Current legislation requires Road Traffic Orders made by local authorities and the Welsh Government to be advertised in local newspapers. However the Labour Welsh Government has proposed changing this legislation and allow authorities to bypass the requirement to use local newspapers.

Local Plaid Cymru politicians have branded the proposed changes as nothing but a cost cutting measure which, if implemented, would be detrimental to local community reporting.

Jonathan Edwards MP said:

“Despite all the rhetoric from the Labour Government, the proposal to end traffic notices in our local newspapers is the same type of cost cutting measures being pursued by the Tories and Lib Dems, with little thought given to the consequences of this terrible proposal.

“The Welsh government should be coming up with ideas to support and promote local newspapers throughout Wales instead of wielding its axe and adding to the demise of the industry”.

Rhodri Glyn Thomas AM added:

“In its own consultation document, the Welsh Government admits that boycotting our local newspapers would have a negative effect on papers’ revenue streams.

“I have this week tabled a Statement of Opinion in the National Assembly calling on the Welsh Government to abandon its attack on local newspapers. I hope other Assembly Members will support my statement and send a strong message to the Welsh Government that it will have a fight on its hands.”
ENDS

Last week Plaid Cymru politicians Rhodri Glyn Thomas AM and Jonathan Edwards MP hit out at the Labour party for dragging the name of a reputable local company through the mud and conveniently forgetting the Labour party’s love affair with Private Finance Initiatives (PFIs) under former Chancellor and Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

Information obtained this week by the Plaid Cymru office shows that the former leader of Carmarthenshire Labour Party, Martin P. Morris, was a member of Dyfed Powys Police Authority during the whole period the costly PFI deal was agreed, missing just one meeting in a five year period.

The Plaid Cymru politicians said that Cllr. Madge’s attempt of diverting attention away from Labour’s obsession with PFI has well and truly backfired as records reveal the leader of Carmarthenshire Labour had a direct influence over the decision to proceed with the PFI agreement.

Rhodri Glyn Thomas and Jonathan Edwards said:

“The attempt by the leader of the Labour party here in Carmarthenshire to divert attention from Labour’s obsession with costly Private Finance deals has well and truly backfired.

“Cllr. Kevin Madge’s call for an urgent independent inquiry into that PFI agreement has been exposed as nothing but a cheap political stunt, at the expense of a reputable local company, in an effort to pass the buck from a decision for which his party has collective responsibility.”
ENDS

What developed as a theme throughout the debate, in all contributions across all parties, was that a culture has developed that health boards are not transparent and do not show elements of accountability. We need answers as to how exactly that culture has taken hold; who is ultimately responsible for that culture; and how can we transform that situation.

We need to know how the health boards have developed into such a situation, to create this culture that is detrimental in terms of people’s trust in the health boards, and which creates a situation of fear, where people believe that basic health services will not be available to them, and that they will not be able to access those services.

We see government ministers in the Assembly chamber promising no downgrading to hospital services, but later see senior government civil servants promoting the case for service centralisation on national television.
The Labour government here in Wales is happy to take credit when the going is good. But when it comes to standing by its promise to the electorate, it is suddenly a matter for local health boards. No matter what spin politicians use, it is the Labour party which has ultimate responsibility for the whole Health Service in Wales.

The Plaid Cymru representatives, whose constituency office is also based in Ammanford, said that the Labour party’s call for an Inquiry into the PFI contract is hypocritical considering Labour’s love affair with Private Finance Initiatives (PFI) under Gordon Brown. They also said that Labour should be ashamed of the way in which the party has dragged the name of a local reputable company through the mud for its own political gain.

Commenting jointly, the Plaid Cymru AM and MP said:

“A Private Finance Initiative has been the only option available to many authorities to invest in public infrastructure such as schools, hospitals and police stations and we cannot blame authorities for wanting to develop new facilities for their communities. But Private Finance contracts such as Ammanford Police Station, the Severn Bridge and Baglan Hosptial come at a price.　

“The Labour party needs to stand up, front up and accept they got it wrong.”

ENDS

The Carmarthenshire politicians said there had been too many cuts in the broadcasting sector in Wales recently especially concerning S4C.

These cuts have had a direct impact on the people of Carmarthenshire, many of whom are employed within the sector, be it in the BBC offices in Carmarthen or in Tinopolis, Llanelli.

  Jonathan Edwards MP said: 

 ‘We have recently seen with the cuts to S4C’s budget that there is a dire need for us to have the powers over broadcasting devolved to Wales, it doesn’t make sense that the broadcasting sector in Wales is open to constant threats by a government that has no mandate in Wales’

Rhodri Glyn Thomas AM added:  

‘Broadcasting in Wales has faced blow after blow in the past year and it’s about time for us to take the reigns, devolve broadcasting and do something about the situation in our Assembly in Wales’

Plaid Cymru has been campaigning at the National Assembly over the past months for a package of urgent measures to be brought forward to combat the effects of the deepening economic crisis here in Wales.  During this crisis, we need to protect jobs and small businesses – yet Labour has done little along those lines since forming this Welsh Government in May. 

I want the Labour Welsh government to bring forward a package to boost the economy that includes Plaid Cymru’s idea of £45m investment in a Small Business Job protection scheme.  Our scheme would extend Business Rate support to those businesses with a rateable value of up to £18,000.  It would give direct support to 80% of Wales’ businesses in order to help safeguard jobs.  We also want to see the refinement of public sector procurement practices to ensure more contracts can be awarded to local companies – directly benefiting businesses on own doorstep.

As your Plaid Cymru Assembly Member I am committed to continuing to press Labour to sit up and recognise the importance of small businesses to the local economy here in Carmarthenshire.  Across Wales as a whole almost 500,000 people work for small businesses and reports are showing that the economic crisis is already starting to hit these jobs hard. 

This week I have been visiting businesses in the county to share my party’s ideas for the economy directly with business owners.  I have witnessed personally how small business owners in the county are working hard to keep their staff on despite the incredibly difficult economic conditions they’re facing and they should be praised for their efforts. 

Labour’s refusal to take action on this issue and help our small business is yet more damning evidence that they are intentionally sitting back and allowing the economic situation to get even worse for their own, selfish political gain.

In an official press release from the Carmarthenshire County Council in which the Executive Board attempted to distance itself from the possible cuts to services already noted in local and national media, a representative of the Labour party attacked the Plaid Cymru councillor group for abstaining from voting on important budget matters.

The Plaid Cymru politicians said that not only are the Labour and Independent groups issuing completely false statements regarding votes, but has used Council staff, funded by Carmarthenshire rate payers, for its electioneering.

This is not the first time a civil servant of the County Council’s press team has been embroiled in party political matters.  In a leaked e-mail, the former head of the Press Office was exposed for actively encouraging members of the public to pressure Assembly Members to support a planning application on the former Stradey Park site in Llanelli.

The Leader of the Plaid Cymru Council Group, Peter Hughes Griffiths said:

“The actions of this Labour and Independent Council are unconstitutional.

“The Executive Board agreed to send its proposed budget out for consultation.  The authority has now issued an official press notice including comments from a Labour councillor who has absolutely nothing to do with the Executive Board, outlining to the people of Carmarthenshire where the Board has already decided not to make cuts, whilst at the same time trying to score party political points against Plaid Cymru.

“I have contacted the authority’s Chief Executive so that he can explain what exactly is going on in the authority; why budget announcements are being made by non-executive councillors; why announcements are being made during the consultation period and why the authority is carrying out political electioneering at the hands of taxpayer-funded council staff”.

Commenting jointly, Jonathan Edwards and Rhodri Glyn Thomas added:

“Democratic institutions only function properly when the civil service remains impartial.  Party political comments being issued in an official county council press release demonstrates beyond doubt that the Labour and Independent Council has politicised the authority’s civil servants.

“We’re confident that Carmarthenshire ratepayers, who are seeing inflation-busting price increases in a number of the Council’s services, do not want their hard-earned money being spent on these sort of cheap political press reports with absolutely no basis in fact.

“The County Council’s press office has previously been embroiled in party political matters having been exposed for helping to orchestrate a campaign against elected Welsh Assembly members.

“A full investigation must immediately be undertaken to ascertain which senior officer(s) authorised the Labour and Independent parties to carry out this sort of electioneering at public expense.

“The authority’s Chief Executive must ensure that the senior officer(s) responsible are held accountable for their actions.

“There are also serious questions about the suitability of elected politicians who hold elected office and use their position to politicize civil servants.   We would expect the heads of cabinet members and senior officials to fall over this issue.

“Once again the people of Carmarthenshire are given further notice of the need for a change of political direction at County level.  The people of Carmarthenshire deserve a County Council that operates in their interests.”

ENDS

Mr. Thomas said that many fuel suppliers offer flexible payment plans such as monthly direct debits and deliver fuel when needed, but went on to say that householders need as much flexibility as possible to assist in paying their bills.

The Plaid Cymru AM also said that Carmarthenshire households are disproportionately affected by the rise in fuel costs as many households in the county are unable to connect to the gas grid.

Rhodri Glyn Thomas said:

“Many households in Carmarthenshire and rural Wales are disproportionately affected by the rise in fuel costs as they are unable to connect to the gas grid and are left to pay the ever increasing costs for domestic oil through no fault of their own.  We have examples in the county of costs of domestic oil rising by more than £100 in just 3 months – a 35% increase in such a short period. 

“The vast majority of domestic oil suppliers require a minimum order of 500 litres.  This is understandably significantly costly for many households which are unable to afford the minimum delivery.

“Such households sometimes result in paying over and above the odds for their fuel as they buy as little as an individual 20litre unit as that’s all they can afford.  The 20litre units are commonly used as an emergency supply whilst households await their main delivery.  The price per litre is far higher this way.

“There are providers throughout Wales which already offer flexible payments such as monthly direct debits to assist consumers having to pay large sums of money in one go.  Unfortunately, there are some providers which do not.

“I have asked the Welsh Government to undertake a full review of the industry and how best practice can be shared through all suppliers, such as reducing the minimum delivery order from 500 litres to 250 litres. 

“We need as much flexibility in the market which ensures consumers are able to heat their home at an affordable level, whilst at the same time ensuring this doesn’t disadvantage suppliers.

“The Labour Government here in Wales must consider all options to help eradicate fuel poverty in our communities”.

ENDS

After meeting with business leaders and hearing first-hand how car parking charges are affecting trade, the Carmarthenshire politicians said it was time for the County Council to firstly, reconsider its disproportionate fare increases and secondly, to look at all avenues to encourage shoppers in our towns and villages instead of what seems to be the local authority actively diverting shoppers to big supermarkets which have free car parks.

Mr. Edwards and Mr. Thomas also said that the increases were a bitter pill for shoppers to swallow just weeks after the colossal salaries of the council’s chief officers were exposed and that the local authority had profited from an additional £50,000 last year due to the car parking machines not providing any change.

In a joint statement, Jonathan Edwards and Rhodri Glyn Thomas said:

“Another year and yet another inflation-busting increase to car parking charges from this Labour and Independent County Council.

“Whilst car parking charge equality was introduced on a county-wide basis many years ago, we are seeing substantial rises in fares year on year which are completely disproportionate and wholly unfair.

“Having met with business owners this week, there is a strong feeling that the Labour and Independent County Council is actively diverting shoppers away from our small businesses and into the free car parks of large supermarkets.

“We need the County Council to firstly reconsider these unjustified costs and to secondly, look at innovative ways to encourage shoppers to town centres.  If Labour is unwilling to reverse these car parking rises, then it should at the very least consider extending the free parking currently available on Sundays, to Fridays and Saturdays as well.

“This is a bitter pill for shoppers to swallow just weeks after we learned Carmarthenshire County Council made an additional £50,000 profit last year specifically from car parking machines not giving change.

“An inflation-busting increase may not be much to the local authority chief officers earning hundreds of thousands of pounds a year, but for business owners it can be the difference between closing a deal or closing the store.

ENDS

________________________________________

Notes to editors:

Carmarthenshire County Council accumulated a £50,566.89 surplus in 2010/11 from its machines that don’t give change.

Ymwelodd yr AC Plaid Cymru â nifer o gartrefu yn yr ardal yn cynnwys Vera(yn y llun) sy’n drigolyn lleol. Achubodd Mr. Thomas ar y cyfle i sgwrsio gyda’r trigolion sydd yn dibynnu ar wasanaeth Pryd ar Glud ac i ofyn pa mor bwysig oedd y gwasanaeth iddynt hwy.

Dywedodd Rhodri Glyn Thomas:

“Roeddwn yn falch iawn o gael y cyfle i ymuno â gwirfoddolwyr ar eu rowndiau Pryd ar Glud a gweld o lygad y ffynnon pa mor werthfawr yw’r gwasanaeth ar gyfer y sawl sydd yn fwy bregus o fewn ein cymunedau sydd yn dibynnu ar y wasanaeth.

“I nifer fawr mae’n gyfle i gael sgwrs sydyn gydag wyneb cyfeillgar ynghyd â derbyn pryd cynnes.

“Mae’r gwirfoddolwyr yn gwneud gwaith anhygoel yn sicrhau  bod henoed ein cymunedau yn ddiogel ac yn iach yn eu cartrefu ac yn gallu byw eu bywydau mor annibynnol â phosib.

DIWEDD