Posted: Wed Oct 21, 2009 11:58 am Post subject: Councillors launch a scathing attack on AM
Quote:
THE DEBATE around Blaenau Gwent’s street lighting led council members to launch a scathing attack on the Assembly Member for Mid and West Wales, Alun Davies.
Mr Davies has been spearheading a campaign to get the lights in Blaenau Gwent turned back on after announcing earlier this year that he intends to challenge Trish Law for her seat in the Assembly.
With Mr Davies sitting in the public gallery for the Executive meeting last week, both council leader Des Hillman and Councillor Don Wilcox targeted his motivations and accused him of hypocrisy.
Coun Hillman levelled accusations of stirring up trouble at Mr Davies referring to “political candidates parachuting into the area and playing on people’s fears” saying “they should be ashamed of themselves”.
After explaining that both Powys and Ceredigion are having street light switch-offs between the hours of 12.30am and 5.30am.
Mr Hillman continued: “He should look after his own area and not try to score political points in the guise of helping people.”
Councillor Wilcox added: “I should think that the people of Powys, that he represents as a regional member of the Welsh Assembly, will be asking why is he so worried about Blaenau Gwent when last year Powys, like Blaenau Gwent, had the lowest lift in the rate support grant and again this year had the lowest uplift again.
“An uplift of 1.0% while Blaenau Gwent has done better being represented by an Independent AM.”
Before speaking about the street light proposal Coun Wilcox also chose this moment to add his weight to the debate surrounding what is at the root cause of this issue.
He said: “The prospective Labour Party Assembly candidate for Blaenau Gwent has intervened in the debate about street lighting and I must say that he has created more heat than illumination.
“He stated that Blaenau Gwent’s problems are not so much finance as poor leadership because Blaenau Gwent has had an uplift in funding from the Welsh Assembly equivalent to over 20% above inflation.Even if that were true, and some people use statistics like a drunk uses a lamp-post more for support than illumination.
“I must point out that a Labour administration has been responsible for nine out of the 10 budgets set by Blaenau Gwent in that period.
“With friends like this, Blaenau Gwent Labour group don’t need enemies.”
Responding after the meeting AM Alun Davies said: “I am delighted that the council has given in.
“They have recognised that this was a stupid policy.
“It was a policy that hit the most vulnerable hardest.
“They let down the people that they are elected to serve.
“It is difficult to have any confidence in the leadership of Blaenau Gwent.
“It is a tragedy when they appear frozen with fear unable to understand the key financial facts and the implications of their own decisions.
“I can understand that they want to attack me but they would be best advised to keep in mind the interests of the people they are supposed to serve. Making personal attacks on me does not help the people they are elected to represent.
“I was asked to support the campaign and have worked hard to help people who felt frightened in their homes as a result of this policy.”
Mr Davies then struck out at Trish Law, describing the Assembly Member as “ineffective”.
“This issue has really brought into focus the fact that we do not have an AM who is willing to stand up and speak up for Blaenau Gwent,” he said.
“I led a debate on this in the Assembly, helped people and supported the campaign.
“I stepped in when our AM did nothing. That's the difference. An active and campaigning AM or an ineffective and silent one.”
Mr Davies then confirmed that he has written to council leader Des Hillman to clarify his position regarding his own electoral region.
He said: “The key issue here is that Des Hillman makes these assertions but has not provided a shred of evidence to support or sustain his claims.
“Throughout the whole of Mid and West Wales I have actively supported public campaigns on street lighting.
“You will also be aware that I have spoken on this issue in the National Assembly on previous occasions.”
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Join! (free) 
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
