Tuesday, June 24, 2008
The County Council, Community Council and Politics.
At the recent monthly meeting of the Old St. Mellons Community Council, Agenda item 5 'Local Residents' gave me the opportunity to express concern about the situation which as I have already stated in previous articles, is beginning to occur more and more, and that is the tendency to mix together groups which should, indeed must remain separate.
There is in my opinion, at present a very serious problem in joining together the County Council, the Community Council, and Politics. I asked the Community Council three questions on this, and I am still awaiting some answers.
1) The Community Council had organised a litter pick in Old St. Mellons village but was advertised in the South Wales Echo by the 2 Ward Cllrs who attached it to information which had been organised by themselves to take place in Pontprennau on the same day. There was a very definite impression that the litter-pick had also been organised by them and not the Community Council. However, at the same time residents were advised to contact the Community Council Clerk should they require any further information. Why was this also published (along with other issues relating to the Community Council) in the latest Conservative political leaflet which was distributed throughout Old St. Mellons?
2) I also find unacceptable the name-cards displayed in front of all Community Cllrs at the monthly meetings. The new Chair of the Community Council had actually arrived at the last meeting, her first in the Chair in this new term, with new name cards showing nothing but the names of the Cllrs. These were not used, and the originals remained in place. My objection to these is the fact that the 2 County Cllrs. cards show that they are both County and Community Cllrs. As I pointed out to the Chair, when they walk in to that meeting every month, every Community Cllr leaves behind all the things they do in their life outside the Community Council. They all walk in as equals, nothing more than Community Cllrs. If they don't there is a suggestion of authority, implying that as County Cllrs these 2 members have more authority and more power than any of the other members. - If that were not the case, why would they insist on using these name cards?
3) Quarterly meetings are being held to discuss the M4 widening, something which has a definite impact on life in this Ward. Invited to these meetings are Officers from The Assembly, Cardiff County Council, and Newport Council. There are also County Cllrs and Community Cllrs invited from the affected areas of both Newport and Cardiff. The question I asked is, since other Community Councils have representatives attending these meetings, why does the Old St. Mellons Community Council not have anyone attending? The Clerk informed me that there was one Cllr attending. However, that person is a County Cllr and should attend as such. We are disadvataged by having one person trying to wear two hats, no-one can satisfactorily achieve that. I, along with others wish to see two Cllrs attending these meetings, one from the County Council and one from the Community Council.The Chair did agree this, and a representative from the Community Council has been chosen.
When I receive answers to the other questions asked I will keep residents informed.
