tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2133809191630290599.post8503555368654637896..comments2023-08-19T16:44:23.150+01:00Comments on National Left: Community Councils need their profile raisedglynbeddauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09933352430631144936noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2133809191630290599.post-84318786621709693712012-04-14T09:59:17.817+01:002012-04-14T09:59:17.817+01:00I would like a general reduction of the age of vot...I would like a general reduction of the age of voting, but starting with community councils - together with the youth council would be an ideal way to start introducing people to the idea of civic responsibility and getting a taste for self government.Cibwrhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07621705905770341542noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2133809191630290599.post-88609774489960226302012-04-14T07:10:09.543+01:002012-04-14T07:10:09.543+01:00I don't know if you are proposing reducing the...I don't know if you are proposing reducing the age to voting 16 just for community councils. But if this was the case and the elections where held on a separate day. Then It could be a way of engaging young people and getting them to start voting.glynbeddauhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09933352430631144936noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2133809191630290599.post-15561438207538392812012-04-13T21:29:28.054+01:002012-04-13T21:29:28.054+01:00I have published elsewhere (on my blog) my ideas o...I have published elsewhere (on my blog) my ideas on Community Councils. I agree with much above.I would:<br />1. elect by STV, <br />2. allow the smaller communities to merge their councils if desired by by both communities, but if so each community will form one ward returning at least 3 members <br />3. ensure that all communities are covered by a community council <br />4. each community council to be shadowed by a youth council, which will act as an incubator for membership of the community council<br />5. reduce the voting age to 16<br />6. enable the principle of subsidiarity to apply so community councils can gain more powers if desired - powers of general competence. <br />7. elections of community councils to be funded by unitary councils<br /><br />Some local papers (I am thinking of the Tenby Observer here) cover community councils well, where there are no local papers there should be central funding for local community papers - maybe funding existing ones to expand their area of coverage with multiple editions.Cibwrhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07621705905770341542noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2133809191630290599.post-24648267968310642382012-04-13T18:48:51.647+01:002012-04-13T18:48:51.647+01:00Although many people feel that political parties s...Although many people feel that political parties shouldn't get involved in this level of government I am disappointed that they don't. With some of the smaller community councils only meeting for a couple of hours a month, these councils would an ideal place for parties to encourage some of those sectors of the community who are underrepresented in the higher echelons of politics to gain experience and to overcome the felling that representative politics is "not for the likes of us" that Welsh Agenda notes.Alwyn ap Huwhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06194724336424525283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2133809191630290599.post-91093785818342182612012-04-13T11:21:41.235+01:002012-04-13T11:21:41.235+01:00Agenda Yes sorry I did mention Parish Council whic...Agenda Yes sorry I did mention Parish Council which have similar powers in England where they can be confused with Parochial Council so we can thank diestablisnment. I have made a few corrections for this reason. Al your other points are totally valid.<br /><br />Alun equally valid and I council want a higher profile they should look to Aber for this lead.glynbeddauhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09933352430631144936noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2133809191630290599.post-30444705667185065412012-04-13T10:18:41.458+01:002012-04-13T10:18:41.458+01:00Do we actually have parish councils in Wales? I th...Do we actually have parish councils in Wales? I thought they were the English equivalent of a community council. <br /><br />A bigger issue is that not every community on Wales has a community council, and as residents of a ward with a community council pay a precept on their council tax there is an inherent disincentive to set one up, especially in poorer communities. <br /><br />Poorer communities are also less engaged with politics and more likely to see a community council as a cushy number for the middle classes not people like us. <br /><br />This of course entrenches inequality as community councils can lobby on behalf of their area meaning that better off communities are able to get better services from the local council. <br /><br />Lack of political engagement is the key problem, and as long as the usual suspects keep getting elected unopposed, people are less motivated to stand against they as they think things can never be changed. It's a vicious circle.Welsh Agendahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06123802771650817748noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2133809191630290599.post-6807669937798691772012-04-13T09:06:00.374+01:002012-04-13T09:06:00.374+01:00Nice article, thanks for sharing.Nice article, thanks for sharing.rental mobilhttp://www.mobilrental.infonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2133809191630290599.post-12081788402686872832012-04-13T09:00:23.540+01:002012-04-13T09:00:23.540+01:00Good to raise this. Community Councils can also ac...Good to raise this. Community Councils can also act as an honest broker for facilitating public debate about local issues. Earlier this year, a meeting organised by Aberystwyth Town Council about the future of Ysbyty Bronglais was attended by 500 people. They then organised the second biggest demonstration ever seen at the Assembly. County Councils don't usually do this kind of grassroots stuff.Alunhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03369460221317033897noreply@blogger.com