- Abertillery Online Discussion Forum -

Rocke · Joined: 08 May 2008 Posts: 767 Location: Abertillery

'Allo mes amis.

I must say I needed the break, if only to get over the trauma of getting things sorted before going away.

I had my first Tai Calon (Shadow) Board meeting and our first job was to appoint an Independent Board member. To ensure a balance the Board is made up of 5 Council nominees, 5 Tenant representatives and 5 who are neither. These latter ones are generally people who have specialist knowledge and/or experience in social housing issues. Two candidates had such attributes and another had experiences which we felt would help Tai Calon be not just a social landlord but also one that would help with social issues of tenants as well.
We therefore appointed one and co-opted the other two.
I'm looking forward to working with my new colleagues. No politics and just a total focus of all of us in providing tenants with the services they should expect. Currently housing is bogged down in Council issues and finance ( not the fault of any administration as I see it, but just the way successive governments have tried to tweak this, tune that and it'sended up in a mess). Tai Calon will be only for housing and as such will be freed from the substantial bureaucracy that's caused the stagnation we've seen.

Delwyn and I attended a meeting of the new Tillery Road area association ( I don't think they have a formal title yet ). This will be another group to complement the Penybont Rd T & R Association.
I think thanks should go to Mark W, who provided them with a lot of good info. because of his experience with Penybont Rd.
I think thanks also to 'Alf' at The Bridge for giving them a meeting place. It's nice to see the whole community supporting each other.

Church St and the traffic rules have been causing me consternation, and after coming back it seems even more confused !
If I can quickly explain:

The Council decides what it wants done, the Police have a say in it because it is they that have to enforce it.
Unfortunately it seems that the really important bit - talking to each other - hasn't happened as it should.
Result - taxis have been told they won't be allowed in ( though the Order exempts them ), some people think it's a total ban, others that it applies only between 10 & 6 ( and that includes Councillors in both camps I think ). I'll freely admit that I'm not certain what the ruling is supposed to be.
( I must say that this is getting to be a concern of mine. As a Councillor I think I should know about things BEFORE they are put into place, not after. )
This week there is a meeting of all parties and an agreed strategy will be announced. Watch this space.

I see the streetlighting farrago is slowly fizzling out. This is a classic example of not just informing Members of the intention but also listening to their views. At May's meeting of Housing & Regen I actually put forward a 1-5 switch-off, for the very reasons that people are unhappy about. These were the views of those of you I asked. Now 5 months later we've come full circle.
Anyway, it's you, the people via your councillors ( well, those of us in the ruling Partnership ) that have brought about this step back. Ignore all the nonsense you read in some of the letters to The Gazette. Alan 'wherever I lay my hat that's my home' Davies' own patch ( for now, until he dumps them for his vain attempt here ) has lights off, Labour-led ( with their Plaid mates and a couple of so-called Independents ) Torfaen has lights off all night. Does anyone really believe that Blaenau Gwent's 'Few Labour' would have done any different ?
Anyway, we haven't exactly come out of this exuding confidence. Hopefully a lesson learned for when the revised schedule and strategy comes into effect.

On the subject of letters to The Gazette I see local HQ's El Supremo has been bleating.
Just to let you all know that Barrie Sutton - who to his credit did at least tell you all that he is involved with Few Labour - is so much at one with the people that he polled one of the lowest number of votes at last year's elections. Supremely equipped for being a voice of the people then, he is.
Finally, letter of the week goes to Cllr Mike Bartlett. Victim of a reprehensible personal attack he scored a brilliant counter by exposing non-registered Mr Urquhart. No doubt he'll be on this year's list........
Let's face it Mike - or any other councillor - wouldn't just get in on an anti-Labour vote. Attend meetings that Mike's at and you'll see he does his bit and more.

Cheers.

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Rocke