- Abertillery Online Discussion Forum -

Rocke · Joined: 08 May 2008 Posts: 795 Location: Abertillery

You've all ( regrettably ) been party to the shenanigans between me and 'hedleymccarthy' ( and to a lesser extent tchambuli9 ) over the past 11 months or so.

Keeping it as level-headed and concise as possible I've been as forthright and strident as I have because I believe people have the right to be kept fully and properly informed when they ask questions and/or information is given to them.
That's warts and all.

I think that as representatives of you it is for us to give you information in a factual manner and to explain the reasoning behind decisions and things that are happening ( or not ). Where you, the public, express concerns about those decisions etc. we should be able to at least argue our case and hopefully at worst a councillor and those asking the questions will agree to disagree.

Representatives of the people should certainly not be looking to inflame the public. After all, we are representatives of a particular group, those of our Wards. A true representative should be battling for their ward, not fighting wars outside of it.

My initial run-ins with 'hedleymccarthy' were because of the credibility factor as I saw it. Here was a new administration and an overt attempt to portray us as inexperienced.
Over the past months however I have turned this completely on its head and I believe that I have managed to strip the said poster of any credibility left.

I heard today that Cllr. Hedley McCarthy never made it to the interview/shortlisting stage or whatever it is called in Labour Party circles, regarding the appointment of Labour's candidate for AM for Blaenau Gwent. It seems that he withdraw his candidature.

If true, this reinforces my belief above, since it could well be that he no longer feels he has the confidence of the number of people required to be given the honour of being deemed the best person to regain the seat ( I actually think it is, but in all honesty I'm not psychic ).

I therefore don't intend to respond directly to any more postings of 'hedleymccarthy' or 'tchambuli9'.
I say this because I don't want any of you to think that me not replying and/or correcting anything they say means that what they say is correct.

I may well post in the same thread as them but it will be in a factual manner, with reference to any comments or questions that you, genuine non-politically motivated members make.

This will mean that this forum becomes far less clogged up with overtly political rants and hopefully no-one will have to wade through dross to find the pertinent points.
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Rocke

IAN(boco)jones · Joined: 26 Apr 2009 Posts: 105 Location: ABERTILLERY

Well if cllr Mcarthy is not standing it will be a sad day.
As an experienced politician and long serving CLLR his input would be missed.
I'm sure his constituents will be sad to see him go.
If people with Cllr Mcarth's views, which are not always the same as others don't stand we will return to the position where as with labour being in singular control, the independents may well go the same way.
I voted Labour from the time I was eligible to vote, right up until they tried to force the all woman short list on us.
My decision then as I have done since was to vote Independent, not on sexist grounds but the mere fact we were being told this is what you will get.
You must have opposition for the political machine to work.
Rocke I think your doing a brilliant job in office but dont turn in to the very thing you oppose.
I write this stating my choice in politic's, as well as stating it openly In my own and not an assumed name.
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"Assert your right to make a few mistakes. If people can't accept your imperfections, that's their fault".

Dr. David M. Burns

jools · Joined: 30 Nov 2007 Posts: 154 Location: just outside Aber

Good point.

Look at the state of the UK that a lack of effective opposition has left us with.
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Rocke · Joined: 08 May 2008 Posts: 795 Location: Abertillery

You're both absolutely right.

Without effective opposition nothing will ever be as effective as it could.
Francis Pym got sacked by Margaret Thatcher for saying the landslide victory following the Falklands wasn't best for the country.
How right he was. She was unfettered for years and what could have been a reasonable time for the country turned into a mess.

I believe the same thing has happened in Blaenau Gwent.
No effective opposition ( due to the lack of non-Labourites being elected ).

Now we have ( had ) a reasonable balance, so we should have more reasoned decisions.
I actually told a Estyn inspector that the change of political balance - not control - should auger well for the Council's approach to Education because there should be strong Opposition and hence loads of ideas coming out and this administration has more chance of being accountable than any other we've had.

Regrettably that hasn't turned out to be so, as yet.
Labour are as inexperienced in opposition as we are in power and to be absolutely blunt they - under Cllr. Hedley McCarthy - are making an absolute fist of it.
Their refusal to allow this council to have the best people representing it ( initially refused to sanction a rep. for the Police Authority and the National Parks ) caused upset and led to two people people departing.
They have consistently failed to provide viable alternatives to initiatives, at least ones that would persuade me to vote for them.
The only clearly laid out alternative was their budget, which was propesed in Council by Cllr. Steve Thomas, Deputy Leader of the Labour Group, not Cllr. Mccarthy himself.

Cllr. McCarthy has demonstrated on more than one occasion that his first interest is in the Labour Party, preferring to rubbish this administration's attempts to sort out the mess that it has inherited rather than provide good alternative methods of dealing with issues.

Look at some of those:

** Foundry Bridge - failed to identify a delay. When this administration took measuers to check - and found out about the delay all we had from him was 'petition petition petition'. No ideas about how to sole it.
He even said in one meeting 'Chair, I'm only doing my job' when
I remonstrated that as Members we should not be misleading the public.
Because that's what it is, when you know of something but hide it - such as knowing the date of opening but continuing to raise and support petitions, implying that nothing is being done.

** Rail link - do we have to say anything about a person who has done a deal - for that's what reaching an agreement is - that makes out rail link 3rd in line and not tell the public that ?

I'm sorry Ian (B) but the Labour Party simply has to have a better calibre of candidate than that.

I actually want Labourites standing up and saying 'why can't you do it this way'.
Then you have effective opposition, since if we don't do it that way and it fails then we're out, and so it should be.

The people must have the best of all worlds, yet they will get onlt the gospel according to independents unless the Labour Party becomes and effective Opposition.

And that requires a complete change of attitude.
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Rocke

hedleymccarthy · Joined: 27 Aug 2008 Posts: 363

I really don't want to be bothered answering points that could be put to me in the council chamber by someone who has that privelege, but prefers to try to score pointless points on this forum. However, the myths that are commonplace on here occasionally have to be corrected otherwise unchallenged they become "pearls of wisdom". Labour have only one alternative policy Question

i.e the budget - our alternative included a reduced council tax increase Exclamation

Continuation of the straying animal impounding service Exclamation

and no streetlighting switch- off Exclamation

Steve Thomas led on this issue because we are not a one man band and Steve has forgotten more about Local Government Finance than most councillors will ever know. Don't be surprised if Brian Scully leads on another matter or Dennis Owens on Regeneration or Dave Wilkshire on Leisure or Haydn Trollope on Social Services we are a Party not a Pub Crawl. By the way we have an alternative Education strategy, but perhaps you missed that, Shirl spotted it though Laughing

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alfie · Joined: 24 May 2009 Posts: 6

Dai 6 · Joined: 28 Sep 2007 Posts: 125

Rocke · Joined: 08 May 2008 Posts: 795 Location: Abertillery

I have to say you two have cracked me up with those last two posts.

dai6 - I just love that avatar !

Just to add to it, talking of pubs, where did the local Labour Party hold their economic summit a while back ? - yes, The Commercial Inn, Abertillery.
Clearly they need a replacement since they're not drunk with power anymore.

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Rocke