Russell Roberts wrote in his column that opposition Councillors do not turn up to scrutiny meetings. This is true - in part, but as usual it is only his version of what is happening.

Welsh liberal Democrat Alliance Councillors along with Plaid do not attend overview and scrutiny committees. We refused to put members forward for this committee when Labour appointed Roger Turner as the Chair this year.

Cllr Turner was an Independent councillor and has been Chair of that committee for a number of years. Labour never offered the position to any other opposition group although the independent group were the smallest in the council. They claimed that for proper scrutiny it should be chaired by an independent. Then when Cllr Turner joined Labour earlier this year they changed their minds.

Suddenly it was ok to have the scrutiny committee chaired by a Labour member. This so that Cllr Turner could keep his £9,705 top up salary for chairing a handful of meetings every year. In our opinion this is not democratic and makes a mockery of any idea of holding the Labour administration to account.

We do have members on other scrutiny committees. Although these are also chaired by Labour members which goes against Government recommendations for the running of scrutiny committees at least they have always been run this way with no pretence of being properly democratic.

John Bell

Welsh Liberal Democrat Councillor, Treforest

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First Cllr Webber - Pontypridd Observer letters page Aug 25^th - and then Russell Roberts taking time out of one of his many jobs to write his newspaper column on 8^th September. Both peddle the same tired messages - Labour good, Westminster Government bad.

They claim current cutbacks are entirely the fault of Westminster, apparently overlooking the fact that their budget comes from the Labour Welsh Government as it has for years.

Have they got such short memories, or do they just hope that others have? On 3^rd January 2008 Jonathan Evans reported in this paper on the Council budget which was reported as disappointing and meant that frontline services would be affected. In the article Russell was quoted as saying

"We have approached Rhodri Morgan (Labour First Minister) and Ieuan Wyn Jones (Plaid Deputy First Minister) to try to get an increase but we haven't heard from them since. We do now face some serious challenges in terms of providing local services"

In a letter to the Local Government Minister Brian Gibbons (Labour) Russell wrote

"Given that the total Assembly pot is increasing by 4.8%, we are disappointed again with the lack of priority given to local government in the draft Assembly budget"

That would be the priority given to it by the Labour - Plaid Government at the Bay.

A year later and again Russell and co are complaining about the budget settlement. This time reporter Wayne Nowaczyk brought their outrage to public attention with talk of a £16million gap in finding.

"The totally inadequate level of Assembly support has now forced us into reviewing service provision and fees and charging arrangements." Said the Labour Council leader who continued

"The council's strong financial stability will not be comprised, which will ensure we maintain our core services that are being given short shrift by the politicians in Cardiff Bay."

CARDIFF BAY. The budget settlement from his Labour colleagues who he now tries to claim are blameless. And who was in power in Westminster at the time? Well let me see….oh yes, Labour. Somewhat hypocritical approach there don't you think?

Cllr Mike Powell

Welsh Liberal Democrats Trallwn

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Taking the public for granted

It seems that RCT Labour not only take their constituents for granted, but also the staff that constitute the second largest Local Authority in Wales.

I was appalled to read on Wales Online that Leader of RCT Council was being paid £1,800 from public money whilst council staff faced cuts of up to 40% in order to "protect front line services".

It seems that "protecting front line services" means nothing to Councillors who received salary increases, particularly Leader of the Council Russell Roberts who took a pay increase whilst Councillors' saw a 40% cut in their terms and conditions.

Russell Roberts' full wages included £58,962 as council leader, including £1,177 in travel, £23,544 as chairman of South Wales Police Authority and £13,344 from Cwm Taf Health Authority. This included a rise from £57,221 a year in 2009-10 to £58,962 in 2010-11 for being council leader.

Anthony Christopher's response to Coun Pauline Jarman's (Plaid Cymru opposition leader on RCT council) comments regarding Rusell Roberts' pay show how RCT Labour's moral authority is broken and in ruins.

Rhys Taylor

RCT Welsh Liberal Democrats

Undue influence?

As the local County Councillor I share the concerns of many residents about the possible closure of Treforest Police Station, and like many Councillors across RCT have held meetings with the relevant Police Officers in order to press the case for my ward and receive assurances that the level of policing will not be affected.

I have been heartened by statements made in public at the Council meeting on 27^th July and by reassurances given face to face that the changes are intended to ensure more time is actually spent by officers on the beat. Also that they will be looking at Treforest as a special case due to the presence of the University and are looking at providing alternative arrangements in the ward.

At the Council meeting we were given a presentation by Superintendent O'Neill of what he said were newly drawn up plans which included a list of stations that were definitely closing and others where arrangements were under consideration. The latter included Treforest and Tonyrefail.

I was surprised therefore to a press release from Tonyrefail Councillors claiming a victory and saying they had saved the station there. The whole press release did not appear in the Pontypridd Observer, just a quote saying - I suspect more accurately - that assurances had been given that the police presence wouldn't be reduced.

The press release has appeared elsewhere, however, including the Tonyrefail online forum, and in it Cllr Bob McDonald is quoted as saying that having Cllr Roberts as a member of the Police Authority "allowed us to have direct access into the decision making process and protect our local Police Station."

Now I am pleased for the residents of Tonyrefail if this is indeed the case and they are not going to lose yet another facility, but what about every other station in this position? Russell Roberts is the leader of this Council and the CHAIR of the South Wales Police Authority - both well paid positions. I hope he is not abusing his authority to ensure favouritism for his own ward.

John Bell

Welsh Liberal Democrat Councillor Treforest

Poetic Justice for Council Leader?

The Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales which is responsible for setting the levels of Councillors' allowances is consulting on the contents of a report which would result in the current maximum basic salary for Councillors being cut by 5% and senior salaries by 10%.

The panel previously set a maximum allowance, with councils free to set their own levels below that, which is what many Councils did. RCT Council did not, they set them at the maximum allowed - resulting in Russell Roberts becoming the highest paid Councillor in Wales.If these proposals are adopted then he will face a pay cut of around £5000 a year. Many of the employees who have had their terms and conditions reviewed by this Labour led Council may feel this is poetic justice.

And there may be another blow for Russell who tops up his salary currently to the tune of some £20K+ as Chair of the South Wales Police Authority. Now the Police Authority is, strangely, not mentioned in the report but it does state that

"In previous reports we have identified those local authority councillor positions which we regard as full-time, specifically leaders and executive members, and have set their remuneration levels accordingly. "

It goes on to say that some senior Councillors sit on the Fire & Rescue Authorities and the National Park Authorities and "we consider that councillors who serve their councils in full-time positions do not have sufficient time to undertake such additional duties with other bodies." Furthermore that "We regard the remuneration they receive as 'double-payments' and have taken the view that such responsibilities should not be additionally remunerated."

The Police Authority should come into the same bracket - and in fact we will be making this point when we submit the RCT Welsh Lib Dem response to the consultation. It is a point we have made time and time again. The salary for the Council Leader is for a full time post. If he is not doing that role full time then there should be some claw back.

It will be interesting to see the reaction of the Labour group when this is discussed at the next Council meeting.

Karen Roberts

Campaign Manager RCT Welsh Liberal Democrats

Is he taking the Mick?

Pontypridd's newly elected AM Mick Antoniw is obviously keen to keep his close association with the unions going and to be seen to be supportive of their grievances. Hence his 'Statement of Opinion' tabled at the Assembly which reads as follows:

"This Assembly puts on record its recognition of the hard and dedicated work of our public sector workers and recognises the anger felt by many at the serious attack on their living standards arising from measures being taken by the UK Government which will result in reduced terms and conditions of employment and pension provision…"

He will no doubt then be coming out and stating his unequivocal disgust at the way in which RCT Council employees have been treated by his own Labour party colleagues? Defending the rights of those lower paid employees who will see their living standards fall not because of any actions of the UK Government but because of the Labour administration here.

You can't have it both ways Mick - can't have the power and not take the responsibility. How many times has it got to be said? The Labour party were in Government at Westminster for 13 years, they have been in power in Cardiff Bay since 1999 alone or in coalition. They are running RCT Council. Yet whose fault is everything? Of course, it is the fault of the Westminster coalition.

Take a look around Mick, talk to some of your union friends, see just how much anger there is locally about changes in terms and conditions on your own territory. Then ask yourself who caused it.

Karen Roberts

Just what is it that Labour Councillors in RCT are afraid of? They clearly have no concept of the word democracy and it would be hard to imagine an organisation that supposedly works for the public which is less open to public scrutiny. The Council meeting on 25^th May was a classic example.

They passed some changes in the constitution including a resolution that says nobody - whether Councillor or observer - can photograph, video, record or otherwise transmit any details of proceedings outside of a Council meeting or they will be asked to leave. So if whilst sitting in the public gallery someone were to be caught putting a comment on Facebook or Twitter regarding the meeting then they would be asked to leave! Wouldn't want the public knowing anything of what goes on in the Cocunil Chamber they fund now would we? And a recording may show up the appalling behaviour of some members of the ruling group.

They also decided to push through a change which means that in future if there is a tied vote at a planning meeting then the application will be decided upon by a Planning Officer rather than elected representatives.

They decided that if a Councillor wants to put a question to the Leader at a meeting then they must give at least eight clear days' notice in future rather than the three days required now. Obviously it takes the Leader a long time to come up with answers!

To cap it all off they appointed one of their own to Chair the Council's main scrutiny committee - the committee which looks at Cabinet decisions and tries to hold them to account. Roger Turner was an Independent Councillor and has been Chair of the committee for some years. He recently joined the Labour party but it now seems that they have forgotten their earlier wish to be democratic and offer committee chairs to other parties. Now Cllr Turner is the only man for the job!

Honestly - you couldn't make it up!

Karen Roberts

Pwll Yr Hebog, Wern St, Clydach Vale, RCT.

KEEPING THE FAITH

So it seems that the people of Pontypridd and indeed of Wales have turned back to Labour. Whatever the reasons the people have spoken and Wales will have the Government it has chosen for the next five years. That is democracy and we must accept that with a degree of magnanimity.

It is difficult to understand, however, just how much misery people are prepared to endure from the Labour party before they finally accept they are not the party they were, the party of the working class. They have presided over a Government where our education system produces results that are amongst the lowest in Europe. A health service where people in Wales wait far longer than those in England for treatment and operations.

Here in RCT they waste millions of pounds on self-promotion, have treated their own workforce abominably and have scant regard for the people they are supposed to serve. The newly elected AM for the constituency has a steep learning curve just to figure out what the problems are here never mind looking for solutions.

The Welsh Liberal Democrats suffered a huge backlash across the UK. Pontypridd didn't escape that, and Mike Powell who came so close in last year's general election lost out as a result.

We are immensely proud to be Welsh Liberal Democrats and of what we have achieved as a team here in RCT. We will stick to our principles and purpose no matter what.

As for Mike, he is still a Councillor here, and as far as Pontypridd is concerned will never stop caring, and never stop wanting a better deal for the people here. He has taken a huge amount of abuse from Labour party members in the area who have tried everything to blacken his reputation, and will no doubt continue to be the butt of their childish antics in the Council Chamber. As his Agent and colleague it has been my pleasure to work alongside him and on behalf of both of us can I extend thanks to those who supported us.

There is now of course a Welsh Liberal Democrat AM for South Wales Central following the election of John Dixon as our lead candidate on the regional list.

Keep the faith - we will.

Karen Roberts - RCT Welsh Liberal Democrats

In response to Mr Antoniw

(Who took umbrage at my letter criticising his cosy relationshipo with the unions!)

The Truth Will Out??

It is said that to get away with being a good liar you have to have a very good memory.

It seems that the memory of Council leader Russell Roberts is somewhat flawed resulting in a deal of confusion.

I was present at the Council meeting on 30^th March when question was asked as to why no employee earning over £42,000 a year was included in the recent review of terms and conditions. Cllr Roberts said that the review was carried out as a result of a national agreement between unions and Councils. He said the unions didn't ask for it to be carried out for employees on higher grades of pay.

He also stated that the review would also end up costing the Council £3million a year and was not done as a cost cutting exercise.

Now this is in direct contradiction to everything he has said before. In a press release on 18^th January he said that "The changes to terms and conditions generate £5.6M and without these amendments we would be faced with a situation where up to 500 jobs in the Council would be lost."

Reacting to criticism in a press statement at the end of February he said the review was "the best way to bridge the £14m budget gap" and continued

"It is not through choice that we have made these changes, we were faced with two stark options as a council; either amend the additional allowances some staff receive or make up to 500 people redundant."

Now what exactly is the truth here? Will this review which has resulted in many low paid workers losing out financially save the Council money or cost them money? And why was sit carried out? Was it as he stated in answer to a question from Cllr Mike Powell the result of an agreement with trade unions, or was it something the Council had to do because of cutbacks in the budget?

I am sure Russell will have a handy explanation - but how will we know whether to believe him or not?

Karen Roberts

One rule for one......

So a name has been decided upon for the new replacement school for Penrhiwfer and Williamstown then.

It is apparently to be called Williamstown Primary School @ Penrhiwfer Campus so as to satisfy as many people as possible.

Now I have no objection to this, I think it is a good idea. However, when we suggested some time ago that the new Welsh medium school built to replace Rhydfelen should be called Rhydfelen at garth Olwg campus the Labour party wanted nothing to do with the suggestion.

This despite the huge strength of feeling amongst pupils, parents. Governors and lots of others associated with the school who were left feeling cheated and disappointed when the Ryhdfelen name was dropped.

So what is the difference this time? Could it be that Labour Councillors in the Tonteg, Church Village and Llantwit Fardre wards never wanted a Welsh medium school built on their territory and so tried to be as unwelcoming as possible? It seems once again there is one rule for one another for the rest.

Cllr John Bell

Welsh Liberal Democrat Treforest.

I have just come across a little watched video clip on you tube of Labour's Assembly candidate addressing a trade union protest in February.

Mr Antoniw describes himself as a 'trade union lawyer working very closely with the trade unions' and speaks out against possible plans to restrict the funding of political parties by trade unions.

Hardly surprising that he does not want to see any decline in the powers of the unions - he won his nomination to the Pontypridd seat thanks to the trade union vote. (As indeed labour party leader Ed Milliband won his leadership battle.)

Unions will no doubt yet again be funding a large part of his campaign. And they indirectly provide a substantial chunk of his income.

When RCT Council failed to settle equal pay claims with its workers I understand that Mr Antoniw's firm was hired to negotiate.

Now I am not against trade unions - I am all for advocacy for workers. However, less than 30% of workers actually belong to a trade union. Not all of those are Labour supporters. And how healthy is the relationship between the Labour party and the unions?

In the video he states that

"At the moment we have an Assembly Government that is working very closely, almost in partnership with the trade union movement,"

Is that right? Is it fair? People vote for a political party. If the unions want a stronger voice maybe they should openly stand in their own right?

It was the Labour administration in RCT who did the dirty on their lowest paid workers, changing their terms and conditions whilst the upper grades weren't touched. The Labour mayor who called the Police and attempted to have employees (union members) thrown out of the public gallery where they were gathered to peacefully protest against the changes.

Maybe the cosy relationship will be less cosy in the future.

Karen Roberts

27/03/11

I have always been under the impression that Council employees are supposed to go about their business in a non political manner, unless of course they are expressly employed as political assistants.

Press releases are supposed to reflect what the Council as a while are doing. The public relations staff are after all paid by the taxpayer (not all of whom are Labour supporters would you believe) and should NOT be making political comment on behalf of the Leader or anyone else.

It is a mark of how this current administration view its role then that a recent press release referred to 'savage cuts' and went on to blame the 'Con Dem Government.' Not only is this attitude childish in the extreme, but does a huge dis-service to the people of RCT who are paying for the production of this on top of the propaganda they already receive from the costly Outlook magazine.

Now I understand that the Head of Strategy who is also responsible for the press side of the Council's business has a vested interest in keeping the Labour Party in power - he is after all the son of the Cabinet Member for Education. However, should he really be authorising the issuing of such blatant political nonsense and do other political groups get the use of such services? After all they were elected by the people they represent too.

Karen Roberts

The whingeing mentality of Labour

Are Russell Roberts and his Labour cronies ever going to wake up and accept any responsibility at all for the economic situation this Council finds itself in?

Yet again we have been subject to his incessant whingeing in relation to the changes in terms and conditions being imposed upon Council employees. Yes times are hard, yes the Council settlement is not good, but who is to blame?

Cllr Roberts is sitting comfortably on his almost £58K salary as Council leader, plus more than £22,630 as Chair of the South Wales Police Authority, not to mention the expenses he claims on top of that and the cost of the chauffeur driven car to drive him around when he feels the need. He leads a Council where the Chief Executive making these decisions is on more than £140,000 a year.

Yet between them they have not managed to keep the Council in good enough financial order to ride over the rough times.

Of course according to Russell it is all the fault of the evil dark lords in the current coalition Westminster Government. What absolute rot.

Local Government in Wales is devolved, it is the responsibility of the Assembly Government. The LABOUR and Plaid coalition there. They decided on the levels of settlement for Councils, nobody else.

Cllr Roberts should take some responsibility along with his salary

Karen Roberts

Stop moaning and get on with running the country

Well the arguments regarding the budget look set to roll on. The New Labour whinge machine has gone into overdrive with everyone from their Councillors to their First Minister moaning about the poor deal Wales has had. "The Barnett formula is unfair" cried Carwyn Jones on Question Time - it needs to be reformed.

Why didn't your lot do it when they were in control for thirteen years then?

Jane Hutt complained that setting the budget had been very difficult because "This has been the worst budget settlement since devolution" but she has done her best to protect services bless her! Maybe if her colleagues hadn't left the UK's finances in such a state then the savings would not have had to be so severe.

There is much concern about the health service - with the Conservative joining in here and demanding it be ring fenced in Wales. The problem is not with the amount of money being spent on health in Wales - it is the fact that huge chunks of it are badly spent.

The reorganisation of the health Service saw a massive cut in the number of health boards, to a third of their previous level, but yet not one senior manager was made redundant. The Health Minister commissions reports such as the McKinsey report which they first denied existed, and then claimed wasn't a report but a collection of slides. A collection of slides which cost half a million pounds.

It really is about time that Labour and their Plaid cronies stopped moaning and set about the very serious business of putting this country back on an even keel. They cannot keep laying the blame at the door of the coalition UK Government. They messed up at UK level, and have done nothing in Wales to prepare us for the situation we find ourselves in.

Karen Roberts

Help most certainly needed

I read the article about RCT council's refusal to accept the offer of free help in reducing their sickness costs with dismay ("Firm that cuts staff absence rebuffed by RCT", Nov 5).

As an RCT councillor this was the first I had heard of their refusal of help but it came as no surprise to myself nor I suspect to several other members of this body.

I have asked RCT council to address the high levels of sickness for years.

No doubt someone in a position to act on this loss to the authority will be explaining why they have declined the offer of help because I think they really do need it in the RCT administration, and at all levels.

MIKE POWELL

True colours shining through?

I was disgusted by the attitude of Labour Councillors at the Council meeting on 3rd November, refusing to let a union representative respond to Russell Roberts'' statement on the negotiations with employees over terms and conditions.

The very least they could have done was to pretend to listen! We all know they don't like any confrontation with the public. .They have a history of ignoring delegations to the Chamber - the Rhydfelen students, the Treherbert pool protestors. However, they are supposedly the champions of the unions. It is the unions after all that provide the bulk of their financial backing!

Employees are understandably very worried, and the way this administration are going about the process is appalling. In Cardiff a cut back in the number of senior managers has just been announced - are RCT going to consider this option? They should. Yes there is a need to make savings, but front line staff should not be seen as an easy target.

Pembrokeshire Council are cutting back on the number of cabinet member to cut costs. How about RCT looking at that?

There are many ways in which savings could be made if only they would wake up and look instead of just bleating on about how everything is the fault of the Government. Especially when it was their government who left us in the mess at Westminster and their government who have mismanaged finances at the Bay.

Cllr John Bell

Welsh Liberal Democrats, Treforest

Shameless not blameless

So the Labour administration in RCT is going for the easy option in an effort to cut their budget - the wages if the lower echelons of staff, the people who actually provide the services.

Will the Chief Executive on £140+ a year be included in the review of terms and conditions? Will his wage be cut? Will his essential car users allowance be taken away? Or the legal officer who earns the best part of £100K a year but it seems has to pull in outside legal advice on a regular basis because he cannot give a legal opinion?

Or the Director of Strategy whose real role seems a little uncertain - but whose wage doubled in short order when he was suddenly promoted to a post created just for him.

The unions are up in arms - maybe rightly so - but yet it is they who keep supporting the Labour party. Well there is no solidarity with the champagne socialists in RCT - the Labour administration who (along with their colleagues in Cardiff Bay and Westminster) are intent on blaming everyone but themselves for the state this country is in. They may not be blameless but they are certainly shameless.

Karen Roberts

Chair RCT Welsh Liberal Democrats

Disgraceful Chamber behaviour needs to be seen to be believed

I wish more people would make the effort to go along to Council meetings. They could then see for themselves the absolutely disgraceful behaviour exhibited by the ruling group. Whilst most of their backbenchers never take part in any debate they act like a bunch of badly behaved school children, barracking anyone who dares to hold a different viewpoint.

The current mayor makes no attempt to hide his bias and obvious contempt for certain members of the opposition, and runs meetings according to his own set of rules. Meanwhile the legal officer whose job it allegedly is to ensure that standing orders are followed and everyone is treated fairly sits on his hands and says nothing.

They refuse to vote in favour of any opposition motion no matter how good the idea may be, simply because it is not put forward by themselves. They voted down a motion from the Welsh Liberal Democrats in March to freeze Councillors allowances, but brought that same motion back themselves six months later (as soon as the rules allowed).

They have no regard for the people of this County Borough - if they did then they would be prepared to at least listen to the ideas of others if not always agree with them.

People really should go along and see this exhibition for themselves.

Karen Roberts

When will they learn

Council leader Russell Roberts says that cutbacks will have to be made and that whilst they won't "turn off the tap" completely then they will turn it down in relation to some services.

They could have made a start cutting back on their own wasteful junkets. I attended the civic service of the Llantwit Fardre mayor, as a guest of our community Councillor. Now whilst you could argue that the provision of a few sandwiches afterwards is acceptable I was amazed to find a free bar there which was in operation for several hours.

I was incensed to find that the Mayor of RCT and the leader had both come along in separate chauffeur driven cars. Two members of staff hanging around all day on a Sunday so that the great and the good could take full advantage.

Couldn't the have driven themselves? Or even taken a taxi? Even charging that to the taxpayer would have been a lot cheaper than the option they chose. When will they learn?

(Oh and in case anyone is wondering I had one glass of orange juice!)

Karen Roberts

Chair RCT Welsh Lib Dems

Church Village bypass - let's nto get carried away.

We welcome the opening of the recent Church Village by pass - like many others we have long campaigned for this much needed route, and although we have had a number of reservations it would be churlish not to see that this is progress.

However, Welsh Liberal Democrat transport spokesperson Jenny Randerson is right in her assertions that both the First Minister was a little over effusive in praising the project as having been delivered on time and on budget.

The initial estimated cost of the project in 2001 was a little under £39m - even given for inflation and the rising costs of construction that is a huge rise, along the lines of the increase that saw the Porth relief road become the most expensive pound per mile road in Britain.

An RCT spokesperson stated that "the bypass was expected to cost £125m and open in November 2010 when the contract was let, in 2007. That price was reduced by £35m as work progressed, thanks to design and other alterations."

Indeed there were some considerable reductions, from a dual to a single carriageway which is surely a complete change to the original scheme. This has indeed been a long time coming, but let's not get too carried away here.

Karen Roberts

Chair RCT Welsh Liberal Democrats

Forgetting something Eudine?

She has got to be kidding surely? The A level results came out on Thursday, and as usual they were accompanied by a press release from the Cabinet Member for Education Eudine Hanagan.

In glowing terms (rightly so) she congratulated "the growing number of teenagers who are celebrating great results" and (correctly) identifies that the results are due to the hard work and commitment of students and staff in our schools.

More and more students are choosing to stay on into sixth form. Yet Cllr Hanagan wants to close those sixth forms. If she has her way then every one of them in RCT will close.

Somehow she failed to mention that in her press release.

Karen Roberts

Chair RCT Welsh Liberal Democrats

Cut reckless spending not services

The breathtaking hypocrisy of the Labour Party really is beyond belief. They seem to think that everything can now be blamed on the coalition Government and that if they keep pretending for long enough people will forget that it was their reckless spending and lack of foresight that got us into the mess we are in.

At every level they have shown - and indeed are still showing scant regard for their role as guardians of the public purse. They keep insisting that public spending should be protected, but how can they justify that given some of the unbelievable wastage that they were and are responsible for.

Let's just look at some of the examples that have come to light. At UK Government level for example the communities department of the last (Labour) Government spent £16m bill on marketing and promotion, £635,000 went on taxis and chauffeur-driven cars, and almost £310,000 on catering and food.

At the Assembly the Labour - Plaid Government spent more than £400,000 with four external public relations firms last year - despite employing 25 full-time PR and communications staff.

In Councils across Wales the pattern continues - it's the same Labour Party wherever they are. In Rhondda Cynon Taff they spent £85,000 on advertising in the local press, and around £65,000 on their glossy magazine which goes to every household. Your money to tell you how good they are!

Yet they would have the public believe that cutting back on public spending is all about cutting services. That is nonsense - it is about handling the taxpayers' money responsibly, for the benefit of the public, not a few elected members and civil servants.

Karen Roberts

Chair RCT Welsh Liberal Democrats

Who are you trying to fool?

Brendan O'Reilly certainly hit the nail on the head with his comments regarding the 'Outlook newspaper. It is indeed nothing more than a publicly funded Labour propaganda rag.

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/south-wales-news/pontypridd-llantrisant/2010/07/29/doctor-outlook-is-bleak-91466-26942273/

For those who don't keep these treasured mementos to read and re-read they are available online via the Council website. Anyone wishing to check the content can therefore quite easily do so.

It is all the more strange then that Christian Hanagan should have stated in his response on behalf of the Council that "A glance through previous editions would show that many feature members of all political groups - especially where they have a position of responsibility"

Strange because the evidence clearly shows he is either mistaken or - to be frank - lying. Now Mr Hanagan is the £67,000 a year Director of Strategy and Public Relations, and he is after all the person in control of the Outlook production, so you would think he would know exactly what is being distributed.

A look back over the past fourteen months shows not a single picture of any Councillor from any political party other than Labour.

Now I daresay it is to be expected that the ruling group feature prominently in any Council paper - indeed this same situation prevailed when Plaid were in control. However, it is surely not acceptable for a Council Officer to try and cover this up with a statement that is so easily disproved?

Karen Roberts

Chair RCT Welsh Liberal Democrats

It's a long fall Russell

Russell Roberts really should get down off his high horse before he falls off.

So everything is now the fault of the coalition Government is it? Nothing to do with his Labour mates and former mates at Westminster who put us in debt to the tune of more than 900 BILLION pounds and bled the bank account dry?

Nothing to do with his Labour colleagues in Cardiff Bay, and their failure to encourage investment in Wales, instead to throwing money into fancy offices and first class travel costs for the people they employed to encourage that investment?

Perhaps Russell should remember - as I am sure the people of RCT do - that it was HIS Labour colleagues who were in Government in Westminster and Cardiff last year when he put up car parking charges, and home care charges. When HIS Cabinet shut swimming pools and day centres.

Yet it is suddenly all the fault of the evil Liberal Democrats and Conservatives that cuts need to be made - yea, right. Labour had thirteen years and all they did was dig us deeper into this mess. The cheek of Russell Roberts and his whinging Labour followers really does defy belief.

Cllr John Bell

Welsh Liberal Democrat

Treforest

Rose Tinted Specs

Has Council leader Russell Roberts been in some sort of a time warp, or are his rose tinted specs really that effective?

It is of course a neat trick to try - blaming the opposition Parties in Government for everything - but how much of this does he think people are going to be prepared to swallow?

Making cuts should not be about axing jobs willy nilly as Labour would have us believe. It should be about handling the public purse more prudently, and there are no end of areas where this Council - and no doubt others - could cut back on their spending without affecting front line services.

The hire of external consultants for example, and in particular legal advice costs. RCT is the second biggest Authority in Wales it has a substantial legal department, yet it seems that anything more than the most run of the mill business needs advice from 'experts.'

The cost of driving around the Leader, Mayor and Cabinet in two chauffeur driven cars has angered many - was it necessary for the Mayor to be driven to Brighton for a fish and chip supper? What benefit has that brought to RCT?

The 'Outlook' paper that is nothing more than a propaganda rag for the Labour Party would not be missed. They could stop sending out single pages of A4 to their Councillors in large brown envelopes - especially when they all have lap tops provided and email accounts. The list goes on.

Of course it is not just the Council that is affected - other public services will have to look at the way they work as well. Cllr Roberts was the Chair of the local Health Trust at the time of the recent reorganisation, when the Labour plans lead to a raft of former senior directors and Chief Executives continuing to be paid high salaries despite not having roles to play in the new system.

Don't try and blame us for Labour's failings Russell - the public are not as gullible as you seem to think.

Karen Roberts

Chair RCT Welsh Liberal Democrats.

The wounded animal that is Labour

It is a well known fact that you should take great care when approaching an injured animal - they tend to lash out.

The Labour party are reacting in exactly the same manner - any sense of reason seems to have left this injured body and boy are they lashing out.

First we saw ex Pontypridd MP Kim Howells voicing his erudite opinion that the Lib Dems are "a bunch of opportunistic toerags, who'll say anything to anyone in order to get power." An interesting take from a member of a party whose whole campaign was based on scare mongering.

Then his successor Owen Smith writing on 'Wales Home' online launched a vitriolic attack on our Party which did little other than demonstrate his bitterness at not only being run a close second in the recent election but finding he was not part of the ruling group.

Now we have it brought right down to grass roots. The recent community council by election in Tonteg brought out the very worst in them. First they put out a leaflet saying that we should not have caused an election to tale place but instead just let them nominate someone to be co-opted on to the Council - because apparently that is how it is always done!!

Then came the comments of Labour Cllr Anthony Raines writing in his regular 'in touch' column in Observer. He used it as a platform to launch an attack on our candidate Elsie Bell which was totally unwarranted and surely not in the spirit of the local news pages.

Take care people - wounded animals lash out.

Karen Roberts

Chair RCT Welsh Liberal Democrats

Plaid should take a closer look at themselves

Plaid Cymru would be far better off taking a good long look at themselves rather than trying to poach Welsh Liberal Democrat supporters. Despite some considerable effort in the Cynon Valley they only managed to capture some 20% of the vote.

In Pontypridd their share of the vote dropped by almost 4% and they polled only 2,673 votes compared to the Welsh Liberal Democrat dramatic rise to 11,435 votes. Is it any wonder they desperately want to attract some of our members and supporters?

Could it be that Plaid are just a little bit upset because they have failed to get any whiff of power in Westminster? That after touting themselves for months as the people who would rush to the rescue in a hung Parliament. For the good of Wales of course.

People in Pontypridd have already woken up and smelled the coffee, as they put it, voting for the party that puts Wales first - that is why they vote for us.

Karen Roberts

Chair

RCT Welsh Liberal Democrats

Students Give Thumbs Down To Ponty

According to a Western Mail report on 2nd April, students have voted Pontypridd the worse student town in which to live.

To many of us this will not come as a surprise. The town has failed to embrace the University and make the most of the opportunities that come with being a university hub. Instead there is tension between students and residents, and the uneasy alliance that exists is unsatisfactory for all.

It is also a further damning indictment on the way in which the Labour Party has failed the area.

Announcing his resignation Kim Howells MP said his biggest regret was that they had never been able to achieve their dream of regenerating Pontypridd town (He seems to have forgotten about the rest of his constituency completely).

Yet whose failure is that? With the Labour Party in charge at every level of Government - apart from RCT's brief dalliance with a Plaid Council - for more years than any of us can remember who is to blame?

Karen Roberts

Chair RCT Welsh Liberal Democrats

Looking After Your Money?

In common with most people I have been hit by rising fuel prices and inflation generally and haven't been able to squirrel anything away in my savings account for a while. As a result my 'buffer' to help with 'growing financial pressures' is a little diminished.

RCT Labour run Council appear to have hit a similar problem. However, they have a solution which is not available to most of us. They will simply get it from each and every one of us who pays Council Tax.

Isn't that a great idea? Labour Councillors - backed by the Independent group - voted through a budget which included a Council Tax rise which is above the average for Wales. Yet, as reported in the press, they are to put £2million into the General Reserve.

Now I am not against a generous dollop of financial prudence but really how can they justify this at a time when they are cutting back on services and putting up costs?

Karen Roberts

Chair RCT Welsh Lib Dems.

Cut Your Cloth

The Labour administration in RCT is to put the Council Tax up by 3.9% this year, above the average for Wales. They say this is necessary to preserve front line services, but it would seem an attempt instead to avoid any of the tough decisions that Councils and indeed private businesses have to make across the country.

Russell Roberts has said there will be no compulsory redundancies. Now whilst I would certainly not want to see more people put on the dole, especially during the current austere times, is this a realistic position?

They are cutting services, albeit not ones they consider 'front line' - more cuts in leisure centre opening hours, and open access centres for the elderly for instance. So what is to happen to the staff currently employed there?

He also brushed aside any suggestion of reducing street light usage. Now again, this has to be done with care, and some Councils have made serious errors in the way they have done this. However, we should be looking not only at saving money but also taking more note of our environmental responsibilities and reducing our Carbon footprint.

There is also a great deal of scope for cutting general wastage and therefore costs. As one Independent Councillor pointed out, there is no need to send out single sheets of paper in large A4 envelopes several times a week to every Councillor.

The Labour group seemed proud that this Council Tax increase is one of the lowest they have ever set. Yet it is still in excess of many other Councils. Perhaps they need to think again about their priorities.

Karen Roberts

Chair RCT Welsh Lib Dems

They Cannot Be Serious

The complete arrogance of the Labour Party really does defy belief. Carwyn Jones had the nerve to stand up at the Welsh Labour Party Conference and admit that for the past 13 years 'you could have a Labour Government without even having to vote for it.'

Indeed with regard to Labour MPs across many areas of Wales the same has been the case. Mr Jones spoke of the 'arrogance and ignorance' of the Conservatives - and I certainly wouldn't disagree with many of his comments with regard to their attitudes and policies.

However, arrogance and ignorance are equally apparent in his own Party. They have been arrogant enough to take their vote completely for granted in areas such as Pontypridd for years, and as a result have ignored the steady decline in the area and lost an desire to fight for their constituents.

Yet what is the best they can come up with to persuade people to keep backing them? The Tories would be worse. How pathetic is that? Peter Hain has the begging bowl out asking supporters of other Parties to 'lend' their votes to help keep this failing Government in power.

The definition of insanity is said to be 'doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.' There is only one way to get change - vote for it. Mr Hain said that "this coming election will be one where we have to take sides." He's right. But there are more than two sides playing in this game - chose yours carefully, and elect representatives who are going to put you first and not just seek power at all costs

Mike Powell

Welsh Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate Pontypridd

Will The Real Plaid Cymru Please Stand Up?

For the past couple of weeks we seem to have heard just one message from Plaid Cymru the self styled 'Party of Wales.' Hope for a hung Parliament so that they can step in and save the day, allegedly then gaining a better deal for Wales.

Could somebody please explain to me how this tallies with the remarks made by their Director of Policy Nerys Evans AM earlier this year?

Ms Evans in an interview with the Western Mail said that letting Welsh MPs serve as Ministers with responsibility for England-only affairs was "unaccountable, undemocratic and unfair."

So how then do Plaid think they can form a coalition Government? Haven't they heard of the term collective responsibility? Would Plaid Minister's only sit in on half of a Cabinet meeting, leaving the room and declaring no interest in anything involving Education or Health for example?

Plaid have absolutely no influence at Westminster, and all this talk of hung Parliaments and better deals is merely hype to try and bolster a vote that is always weaker in a General Election. After all if Plaid had their way there would be full Independence and no Welsh MPs at Westminster anyway. How hypocritical is that?

Karen Roberts

Chair RCT Welsh Lib Dems

New Labour Coalition Deal???

Well I knew the Labour party were losing supporters at a rate of knots, but even I was surprised to see a Labour town Councillor supporting a rival candidate at the recent Pontypridd Town Council by election.

Jonathan Bishop, actually wearing a large Labour rosette, was an official counting agent for the Raving Monster Loony candidate.

Is this a sign of a new coalition developing? Are Labour that desperate to hold on to power that they will befriend any and all?

The losing Labour party candidate was no doubt thrilled by the actions of a member of her own Party.

Cllr John Bell

Welsh Liberal Democrats Treforest

Stitch Up

The Labour Party seem to have shot themselves in the foot yet again over their candidate selection in Pontypridd. You think they would have learned from the Blaenau Gwent fiasco, but then this is typical of New Labour - they don't learn from their own mistakes.

People deserve to be represented by the best person for the job - man or woman. If the women that Labour HQ have in mind are so good then surely they can win seats on their own merit? Anyone putting their cross next to a Welsh liberal Democrat candidate can be sure this is the case.

Why should the people of the Pontypridd constituency - or indeed any other - have an outsider foisted upon them who knows nothing about the area, and is merely being put into what they perceive to be a 'safe' seat to further their political careers. An MPs commitment should surely be to their constituency, not to their own ends?

Don't the powers that be at Labour party HQ in London listen to what is going on at grass roots level? Their own members are telling them they are wrong, making it clear they will not support this move, yet they seem not to care. The Labour 'activist' quoted in the Western Mail summed it up nicely - 'People don't like what seems to be a stitch up.'

Karen Roberts

Chair RCT Liberal Democrats

Labour Councillor's Contempt

There is a growing trend amongst politicians and indeed people in general to set up websites, blog, use forums, and spend time on social networking sites such as Facebook. However, some really should be careful of what they post in public as it can say a great deal about the way in which they think.

Bob McDonald is a Councillor for Tonyrefail East - he is also the Chair of the RCT Planning committee. He has recently succeeded in annoying a large proportion of Rhondda residents with his comments about Penygraig and Penrhys.

Under a comment from him which said he was off to visit those two places, he added "Got back to my car and it still had four wheels and nothing missing. It was so bloody cold all the crims were at home cuched up to the radiators."

Charming! Yet I suppose he figures that they cannot vote for him so it desn't matter?

His other comments include "Damn it, I do hate having meetings on a Friday afternoon, especially in Ponty aaarrrgggghhhhh."

Perhaps he should be more careful in what he posts in future if he doesn't want to upset even more people.

Yet it seems he is somewhat addicted to the site. Indeed so much so that instead of attendinga PACT meeting in Tonyrefail on 1st Feb the site shows he was online playing something called 'Farmville'

Glad to see he has his priorities right.

Karen Roberts

Pwll Yr Hebog, Wern St

Clydach Vale.

Plaid Should Be Honest With Voters

TO SAY Plaid Cymru is being irresponsible in its promises to pensioners in Wales is putting it mildly.

Nobody could disagree with Age Concern that the basic state pension is too low but this blatant electioneering is showing Plaid Cymru in its true colours.

Leave aside for a moment the fact that Plaid is an irrelevance at Westminster, and so is not going to be in a position where it could ever deliver on its pledges.

It promises anything to get people to vote for it without thinking about the consequences. It is my belief that politicians and political parties should be honest with the voters about what we can and cannot offer.

Our economy is at rock bottom thanks to the incompetence of successive Labour and Conservative Governments. There is simply not the money available to fulfil Plaid's pie-in-the-sky promises.

The Institute for Fiscal Studies estimated it would cost £20bn a year to provide a universal state pension at the level Plaid suggests. This is unrealistic.

Pensioners must have a fair and honest deal. They need a proper package of proposals, not false promises.

Liberal Democrat proposals would see the basic state pension uprated in line with earnings.

This along with such things as a national programme of home insulation, reducing fuel bills and helping combat fuel poverty.

Realistic commitments, not false promises - that is what is needed.

Mike Powell

Welsh Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate, Pontypridd

School Safety Concerns Should Have Had Priority

I was one of the Councillors who voted against the planning application for the replacement Williamston / Penrhiwfer schools.

Not that I doubt for one moment a new school is needed, or that any school built will not be of a very high standard and offer an excellent education. Neither was I swayed by any 'political motive' as was suggested by Cllrs Privett and Weekes.

My concerns focused purely on the safety of the pupils, from a variety of angles, and nothing I heard from Officers at the meeting did anything to allay my concerns.

The report we were presented with as Members actually stated that there will be an increase in traffic as many parents will not use the new road but will come via Ashdale. Yet the highways department appeared to dismiss this as not of any real concern - except to the residents who will have to cope with the extra traffic. Yet surely that amount of extra traffic in a side street, with children walking past has to be a danger.

The issue of contamination on the site was similarly dismissed by officers and Labour members speaking in favour of the proposal. The report produced in December 2008 which said the school should not be built there was deemed to be inadequate.

When questioned, public protection officers said that a new report had been completed. Far from saying that the ground was safe it apparently says that gas levels are about the recommended levels, but not enough to be of any concern. As Members being asked to decide on this proposal we did not have sight of this report and so could not judge for ourselves.

The vote was a tied one - which shows the level of concern which existed. One Councillor abstained - because he was aggrieved at the way in which the decision seemed to have been prejudged and work already started. When he asked officers if this could give rise to a legal challenge of the decision they couldn't answer.

This school will, we hope, be around for a long time. We need to get it right. I hope my fears and those of residents will prove groundless and the safety of the pupils will not be compromised.

Cllr Mike Powell

Suspended Councillor Should Go Now

For the second time Independent Councillor for Talbot Green Paul Baccara has been suspended from RCT Council. Yet again it is for sending an 'aggressive' email to a member of the public. It is the third time he has been found guilty of breaching the Members Code of Conduct - the other offence saw him let off with a warning for his postings on a website.

His rather less than illustrious political career has seen him found guilty twice of drunk driving. He also took a self enforced beak of several months some time ago after hitting the headlines over his behaviour in the Council Chamber.

His Independent colleagues will now apparently be rallying around to see which one of them will represent the interests of Talbot Green residents whilst he is banned from doing so. This would seem to negate the idea of an Independent Councillor surely?

His electors would have been given a line about how he had no party allegiance, no ties t anyone else, etc. Now they are to have another representative offered to them whose 'Independent' views may be far different from those of Councillor Baccara. (In many ways one would hope so.)

This group apparently then takes up the reins when things go wrong, but have no authority over this man and his increasingly erratic behaviour. They would be wise to disassociate themselves from him before people start thinking of them all in the same way. As for Councillor Baccara if he had any sense of decency he would step down now.

Karen Roberts

Pwll Yr Hebog, Wern Street, Clydach Vale.

***

Labour Arrogance Knows No Bounds

The arrogance of the Labour Party really is something to behold. The think they have some sort of divine right to rule in the South Wales Valleys, and appear unable to conceive of any situation where people may actually wake up and see just what they are really about.

Thus we have talk of Owen Smith being given a shoe-in by the Labour powers that be to the allegedly 'safe' seat of Pontypridd. There to follow in the hallowed footsteps of Kim Howells.

Kim, the man who shredded evidence after a man was killed during the miner's strike. Kim who claimed his Ponty residence as his 'second home' and over claimed on his Council tax.

Both members of the same Labour party who have left the Valleys desolate. Who have failed to address the growing unemployment rates, the lack of adequate transport, the state of our schools and hospitals, and a myriad of other problems that should make them thoroughly ashamed of their socialist roots.

Owen Smith not so long ago was promising to give his all to the people of Blaenau Gwent. Now he intends to do the same to the people of Pontypridd. Does he really think they will be that easily fooled.

Karen Roberts

Pwll Yr Hebog, Wern St., Clydach Vale, RCT.

Still we wait

Well another year gone, and still we are no further forward with the renovation of the Lido in Ynysangharad Park.

At the end of December there was an announcement of substantial sums of money from the Heritage Lottery Fund . Amongst them were £1.4 million for Neath's Victoria Gardens, and 100,000 to take forward plans for a £2m development of Cyfarthfa Park in Merthyr.

Meanwhile in Pontypridd we still wait.

The Cabinet decided to give approval for a bid to be submitted to the Heritage Lottery Fund in June 2007 - that's right, more than two years ago. Whilst other Local Authorities have pushed ahead with plans and actually managed to achieve something, RCT have sat on them and come up with excuse after excuse for doing nothing.

In Pontypridd we still wait. Mike Powell Welsh Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate Pontypridd

***

Snow Go.....

The recent snow left many people throughout RCT unable to get out owing to the terrible conditions of most roads. Whilst I accept it is not possible to grit everywhere, it seems that only main roads were done in most places, and if you cannot get to the main road then you are still stuck.

What concerned me most, though, was that the new road at Power Station hill in Tonteg was closed at one point due to the bad conditions.

Now this is part of the much acclaimed Church Village bypass that we keep being told is going to make so much difference. Surely this road should have been a priority. Or is it the case that because of the steepness of the hill and the angles of the bends no amount of gritting is going to make it safe. In which case are we going to have this problem every time we have bad weather?

Cllr John Bell

Treforest

Kim Should be Ashamed to Show His Face

I understand that despite constant rumours to the contrary Kim Howells is to stand again for election in the Pontypridd constituency. Just how he can expect people to put their trust in him once more given the way in which he abuses the expenses system is beyond me.

This man earns a salary that is way above that of many people in his constituency yet still feels the need to wring every last drop from the system - and from the taxpayer's purse.

He has claimed the maximum amount of £400 for food every month for the last five years. That is £4,800 a year - that's a lot of eating, especially in a constituency where the spend per head on school meals is the lowest in the country.

He has designated his Pontypridd home in the Town ward as his 'second home' which means he can claim all the bills associated with running it. Thus he has been reimbursed for all his gas, electricity, water bills, and Council Tax. £257 per month in gas alone.

This whilst many of those in the area he represents are struggling to make ends meet and many elderly people are forced to choose between food and heat.

To really ensure he rubs sufficient salt in to the wound he also claims £120 a month for a cleaner to ensure that he and his family are not only warm and well fed but don't have to do any of that tiresome clearing up after themselves.

The man is a shining example of all that is wrong with the system which Labour and the Conservatives have cherished for years. Stand for re-election? He should be ashamed to show his face in Pontypridd

So are Labour really going to listen?????

So we are going to see a new, revitalised Labour Party in Wales under their new leader? A party that listens to the people!

Does that apply to Labour across the board? Will all of their elected members follow suit and start listening? Will we, for instance, see the Labour Party in RCT do an about turn and listen to everyone who is telling them that their plans to scrap sixth forms in schools are nothing short of madness?

Will they listen to the residents of Penrhiwfer who are telling them they do not want a school built on a site that RCT's own report says has higher than acceptable levels of gas emissions?

Are they going to listen to the people who are telling them to stop wasting money on works of art and spend it on front line services? The people who think they are paying out far too much in special possibility allowances when everyone is else is having to tighten their belts?

As for the new leader's Assembly colleagues, well they have already started listening to the people - it is obviously why so many of them have announced their intention to leave the sinking ship. How many more are to follow?

Karen Roberts

Shameful Actions Over Schools Sixth Forms

The Labour Cabinet in RCT have yet again proven themselves to be a complete disgrace, making a mockery of the concept of democracy, and having no regard for the opinions of anyone.

So they want to close all sixth forms and set up Colleges instead? Ignoring the view of all those involved in the education system who told them quite categorically the last time the issue was discussed that they were totally opposed to it.

Their own report says that consortium working has produced benefits. Those of us involved in Secondary school education in any form are well aware of the advantages of having an active sixth form within a school setting, both for the post sixteen pupils and those lower down the school.

Yet they have come up with some madcap idea that involves closing some schools completely (they may have forgotten to highlight that in their press statements but the report to Cabinet states it); merging Welsh and English post 16 provision; and spending in excess of £235million to fix something that isn't broken.

I am a Governor at Tonypandy Community College, where we have an excellent Sports Academy. Students not only hone their own sporting skills but act as coaches for pupils lower down the school, and in Primary Schools. What becomes of that? Is all the hard work that has been put in for nothing?

They will consult they say - do they expect us to believe that? The day the press reports came out a newsletter was sent out to schools stating that the Cabinet had decided at that months meeting to endorse proposals to move to tertiary colleges. The meeting it supposedly referred to hadn't taken place, and wasn't scheduled to take place until a week later.

What an absolute shower these people are. They get paid handsomely to take decision on behalf of the people they represent. So why then did an Officer seemingly pre judge their decision? They brag about their 'open' style of Government - anyone can go along and watch their sham Cabinet meetings looking at decisions which have already been taken. They don't even know what democracy means.

Karen Roberts

Chair RCT Welsh Liberal Democrats

Come Clean Russell

Yet again in last week's paper there was a comment from an RCT 'spokesperson' that denied Cllr Russell Roberts earned more than £120,000 from the public purse last year.

Now perhaps Cllr Roberts could come out from behind the plate glass barriers recently erected in the Council Chamber to keep the public at bay and answer a couple of simple questions.

How much did you earn Russell? And who is lying?

As the letter from Mike Powell pointed out, the figures are freely available on the relevant websites (RCT Council, Cwm Taf Health Authority, South Wales Police Authority)

If Cllr Roberts says he did not earn the amount stated, then what happened to it? As Chair of both the Health and Police Authorities he wrote introductions to the annual reports of each. He would have had to sign off on the annual accounts which were included.

So were those reports inaccurate? If so why didn't he correct them? Come on Russell, some explanation is surely in order.

Karen Roberts

Chair RCT Welsh Lib Dems

>>

FOI response from Cwm Taf Health Authority below:

From: (Cwm Taf Local Health Board - Information Governance)

Date: Monday, October 19, 2009 2:48 PM

To: "'karen.roberts@rctlibdems.org.uk'" <karen.roberts@rctlibdems.org.uk>http://www.wales.nhs.uk/sitesplus/documents/865/cwmtaf%5Fannreport2009.pdf

Subject: RE: FOI request

Dear Ms Roberts,

Further to your e-mail detailed below, please find attached a link to Cwm Taf Trust, 2009, Annual Report:

If you require any further information, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Kind regards

Information Governance Officer

Cwm Taf Health Board

-----Original Message-----

From: karen.roberts@rctlibdems.org.uk

Sent: 11 October 2009 18:35

To: (Cwm Taf Local Health Board - Information Governance)

Subject: FOI request

Could you please let me have the details of Trust Board allowances paid over the past year.

Thank you

K Roberts

***

Who's Telling Lies Russell?

During the September meeting of the full Council Russell Roberts announced that he would sue me if I didn't stop putting out leaflets with what he claimed were 'lies' about the amount of money he had been receiving from the public purse.

He has since taken to writing to the local press claiming that reports of his salary are exaggerated and that he doesn't know where people could possible have got such figures from.

The answer is simple - the figures come via publicly available information from the three bodies from which he has received payment in the last twelve months.

The RCT Council website gives the Leader's salary as £55,910 - not including expense payments. He is Chair of the South Wales Police Authority, and a look at their figures show he received £21,470 (plus £1,819.91 expenses)

He was the intercom Chair of Cwm Taf Health Authority until the beginning of this month. Their annual report shows a payment of £43,000 to the Chair.

The leaflets stated that he took "over £120,000 a year from the public purse." Basic maths shows this to be the case. Unless of course Cllr Roberts has unbeknown to anyone been refusing to accept some of these

payments. Or he is suggesting that these public bodies are misinforming the public?

Why may I ask does Councillor Roberts feel the need to try and bluff the public? Does he perhaps have a shred of decency left that makes him feel ashamed?

I don't lie Russell. The leaflets we put out may contain information you would rather not have made public, but they do not contain lies.

Cllr Mike Powell

Welsh Liberal Democrats

NOTE:

Links to relevant websites:

http://www.rhondda-cynon-taf.gov.uk/stellent/groups/Public/documents/RelatedDocuments/013476.pdf

http://www.wales.nhs.uk/sitesplus/documents/865/cwmtaf%5Fannreport2009.pdf

http://www.southwalespoliceauthority.org.uk/en/content/cms/members/members_allowances/members_allowances.aspx ***

BNP

Much has been said and written about the appearance of Nick Griffin on Question Time, but anyone who watched the programme would surely agree that putting this racist on public display is probably the best thing the BBC could have done.

He certainly showed his true colours. He - and his fellow BNP members - is a man who lives by hate. A man who looks first at the colour of a person's skin and whose policies can have no place in a civilised society.

The BBC had no choice but to give them airtime - the BNP are a registered political party, with elected members at a variety of levels. And that is where the problem lies.

The real question isn't whether the BBC should give them airtime, or whether or Parties should share a platform with them. It is whether this rag tag bag of fascist, intolerant, homophobic beings should ever be allowed to form a political party in the first place.

Cllr Mike Powell

Welsh Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate Pontypridd ***

Plaid Hypocrisy

During the Council meeting on 21st October Plaid group leader Pauline Jarman made a very good point about the lack of democracy within the Council in relation to restrictions on Members putting motions forward.

The Labour administration have worked to not only severely limit the number of motions the opposition can propose, but also to make it as difficult as possible to put those forward.

However, Cllr Jarman went a step too far when she then went on to complain that it was undemocratic for the Leader to pick his own Cabinet, that it should be done by the whole Council as in many other Authorities.

She is obviously suffering from memory loss, because it was the very same Cllr Jarman who set up the Cabinet system in RCT in the first place. This despite the fact that the consultation carried out showed most people were in favour of a different option that allowed all Parties to be included.

Her excuse at the time was that people 'didn't understand the question' and so it was ok to ignore their views!

I fully agree with your comments about Labour Pauline, but don't try and fool people into thinking that Plaid were any better.

Karen Roberts

***

Western Mail upset Labour Council leader

It would seem that the Western Mail - or more specifically one of its senior reporters - has upset the leader of Rhondda Cynon Taff Council by daring to suggest that there is room for improvement.

An article written by Martin Shipton on 2nd October put RCT Council at the bottom of the unofficial league with regard to performance, based on published indicators.

However, when the subject was brought up at a council meeting on 21st October leader Russell Roberts claimed that members would be unwise to believe what they read in the paper. Furthermore he stated that Mr Shipton obviously decided who he wanted to be at the bottom of the pile and then selected the figures that backed that up!

Presumably then if we are to believe nothing we read we can also disregard anything positive that comes out from RCT press office and makes its way into the Western Mail? Or is Cllr Roberts as selective in his choice of what to believe as he claims others are?

He went on to claim that if the figures were properly looked at in the whole then RCT would not be bottom, but 18th. Out of 22 - that says a lot about the performance of this Council, and it came from the horses mouth!

Karen Roberts

***

Too late to complain now

Wales MEPs are up in arms over the possibility that Wales may lose out on considerable amounts in future European funding since poorer countries have joined the European Union.

Perhaps they, and their predecessors, should have worked more closely with their Party colleagues to make the most of the funding before now.

The idea of the original Objective One funding was to lift poorer regions out of poverty. Labour and Plaid failed to do that in Wales, and certainly in RCT we have seen precious little of it.

They are on course to make the same mistakes with the current batch of renamed 'Convergence' funding which ends in 2013. At the beginning of this year only 6% of it had been spent and business experts were warning a large chunk of it could end up being sent back.

Rhondda Cynon Taff Council say they are planning on using European funding to bring about the long overdue regeneration of Pontypridd. Yet the application has still not gone in. Just how much more time do they need to plan?

This is our last chance, and whilst not disagreeing with the MEPs who say Wales shouldn't lose out because poorer countries have joined the Union, the money is supposed to have been used to make this country wealthier. The Labour - Plaid Assembly Government have failed us, and RCT Council are set to do the same unless they pull their fingers out very soon.

Karen Roberts

Chair RCT Welsh Lib Dems

Oct 09

***

Get Your Priorities Right Kim

(The Pontypridd Observer 1st Oct carried a letter from Kim Howells to George Jones, Group Director Environmental Services RCT compaining that the metal struts in the bus Statioin needed cleaning. This is Mike's response.)

Dear Dr. Howells,

The town centre of Pontypridd looks more like a war zone than the County Town of RCT.

The Park is being used as a drug centre with hypodermic needles being left discarded for the park staff to pick up. Our roads are starting to look like dirt tracks. Litter is strewn everywhere without one fine ever being imposed on the litter louts getting fined by any of the three litter wardens.

The town is plagued by hooligans swigging from bottles and cans whilst swearing away to their hearts content and in some instances openly urinating in public. It is indeed a rare moment when a police officer is seen walking in the town.

RCT council has closed swimming pools in the Rhondda to save money; whilst we still have no pool in Pontypridd town. As a means of enticing the £5 million of private funds required for the renovation of Ynysyngharad Park there is a proposal to hand the running of the park to a private funder (hence the proposed removal of the free to use paddling pool.)

The much vaunted "Taff Vale Precinct redevelopment" has been down graded so yet again we are put in the second division.

Because of a lack of funds the Church Village by-pass is now a single rather than the promised dual carriage way, which even the Welsh Assembly say will be dangerous.

Yet with all of the above glaring us in the face a quick note from the Pontypridd Trades Council gets you complaining about some dirt on the stanchions on the roof of the council run bus station! The very bus station in which people are sleeping rough!

Dr Howells it's a Labour run authority in which you live, you do not need to make public the letters you send to it, you just phone Cllr. Russell Roberts up and get him to sort it out like the rest of us do, surely?

So can I suggest you try and re align your priorities please? You can start by making your constituency home your first home and not your second and then spend a bit more time here in Pontypridd, although no doubt with an election looming you will soon be trying to convince people you are doing just that.

Oct 09

***

Council Put Up The Barriers

On 23rd September RCT Council leader Russell Roberts addressed the Council with his first annual leader's report, and if this effort is anything to go by I suggest he makes it his lst.

Questions were invited from members of the public - although many people did not see the advert which went out in the Council's Outlook paper as it was delivered after the closing date for questions to be submitted.

The legal officer told the packed public gallery of seven people that no 'valid' questions had been submitted. Maybe there would have been more had the public seen the latest additions to the Council Chamber.

To begin with the perfectly solid and serviceable chairs for Councillors had been replaced - all 75 of them - with lovely new leather ones. This hardly seems to gel with the words of the report which spoke of 'tough decisions', being 'forced to prioritise' and 'being responsible with the Council's money,'

There was more, however, in the form of security measures. I will certainly be asking how much was spent on the hefty new key pad locks, and the plate glass barricade (nicely etched with the Council crest) which separates the public from their elected representatives.

It somehow didn't match the Cllr Roberts boasting of how his administration has an 'Ongoing commitment to Open Government' and their wish to 'to encourage people of all ages and walks of life to get involved and air their views.'

When asked the leader said that they were necessary to prevent 'anarchy' in the Chamber. I attend most Council meetings as an observer and have yet to see anything approaching anarchy, or indeed any sort of disturbance which could warrant such excessive measures and waste of public money.

Perhaps the Labour Councillors should remember who put them there in the first place - the very public they seem afraid to face. They may also wish to rethink their priorities.

Karen Roberts

***

Will alcohol ban stretch to Russell too?

Rhondda Cynon Taff Council are introducing a new Alcohol and Substance Misuse Policy for its staff which states that they should not drink any alcohol at lunchtime.

Fair enough, some may say. However, this proposal goes even further and states that Council employees should not under any circumstances consume any alcohol whilst on any sort of official Council business.

Now whilst we certainly don't want employees wandering around drunk and disorderly during work hours, or any drivers having a quick pint before getting back behind the wheel the question must be asked where does this end?

Senior Officers are often required to attend functions as part of their role. Often there will be receptions or dinners with wine. Is the Chief Executive not going to remain on orange juice? Can he - and other employees - not be trusted to retain a sense of proportion?

More to the point will the same apply to the Council leader and Cabinet Members when they are wining and dining, or hosting receptions for outside bodies, or attending functions elsewhere?

After all they are paid to do a job too. If a civil servant cannot be trusted to take a glass of wine and still behave properly and do his / her job, then what of a highly paid Cabinet Member?

Perhaps the Labour administration could clarify the situation next time they have a hospitality tent in Ponty Park? Mike Powell Sep 11th 09 ***

Price of Art

Dear Sir,

May I take a few lines of your paper to put some basic facts and my opinion before your readers in regard to the publicly funded "Art Work" on the Brown Lenox roundabout in Pontypridd.

The basic cost of the "Art Work" for the artist's commission for the sculpture totals £99,365 whilst the engineering works required amount to £30,050.

For the most part the cost is supported by external funds with approximately 15% being borne by RCTCBC. This unfortunately is not the full cost.

In my opinion the full cost would include the cost of the back office work and employee's costs, I'd say about another £2/3,000 with the planning included. And can I say at this point that at no time were we councillors involved in a vote as to if this scheme should go ahead, it was a done deal behind the closed doors of the Pontypridd Town Forum. Personally I am not against public works of Art but would say that they need to have the public behind them. To this end I would advocate a 50:50 split between public and private sector funding with a "competition" to select the work that gains the publics support.

The environmental costs need to include the removal of some 43 healthy saplings on the site prior to the placing of the public art and I have no doubt the removal of the surrounding healthy trees within the park not including the manufacturing of the "Art Work"!

The Socioeconomic cost. I find it impossible to come to terms with, and indeed, have no inclination to defend, The Welsh Assembly and RCTCBC spending of this sort of money at this time. I find it especially galling when RCTCBC is removing some services whilst increasing its costs of other service provisions to some of the most venerable in our society because of the cuts made to its core funding by the Welsh Assembly government! How does one tell a pensioner who is struggling to meet the extra costs of meals on wheels or day care that "we" need to make them because of funding cuts when the Welsh Assembly government and RCT are actively spending monies on such schemes, and with no public consultation?

Perhaps, though I seriously doubt it, there are some of your readers who can help me by explaining how I should explain away this public spending on art whilst people go without?

6th Sep 09

***

Russell - Two jobs too many

The Chief Executive of the South Wales Police Authority in his letter of 20th August defended the amounts paid to Councillors who serve on the Authority. Now I would not disagree that any job deserves adequate recompense, and also that meeting attendance is not the only measure of the commitment to that job.

What struck me more, however, was the statement that the Chair of the Authority, Russell Roberts, attended 28 official meetings, plus 'numerous' meetings in Cardiff and London and 'countless' other briefings and discussions. This plus no doubt time involved reading papers etc. Indeed a time consuming task, and it is fair that adequate recompense be paid - although some may question if £23,062 is a little steep.

The real question though is how he manages to spend all this time on Police business, plus one assumes at least as much time tied up with Cwm Taf Health Trust of which he is also Chair (this time for a salary of over £40K).

How then can he be doing justice to his supposedly full time role ad Leader of RCT Council, for which he gets the pitiful sum of around £56,000? Indeed as he obviously cannot be devoting his full attention to that post, will he be paying back two thirds of his salary to the people of RCT?

Karen Roberts

Pwll Yr Hebog, Clydach Vale

Politics Before Pupils Welfare

It seems that Labour Councillors are yet again playing politics with our children's education.

I applied to become a Governor at Ysgol Gyfun (Rhydfelen)Garth Olwg where there were two vacancies. The reason I have a particular interest is that I have a daughter there already and a son who will be going there.

The appointments panel which consists of three Labour and two Plaid Councillors met on the 17th July to appoint. More than two weeks after this meeting I had still heard nothing. On emailing the Governor Support Officer and the Cabinet Member who chairs the panel I was sent a standard reply telling me my application was unsuccessful, and that the outcome could be seen on the Council website minutes.

It appears that two Labour Councillors were appointed. One is Cllr John David of Tonteg - one of the three local Councillors who were vehemently opposed to the school ever being built there. The other is Cllr Doug Williams who represents the Glyncoch ward, which is not even in the same constituency as the School.

No reasons were given either in the minutes or in person, which leaves me to assume only one thing. This is a political move and the reason behind it was my recent support for keeping the Rhydfelen name.

Looks as if they are more concerned with asserting their political authority than with what is best for the school and its pupils.

John Bell

Aug 6th 09

***

Many readers have been asking why there cannot be a ban on alcohol in Pontypridd and particularly action taken with regard to the Park. I must admit to being equally bemused.

A year ago my colleagues and I put a motion to RCT Council asking Officers to "expediently bring before the Members proposals to introduce a bye law banning the consumption of alcohol within the confines of Ynysangharad War Memorial Park and includes such streets within the Pontypridd town centre that such a ban can be viably enforced"

An amendment was put forward, which we supported, to licence the Park rather than impose an outright ban. Labour Councillors voted against this.

An amendment was then put forward by the Labour administration that the matter be referred to the Community Safety Partnership for consideration. This I readily supported, assuming it would then receive their urgent attention.

Instead a year on they are still considering it, with seemingly no hope of reaching a conclusion anytime soon. An email to myself from Phil Bevan, the Officer responsible, tells me that "For the past twelve months the CSP has established a multi-agency Problem Solving Forum (PSF). Its purpose is to turn our strategies, plans and priorities into joined up action to reduce crime and disorder"

Apparently "Since July 2008, there has been substantial and increased attention paid to Pontypridd and the park" and they are now "commissioning a piece of work to determine objectively and statistically the alcohol related crime and disorder situation in Pontypridd"

More than twelve months on and still they are debating, considering, and it would seem naval gazing. In the meantime the problems still continue.

Mike Powell

July 09

I almost laughed out loud upon reading of the noble efforts of Russell Roberts and his Labour colleagues to distance themselves from the public outrage over expenses.

On the 18th February 2009 a report went to Council from the legal officer with the recommendation that Councillors "note the new publicity arrangements in respect of allowances paid to members from 1st January 2009."

The report - which is freely available on the website should anyone doubt my word - refers to the Local Authorities (Allowances for Members) (Wales) Regulations 2007. It states

"From 1st January 2009 there will also required to be published total sums paid to each Member in respect of travelling, subsistence and co-optees' allowance.

So the line from Cllr Roberts that he is doing this in the interests of openness and accountability is unbelievable. He has to do it. Not just for the Labour group but for EVERY Councillor.

This announcement of his is nothing but a cynical attempt to hoodwink the public into

believing they are concerned and they alone are taking action. Does he really think people are going to be that easily fooled any more?

Karen Roberts

Chair RCT Welsh Liberal Democrats

11th June 2009

***

Could I clarify a few points with regard to the comments made By Cllr Andrew Morgan after the recent flooding in Pontypridd.

Cllr Morgan said criticisms by the Welsh Liberal Democrats were 'demoralising' for those involved. Well, it was pretty demoralising for the people whose homes were flooded too - especially those who were hit for the second time in nine months.

The criticism was not aimed at the workmen and rescue services who as always do their best under difficult circumstances. Rather the critic was aimed at the lack of planning and foresight shown by Cllrs Morgan and his department at management level.

Where problems occurred for the first time then it could indeed be argued that it was unexpected and a level of unpreparedness forgiven. When it happened in the same places that have been hit over and over again then surely we have to ask what the Council have been doing.

There was a 'debrief' last September, which outlined the amount of money spent and needing to be spent. Just a few weeks ago Nigel Wheeler said in this paper that they had not spent anywhere near the amount they intended to.

The weather forecast had been predicting rain all week. This Authority was under prepared, and it is time that as the Cabinet Member Cllr Morgan took some responsibility for the department he gets paid a substantial sum to oversee.

Cllr Mike Powell

11th June 09

***

A special 40 minute Council meeting on 29th May cost RCT taxpayers well over a thousand pounds in Officer's time and Councillors' expenses.

The meeting was called because of a mix up at the AGM the previous week over the development control (planning) committee. The legal officer told assembled Members that the meeting was necessary "as a result of the way in which the question was put."

So shouldn't the legal officer of all people have spotted this problem beforehand? It is his job after all to advise Members, and also his job to oversee the drawing up of the agenda in a way which doesn't cause problems.

Much attention has - rightly - been focused on allowances and expenses of elected politicians. However, perhaps we should also be asking whether we are getting value for money from Officers.

According to figures he himself provided the legal officer costs us £202,020 a year. At the meeting in question the 'top table' featured two Group Directors (£250,120 a year) and a Divisional Director (£161,616) plus the Director of Strategy - whatever his role may be, and the Chief Executive.

Quite why they all needed to be there is anyone's guess. Add in the time it took to write the report for the meeting and send the papers out and the costs of this little blip are quite substantial.

Karen Roberts

Chair RCT Welsh Liberal Democrats

29/05/09

***

The Echo on 29th May carried an article regarding the 'decision' of Labour Councillors in Rhondda Cynon Taff to make public a fill list of all their expenses. Their leader Russell Roberts described this as an act of openness and transparency.

Well done Russell and co. Just one minor criticism, however.

If they had been paying attention at the Council meeting on 18th February they would have noticed a report form the Legal Officer. It referred to the Local Authorities (Allowances for Members) (Wales) Regulations 2007, and the new requirements regarding publication of allowances and expenses.

From 1st January 2009 there is a requirement for all Local Authorities to publish annually, in full, the amounts paid in expenses to ALL Councillors. So the Labour group are doing little more than they are required to do by law. Nothing like being open with the public is there?

Cllr Mike Powell

Welsh Liberal Democrats, Trallwn, Pontypridd.

29/05/09

***

So the saga of MPs expense claims rolls on, understandably denting public confidence in politicians of all Parties, and laying us all open to that oft repeated mantra that we are 'all the same' All those who don't take advantage and refuse to take the taxpayer for a ride unfortunately go un-noticed as the media hype concentrates on those who make the most of what the rules allow. It is a great shame that the net result of this is to turn many people away from politics altogether. Election turn out is low enough already, when the public lose faith as they are doing then the phrase most often being heard is 'I'm not voting for any of you.' What price democracy then - when the entire population is governed by an administration elected less than a half of them. We're not 'all the same' - but we're going to have to go a long way to prove it. Mike Powell 12/05/09

As a firm believer in the right of everyone to free speech I of course respect the right of those parents and pupils who think Rhydfelen should be renamed Garth Olwg to express those views.

However, over the last couple of weeks there have been two letters on these pages on the subject where the name and address(es) have been withheld. I can't help but find this a bit strange.

If these people feel so strongly then why not have the courage of their convictions and put their name to their thoughts. Someone with a suspicious mind may wonder if these are indeed bona fide parents.

Pupils, parents, Governors and indeed Councillors fighting this ridiculous decision have all openly stated their views, and not hidden behind anonymous letters. If there are those who hold a strong alternative view then why should they be afraid to do the same?

Karen Roberts

08/05/09

***

Rarely am I surprised by anything that Labour get up to these days, particularly in RCT, but they did manage it at last week's Council meeting. Not by refusing to even pretending to listen to the arguments over Rhydfelen. Not by dismissing almost out of hand motions put forward by colleagues and myself on such things as street lighting.

They surprised me by their breathtaking stupidity - at least from a political point of view - by calling the meeting to a halt because they had been there for three hours!

The rules say that after three hours Members have to vote on whether to continue the meeting or not. Nine time out of ten this passes and the meeting carries on.

On this occasion Labour Members voted not to carry on. There was on one item left on the agenda at the time. That was a motion put forward by opposition Councillors including myself to cut the number of Special Responsibility Allowances paid to Councillors. Rhondda Cynon Taff pays the absolute maximum number they are allowed to by the Assembly - almost double the number paid in Cardiff.

With their Council leader taking more than £120,000 a year from the public purse you would think they could have spared another 15 minutes to finish the day's business.

Cllr Mike Powell

Welsh Liberal Democrats

24/04/09

***

Rhodri Morgan in his speech to the Labour Party Conference spoke about involving

young people in politics. He also told his colleagues there that "we have seen

the mistakes we make when we retreat from direct line contact with the public."

I hope some of RCT Labour Councillors were there listening - because they could

benefit from learning some of those lessons.

A large group of Rhydfelen pupils were at the Council meeting on 22nd April to

see the so called debate on the name of their school.

Instead they saw a Labour group who has already made up their minds, and were

not interested in listening. Not one of those Labour Councillors had the

decency to even speak to any of those pupils as made their quiet protest

outside, and the comments made by some of them were disgusting.

They are not interested in face to face contact - no doubt afraid of what they

may hear. In fact there was a significant Police presence before the meeting

started - apparently they were worried in case the group of elderly swimming

pool protestors occupied the Chamber again as they did at the last meeting.

Councillors are paid to represent the public, talking to them or even better

listening to them surely isn't too much to ask?

Cllr John Bell

Welsh Liberal Democrat, Treforest

25/04/09

*******

Hot on the heels of Labour's dreadful 'Aneurin Glyndwr' website it seems a certain Labour Town Councillor has aspirations of his own to make a name for himself in the wonderful world of the web.

Jonathan Bishop has set up a Facebook group with the rather catchy title of "I bet I can find 42,000 people who don't want Mike Powell as AM or MP" - Mike is of course the Welsh Liberal Democrat Parliamentary candidate for Pontypridd. The group description states that "This is a group to unite the people of Pontypridd to prevent Mike Powell from becoming the next AM or MP for the Pontypridd constituency."

Mr Bishop has some way to go, as I write he has so far attracted 32 members. However, amongst those are several Labour Councillors and also Leighton Andrews AM, the Deputy Minister for Regeneration. The same Mr Andrews whose employee is responsible for the Aneurin Glyndwr site.

Now given the current state of the nation and the obvious lack of regeneration in RCT you would think he would have rather more important things on his mind than joining puerile Facebook groups.

If this is the only solution Labour have to their current crisis then they are indeed in a sorry state.

Karen Roberts

Chair RCT Welsh Liberal Democrats.

April 09

Does Rusell Roberts really think that a few signs are going to make that much difference to Pontypridd town centre? Every time he talks about regeneration (Ponty Obs 3rd April) he brags about the new signs. What is the point if nobody is coming here to see them in the first place?

As for the St Catherine's Corner development - the offices there haven't brought in any new business, the Council have just rearranged departments to fill them.

The latest plan for the shopping precinct is second rate, but at least it is something. Is it going to happen though? We've had plans before and RCT Council haven't managed to do anything to improve the shopping centre so far - will they this time?

Cllr Steve Farr

Welsh Liberal Democrat Town Ward

April 09

*****

I have been disgusted at the behaviour of Labour Councillors in RCT over the renaming of Ysgol Gyfun Rhydfelen. In 2006 the Cabinet decided to change the school name following its relocation to Garth Olwg. They wrote a letter to Governors which basically said 'we have to ask you but if you disagree we can do it anyway.'

So despite the objection of Governors and the pleas of pupils and parents they renamed the school Garth Olwg, based it seems on little more than the wishes of three Labour Councillors in the area.

The pupils have been fighting the decision ever since. On 25th March a motion was put forward by Cllr John Bell and myself asking that the Cabinet reconsider and let the pupils choose the name.

Unfortunately the meeting was adjourned owing to a sit-in protest by another group of people the Cabinet had upset - those opposing Rhondda swimming pool closures. No Labour Member made any attempt to speak to the pupils or other protestors.

To underline their contempt for democracy and public consultation on the very day of the meeting a statement was made to the media saying they would not reconsider anyway. This despite the fact that the pupils have the backing of both the Labour AM and MP.

What impression must these young people have of the democratic process - presumably that in RCT it does not exist.

Cllr Mike Powell

Welsh Liberal Democrats

Mar 09

***

Labour Contempt for Voters

I have been involved in politics at a local and national level for some time now but have yet to come across anything to match the contemptible attitude of the Labour group on Rhondda Cynon Taff Council to members of the public.

On 25th March a Council meeting had to be called off because protestors against he closure of Treherbert swimming pool occupied the Council, Chamber. This was particularly disappointing for those pupils and parents of Ysgol Gyfun Rhydfelen who had turned up to protest about the enforced change of their school name.

A motion had been put forward by the Welsh Liberal Democrats asking the Council to reconsider the name change - a motion which had the backing of cross party AMs, including the Labour AM for Pontypridd.

The Labour members did not even have the good grace to come in to the Chamber and speak to any of the people gathered there in peaceful protest. The leader could have diffused the situation by granting these people a few minutes of his time and promising to at least listen to their concerns, but he couldn't even manage that.

Opposition Councillors stayed and spoke to the assembled crowds, and were left trying to explain what was happening. Labour didn't even have the common decency - or the guts - to try and do the same.

It shows their complete contempt for the public upon whose votes they rely.

Karen Roberts

Welsh Liberal Democrats

26 Mar 09 ***

I was pleased to read last week that Chris Franks AM is taking an interest in

the plight of residents in Treforest and has met with the Residents Association

there. It's nice to know that one of the regional AMs at least knows where Ponty

is.

However, Mr Franks is coming to this a bit late. As the Residents Association

know there has been a lot of discussion on the subject of empty houses in the

area and the neglect of some landlords. I have been working alongside the

Housing department and the regeneration partnership over the past year and there

is now a plan in place to try and help alleviate the problem.

I wrote personally to every landlord with a house for rent in Treforest some

months ago asking for their co-operation in trying to tidy up their property.

A month after being elected, my Welsh Liberal Democrat colleagues and I put a

motion to the Council asking that "This Council therefore requests the Chief

Executive to direct the necessary resources to expediently bring forward and

implement a policy to reduce the number of empty properties within RCT"

It was voted down!

So whilst anybody's input is welcome maybe Assembly Members and indeed our MP

would like to do more than simply issue press releases and write to the Council

- maybe come up with some solutions, or at least come along in person to the

Regeneration Partnership and see what is happening and put forward their views.

Cllr John Bell, Treforest

21/03/09 ***

Breathtaking Labour Hypocrisy

The out and out unashamed hypocrisy of the Labour Party - particularly in Wales - is absolutely breathtaking.

Peter Hain's recent proclamation that the party had lost its "narrative" and was no longer seen as a "credible force for change" must surely make people wonder why he stays.

Yet it seems Mr Hain is not alone in his condemnation of the Party. Elected Labour members at all levels across the country are voicing their public concern at what is happening, and expressing their outrage at the state of the nation.

Leader of RCT Council Russell Roberts described the Local Government settlement as 'appalling' and stated that "core services are being given short shrift by politicians in Cardiff Bay."

Hello……Who exactly are these politicians? Why none other than the Labour Party (albeit ably assisted by their little helpers in Plaid). Who in turn complain about the poor settlement from Labour run Westminster.

They can jump up and down in righteous indignation as much as they like but the fact remains they are all part of the same Party, and how can they in all conscience remain with that Party if they are supposedly so outraged by what they have become?

When Shirley Williams turned her back on Labour along with the rest of the 'Gang of Four' to form the SDP her resignation letter said "The party I loved and worked for over so many years no longer exists."

It seems that is the case for many Labour members today, elected or otherwise. They should have the courage of their convictions and walk away from a party that they obviously no longer believe in.

Karen Roberts *****

Western Mail 10/02/09 ***

Back 20mph zones

SIR - It was good to see Chief Constable Richard Brunstrom backing Welsh Liberal Democrat Policy in regard to 20mph zones ("We need more 20mph limits on roads," Jan 30).

We have been in favour of more 20mph zones - especially around schools - for some time.

Indeed, our councillors in Rhondda Cynon Taff have put motions to the council on a number of occasions to increase the number of zones in the county borough.

However, first Plaid and then Labour administrations there seem to have a long list of excuses as to why it cannot happen.

Perhaps Assembly members across party lines could help make roads safer for our children by backing Brunstrom (and the Welsh Liberal Democrats) on this issue at least.

KAREN ROBERTS

Wern Street, Clydach Vale

*****

Echo 14/02/09

What in earth is the matter with the Highways department of Rhondda Cynon Taff? Has the big freeze affected brain cells there?

I was watching the morning news earlier this week having had to close my living room curtains to stop the glare of the sun on the television screen. There are tales of flooding in Somerset, heavy snow fall in Gloucestershire. Pontypool in Gwent has had serious problems with snow, and the Brecon Beacons s badly affected.

Yet there is only one report of Home to School transport being cancelled. Here in RCT. Why?

The roads are fine, I can easily get out of my side street in Clydach Vale, which is not exactly at sea level! The sun is shining, the sky is blue. But not a single school bus is running. Well, that is not strictly true as there are buses travelling through most fot he Pontypridd constituency - on their way to do their rounds in Cardiff.

Is the Cabinet Member going to take any responsibility this time - he didn't following the debacle with the system at the beginning of the school year. Or is he working on a three strikes and you're out basis?

Karen Roberts

*****

Western Mail 09/02/09

Plaid's policy on nuclear power sites

SIR - Councillor Mike Powell (Letters, Feb 3), in asking about Plaid's policy towards nuclear power sites, takes a swipe at Ieuan Wyn Jones AM, who is Plaid leader, deputy first minister and minister for economic development and transport in our Welsh Government.

Plaid policies and our attitudes as elected representatives are based on principle and practice.

I was elected as MP for Meirionnydd in 1974 during the three-day week crisis, with significant support from the highly-skilled workforce at the Trawsfynydd nuclear power station, then generating at full capacity.

I still represent that site in its decommissioning phase and have a strong sense of responsibility towards my friends and constituents employed there, both directly by NWD Magnox North and by decommissioning contractors, not least because of the high level of skills they have displayed, becoming UK and world leaders in nuclear decommissioning technology.

There are no proposals for a second nuclear power station at Trawsfynydd, but the nuclear industry in its decommissioning phase of responsible storage for intermediate level waste management will continue to employ on the site.

The issue for North West Wales is whether those currently employed in the nuclear industry represent a potential skilled workforce to build and manage a new generating plant on the Wylfa site in Ynys Môn.

Large-scale energy projects are not devolved so the decision about a new site will not be taken by Welsh Ministers, but by the UK Independent Planning Commission.

As the AM for Dwyfor Meirionnydd I am in favour of such a development if it is proposed.

DAFYDD ELIS-THOMAS AM

*****

Western Mail 03/02/09 ***

Plaid's N-policy

SIR - I was wondering if someone in Plaid could answer a question for me.

Is it official Plaid policy to support and build new nuclear power stations in Wales or is it just the policy of their leader in his own back yard?

I ask as a friend of mine asked me if I thought they would support building one in South Wales as well. Somewhere near Barry was his preferred location!

In all fairness I think he was joking, as he is from Aberystwyth and I'm sure they would want one there before Barry.

Would it also be possible to let the people of Wales know who would be paying for the decommissioning of the new stations if Wales were to succumb to Plaid's policy of independence?

MIKE POWELL

Lib Dem councillor, Trallwn Ward, Rhondda Cynon Taff

*****

ECHO 23rd Feb 09

A relationshipon the brink

WITH the rosy glow of Valentine's Day fading fast, one marriage of convenience seems to be teetering more on the brink by the week.

Those best friends at the Assembly, Labour and Plaid, don't seem to be able to convince their members outside of the Cardiff Bay bubble that they are serious about the relationship.

Ieuan Wyn Jones was very quick to leap to the defence of his Cabinet colleague Rhodri Morgan during the recent row over the First Minister's comment on the Cardiff schools reorganisation. Even, according to the Echo, going as far as to issue what amounts to a public warning to his Plaid colleague and deputy leader of Cardiff Councillor Neil McEvoy.

What next? Will Ieuan be asking Plaid councillors in Rhondda Cynon Taf and elsewhere to stop criticising their Labour counterparts and start playing nicely?

Will their next election leaflets be carrying footnotes apologising if they have caused any offence to Mr Morgan and co?

Or will they simply come out and lay it on the line - vote Plaid, get Labour.

Interesting times lie ahead.

Coun Mike Powell Welsh Liberal Democrats Parliamentary Candidate, Pontypridd

*****