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

Wednesday and it was the other normally very vibrant meeting. True to reformed form the Opposition were in better attendance and some of their more experienced members were present.

Looks like a long meeting in store - and it was.

Item 4 - Economic Impact Assessment of 'The Works'.
This is the official name given to the vast tract of land where the steelworks used to be, the one having the hospital built and £44 million in investment.
Now - 'economic impact assessment'. What does that mean to you ?
Well, Cllr Scully asked some while back for an assessment of what the Eisteddfod means to the roads etc. around here, given all the traffic that will be crawling up and down the valley. In tandem I asked what it would mean to the other towns, since clearly EV would have the brunt of any money spent by visitors to the Eisteddfod. Note - councillors of different political persuasion both asking for related and relevant information.
Well, this item consisted of a report and a presentation - entitled 'economic benefits'.
It's estimated that Cardiff and its businesses benefited to the tune of some £8.2 million when it had the Eisteddfod last year ( no figures for Bala yet ). We then went on to the benefits of jobs coming ( we're trying to use local trade and contractors and people wherever possible ) when the Learning Campus is built. On the whole it was all about what The Works would generate.
Cllr. Scully didn't seem too impressed that what I think he really wanted wasn't really touched upon. I wasn't impressed that nothing really touched upon the effect it would have on the other towns.
My words were that The works will be - quite rightly - a star of this Borough and entire region. However, one must realise that stars draw things to them, and we don't want to see traders, businesses and people being sucked from the satellite communities and gravitating towards EV. We'll end up with ghost towns.

During the presentation the 'Ebbw Valley Railway' was mentioned.
I pointed out that it was the Ebbw FAWR valley railway, and incredibly people seemed to think I'd had a brainstorm.
Cllr. McCarthy came to my aid - unwittingly of course.
In trying to counter and correct me he stated that the Ebbw Valley started at Aberbeeg where the rivers join. I thanked him for his support. Because if it starts at Aberbeeg it also ends at Aberbeeg coming the other way. Therefore ipso facto the rail link into The Works is in the Ebbw Fawr valley.

Oops !!
Cllr. Scully starts off on the 'tribalism' track again, citing all the investment that the Ebbw Fach valley's had over the years - until I point out about the rail link. In fairness he promised that he would continue to campaign for it. Cllr. McCarthy prefers the word 'parochialism' and he was next up to have a pop.
To me both words are a compliment - it shows I'm sticking up for my patch, which is what a councillor should do.

Anyway, during the debate everyone who spoke uttered the words I wanted to hear - 'we are aware of the need to ensure that The Works doesn't have a detrimental effect on the other towns in the borough', or words to that effect.
Job done then.

Another item was the annual report of Regeneration projects within the Borough.
Since Abertillery doesn't have a voice on the committee ( Cllrs Taylor and Bard are Executive members, so can't be on Scrutiny Committees and Nigel Daniels doesn't return until Feb ) I have to take that role as well.
£11.875 Million pounds of investment !
Foundry Square, Foundry Bridge, Lower Tillery St, Church and Somerset St and the multi-storey.
Mmmm - lot of money, but for what ?
I must have sounded very ungrateful. But in my words 'there's no point in putting a new heart into something if the arteries and veins are still blocked'.
Foundry Square - hardly Trafalgar Square is it ?
Foundry Bridge - not the Ponteveccio ( Bridge of Sighs perhaps ).
What's the point in multi-million pound investment when all visitors will say is 'nightmare to get in and out of and around' ?
It's ECONOMIC regeneration Aber needs most urgently, not looking nice. As one trader's expressed it to me, what's the point in having the nicest looking empty shops ?
( On a side issue I've put together a document on a strategy to get visitors into Aber and start to revitalise our area. This was sent to the Executive Member over 2 weeks ago and I haven't received a response. I'll chase up whether he's received it. My colleagues who are Aber area councillors will be receiving another document regarding traffic matters in the next week or two. I think it's clear that we have to lobby en masse to get things done. Members give political direction and our officers come up with the solutions. )

Oops again !!
Up they get. 'Tribalism' and 'parochialism' are brought out of their boxes. This time Cllr. D. Owen remarks about members who don't live in the ward they represent. I advise him that when I was first asked to stand I was living in Cwmtillery Ward ( and despite moving out before the election the people of Cwmtillery still wanted me to represent them ). In fairness he took it in good part.
It does show, however, the tricks 'politicians' get up to, in order to reduce the effectiveness of opponents.

Street lighting just had to raise its ugly head.
Cllr. McCarthy launched into a constitutional debate about the rights and wrongs of having a request for a special Full Council turned down. Nothing to do with the committee but that didn't stop him and his cohorts - and regrettable neither did the Chair.
I'll give a fuller account of this later in the week.
I've written a letter to The Gazette and there's no point in duplicating things. If it isn't published then I'll include the details of this part of the meeting in next week's w.t.w.

As the meeting went on more and more members departed, until we were left with the Chair, Vice Chair, me - and the 3 Labour members. Cllr. Mccarthy was seen and heard to advise Cllr. Scully not to leave 'just in case'.
The 'just in case' was the fact that had one of us left then there would have been a majority for Labour and they would have forced some sort of vote through, with the intention of embarrassing the partnership.
Why does he think I stayed until the bitter end ?
I don't think anyone else realised what could have happened.
To be honest I'm beginning to get narked about having to get embroiled in politics. I really think I should leave it to the politicians to sort their own issues out.

I managed to find out why we don't support vehicle repairs and the like in our factory units. I've a genuine constituent who's been made redundant and is making a real attempt to start up on his own as a mechanic. We can't help him at all. Apparently it's all to do with the EU and the strict rules on grants and subsidies to the motor industry.
I ask you.
Wonder how long it will be before we have a UKIP MEP ?
All that will be left then is an independent Community Council..................

Cheers.

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Rocke