liberal Democrat MEPs as well as the Westminster party.

Economic Recovery

Sharon Bowles’ (South East) work is primarily on financial regulation, company law and intellectual property rights - but she has also ranged out to issues including mobile phone roaming and sport. During the financial crisis she has championed economic recovery and banking safety, which affects everyone now feeling the effects of the recession.

Fairer Fishing

Elspeth Attwooll (Scotland) is a spokesperson on fisheries and a vice-chair of the European Parliament’s Fisheries Committee. Over the years, she has worked hard for more regional input and control over fisheries management, arguing for a Common Fisheries Policy in which local fishermen are fully engaged.

An Efficient and Democratic Europe

Andrew Duff (East of England, & leader of the LibDem MEPs) has led the Liberals in the battles to strengthen the European Union. He is a key figure in the campaign for a more modern, efficient and democratic Europe. Andrew also works to build up the security and defence dimension of the EU.