I hold no brief for Plaid Cymru, certainly not on the national scene. Their performance, in coalition with Labour, in the Welsh Assembly Government more than ever convinces me that my party had a lucky escape in not joining them and the Conservatives after the last Assembly elections. However, I admire some of their local […]

There has been a partial account of Blaenhonddan Council’s decision to cease to operate Caewern community hall. It is unfortunate that neither the Guardian nor the Evening Post were able to send a reporter to the public meeting last Monday at which the issues were addressed. That meeting listened to the protests from the two […]

The Ramblers’ Association has a Downing Street petition here which is self-explanatory. I would only add that not only paths enjoyed by long-distance walkers are affected. Habitual footpaths, such as those taken as a short cut by ordinary members of the public and which may be taken for granted, are liable to be lost. I […]

The Ramblers’ Association organised a useful training day at Llandarcy today. As well as grounding in basic footpath law, we had a presentation on the Wales Coastal Path. Some long-held erroneous beliefs were dispelled, while there was reassurance that the law was stronger than I assumed. However, it has yet to be tested in some […]

An application has been made to upgrade footpath26 (shown alongside on map copied from Blaenhonddan community council’s guide to public rights of way) to a bridleway. If anyone has any comments, could they send them to me, or to the Head of Legal Services of the City of Swansea who is coordinating, by 7th December.

I shall be holding my regular monthly councillor surgery from 10 a.m. to mid-day this coming Saturday, 25th October, in the small hall of Cadoxton community centre.

South Wales West AM, Liberal Democrat Peter Black, has made a significant speech to the Council for Wales of Voluntary Youth Services.

Was it really that bad? readers of the Neath Guardian may ask. Well, yes, unfortunately it was. The Guardian’s reporting on this, and on the other items relating to Blaenhonddan in this week’s edition, is accurate so far as I can recall. One can only hope that, having got the party-political and personal point-scoring in […]

I am flattered by J.Powell’s description of me as “leader of Blaenhonddan council”, in her letter to this week’s “Neath Guardian”, but have to correct her – I am the mere ward councillor on the county borough council. I don’t recall a letter of mine being published on May 7th, either. I do recall making […]

At their first monthly meeting after the May 1st elections, Neath and Port Talbot Liberal Democrats welcomed Joanne Foster, the new Chief Executive of Welsh Liberal Democrats. There were congratulations for John Warman (Cimla) and Keith Davies (Coedffranc North), who retained their seats, and for new councillors Des Sparkes (Cimla) and Frank Little (Cadoxton). It […]