Subordinate Central Spin on Council Tax doesn't hold up.

Good Old Subordinate Central  manage to witst the news once again on the announcemen of the council tax increase this year and  that Swansea, Caerphilly and Monmouthshire councils are the only authorities in Wales so far who plan to freeze council tax next year, with average increases set for a record low of 2.1% Subordinate Central  come up with the headline

"Welsh Lib Dem Councils keep Council Tax down"

Dispite the fact that they only lead a minority Council in one  those setting a Zero rate  Swansea have no councillors in Caerphilly and only 5 on Monmouth Councils.

For the record the rate reads as
Ceredigion Ind/LD/Lab, Blaenau Gwent Ind, Denbighshireind Ind/PC/Con/Lab, Flintshire Ind/LD/Con, Gwynedd Plaid ,Merthyr Tydfil Ind, Powys Ind Rhondda Cynon Taf Lab Torfaen Lab (minority)and Wrexham Ind/LD/Lab/Con councils want to raise their taxes by between 2.2% and 3.5%.

Carmarthenshire Ind / Labouncil is planning a 1.97% increase,Pembrokeshire Ind council has set its proposed rate at 1.7%, while Cardiff LD / Plaid council plans to impose a 1.44% increase.

Bridgend, Neath Port Talbot, and Vale of Glamorgan councils are yet to indicate their plans.

So the Libdem claims are a bit far fetched  despite Peter Blacks claims that...

“Careful financial planning and prudent spending by councils, especially Welsh Liberal Democrat-led councils, means that more money will be staying in Welsh people’s pockets during these difficult times.

“Welsh Liberal Democrat-led councils are keeping council tax increases low, and have consistently kept them low over the past four years, to help people out in difficult financial times.”

The only council to raise the council tax by 5% the caped rate is Anglesey  which as we all know is not facing elections this year.

Which despite all the talk from Plaid in Caerphilly or the Conservatives in Monmouth and of course the LibDems in Swansea of being prudent  Probably has more to do with the low rates this year.

With less than  Three Months to the May elections it would take a brave council to set the higher rate of Council Tax to 5% as Anglesey have.

But it is ridiculous for Peter Black to make such a claim since the  Libdems  are only in power in coalitions on Welsh Councils and are the majority group on these in only two Cardiff and Swansea and are not even  the largest group on the latter.

We are used to  the LibDems through Subordinate Central twisting the facts but this is misleading even by their standards.

What is fluency

The number of fluent Welsh speakers is falling by around 3,000 people a year, a new report suggests.

The Welsh Language Board (WLB) said deaths and people moving from Wales are having the biggest impact.

The report says that around 6,500 Welsh speakers die annually and 5,200 move away, out-pacing adult learners and children learning or raised in Welsh.

It found the number of people who say they speak Welsh fluently is approximately 300,000.

Clearly these figures are worrying .But it will be interesting when we get the results of the 2011 census, and look at comparison within Wales to see what the major changes are in the last ten years.

Where I suspect we will see a continued decline in those areas we know as Y Fro Cymraeg ,but increase in those areas which have been long Anglicised

But we need much more than the census results. We need a complete and through investigation into the state of Welsh in the whole of Wales and we need to make sure that we look at what we mean by the ability to speak Welsh.

Importantly: We need to ask .What do we need by fluent?

I'm a monoglot English speaker. But no one questions my fluency in English . Though some reading this Blog may question my literacy.

And yet I have met Welsh speakers who deny they are fluent despite speaking it on a regular basis but because they have not gone on to Higher Education believe they somehow  lack fluency and they dont speak "Proper Welsh".

Indeed watching the response to the 5,200 "fluent speakers" who move away it looked to me that they were basing this by mainly counting y those who have achieved an Higher Education and went on to further it . Indeed pursuit of this may be the reason they left.

But the future of the Language does not just lie with those gaining degrees and  working and then returning to Wales . It also lies with the shopkeeper in Ammanford ,the farmer in Tregaron, the factory worker in Blaenau Ffestiniog and the hotel worker in Holyhead.

Unless Welsh continues to be the language of ordinary working  people even if they don't speak it in the fluency of a senior member of the Gorsedd then the language will die

It must dot become or be seen  to be the Language of an Educated elite .where they are measured in their "fluency" though their fluency in English is taken for granted.

And that means the Welsh Government must seek to improve the daily use of the Welsh Language and promote Wales as a Bilingual country. In which fluency in Welsh is counted on the same level as fluency in English and every effort of our Schools are made to improve both.

This does not mean I dismiss the figures or fluency . Indeed if we take the 5,200 figure of fluent speakers leaving Wales to mean the better educated and extrapolate it to include those who are monoglot English speakers it means that something like 26,000 of our most talented people are leaving Wales every year and do not return.

We must seek to retain these no matter what language they speak.

Indeed the challenge for the future of the Welsh Language is the same for the whole of Wales . We need to create work for all and rebuild our communities and create the sort of Wales where the Son of Daughter of the shopkeeper in Ammanford ,the farmer in Tregaron, the factory worker in Blaenau Ffestiniog and the hotel worker in Holyhead can look to the future in their communities even if they temporarily leave  to attend further education,

Religions have no right to dictate how our councils conduct meetings.

A row has blown up over the practise of having prayers at the start of council meetings. 

A former  Bidford Councillor says he is not surprised the High Court ruled against the Town Council for including prayers in the agenda for its meetings.
Clive Bone former councillor in  said he found "people didn't want to stand for the council" because of the inclusion of the prayers.
He said the National Secular Council's case against the council had "nothing to do with intolerance towards religion.
"Religious freedom is an absolute right, and so is freedom from religion."

Of course there has been a outcry from some quarters including communities secretary Eric Pickles.

Pickles said:

"While welcoming and respecting fellow British citizens who belong to other faiths, we are a Christian country, with an established church governed by the Queen."Christianity plays an important part in the culture, heritage and fabric of our nation. Public authorities – be it parliament or a parish council – should have the right to say prayers before meetings if they wish. The right to worship is a fundamental and hard-fought British liberty.

So Pickles for Christian prayers and I suspect much of the arguments for seems to be based more on a cultural basis than a religious one.

I can't call myself a Atheist because I believe that there is a possibility of a Creator or even Creators but cannot call myself an Agnostic really because that covers such a area from

I pretty sure there is no God 

to

There is a God but I don't know his Nature and neither do you?

So basically I'm just an open sceptic.However I am not a Christian even if my culture is one . When attending Funerals or Weddings the only time I enter a church ,. I do not join in the prayers. But enthusiastically join in the Hymns such as Calon Lan Cwm Rhondda and ny favorite Arglwydd Dyma fi. and Carys Mathews shows why below

But in our Legislatures  from English Parish Council (and the name says all) and Welsh Community Councils. To our Assembly and the two Houses at Westminster. The idea of raising one of belief over others is wrong and undemocratic and as Pickles admits has more to do with a English cultural Nationalism than any religious belief.

P.S. In the USA even though there should be separation of church and State religion still plays a prominent part and it is telling that a campaign by Mormon Mitt Romney is taken seriously. Whilst no Non-believer would ever have a chance at the Presidential Nomination of the Democrats or Republicans.

However perhaps in te context of this I should mention the response of Edward Everett Hale (April 3, 1822 – June 10, 1909) was an American author, historian and Unitarian clergyman. who was was Chaplain of the United States Senate from 1903-0906 . Who when asked.

 “Do you pray for the senators?”

He quickly replied, 

“No. After getting to know the senators, I pray for the people.”

Awema. Still questions?

So at last the Welsh Government has acted over the scandal over Wale's foremost charity for ethnic minorities with the announcement by Equalities Minister Jane Hutt that funding had been terminated with immediate effect,

The decision coincides with the publication of an internal audit report carried out into the body by the Welsh Government, in conjunction with the Big Lottery Fund.

According to the statement..

"It was recognised from the outset that allegations that individuals had committed potentially criminal activity, or potentially affecting Awema’s charitable status, were matters that should be drawn to the attention of South Wales Police and the Charity Commission.
"Liaison with them has continued throughout the Welsh Government’s investigation process."
"The investigation has identified significant and fundamental failures in the control and governance framework within Awema:
* Governance arrangements in relation to management and to the Awema Management Board of Trustees;
* Financial controls and processes;
* An absence of key policies and procedures; and
* An organisational structure that does not adequately support the operations of Awema."

The Question we should now ask is. Why has this taken so long to be resolved with the effective closure of Awema?

The scandal first emerged when it was disclosed by the Western Mail that Naz Malik, chief executive of Awema (the All Wales Ethnic Minority Association) had been given a written warning after admitting using £9,340.36 of the body’s money to clear his credit card debt.

Most people wondered why he wasn't given the option of immediately  resigning or being dismissed.

Tthe acting chairman of Awema, Mr PK Verma, resigned, together with two other trustees.

In a letter to a senior Welsh Government official, Mr Verma, who has since died, alleged that attempts by him to call a special meeting of Awema’s trustees had been thwarted. He had wanted the meeting to discuss “the remuneration of the director [Naz Malik], in particular the authorisation of salary and pension increases that had never been before the board” as well as “the management and supervision of the director”.

Explaining why he and two other trustees were resigning, Mr Verma wrote: “... we have all come to the conclusion that it may be better to resign and leave the Assembly to sort out what is a most unsatisfactory situation.”

On July 13, the Welsh Government officially responded to Mr Verma, stating: “These are essentially internal operational matters and ones for you and the board to resolve.

Naz Mlik  position obviously had nothing to do with him being a prominent Labour Supporter and Mr Malik's son Gwion Iqbal Malik stood on Labour's Mid and West Wales regional list at last May's assembly elections

This failure to take any real action promted more interst in what was happening at Awema which

Current Awema Chair Rita Austin (a former Cardiff Labour Counxillor) Rita Austin defended Awema, saying it had become a "stick to beat the Welsh Government"She claimed that..

"The glee with which the press and TV convey the partisan attacks of opposition politicians is catching Awema in its backwash, creating the unedifying spectacle of a concerted attempt by powerful institutions to characterise Awema as a corrupt organisation: a time honoured way of debasing and devaluing the contributions of black and minority ethnic people, often on the basis of scant evidence, which is well known to many of us."
She adds: "It is as though the great, the good and the powerful have already rushed to judgement and made their minds up about what should happen to Awema, long before the Welsh government internal audit, with which we have been co-operating fully, has reported.

This dispite the fact that

THE Welsh Government was advised to stop funding the charity at the centre of financial management allegations as long ago as 2004 The document, obtained by the Liberal Democrats, in which a report into theAwema) recommended that no further funding should be provided for new projects until it could prove it had overhauled its project and performance management.


There may be some racial motivations in some of those commenting on the problems at Awema but it does seem to me that sensitivity over allegations of racism prevented the action that should have ben taken over 8 years ago and a charity that should have provided a valuable service would not have brought to such an inglorious end.

We need to investigate why action on the advice in 2004 was not taken and to what extent relationships with the ruling Labour part in Wales affected this

Hopefully a new charitable organisations will be formed to carry out the sort of remit that Awema should have done but as with other charitable organisations which may also need careful auditing of their structure. Lets hope it will sever the people and not those working for it.

Simon Thomas "Queen-maker"

Simon Thomas has bowed to the inevitable and withdrawn from the contest for the leadership of Plaid Cymru and now hass put his backing behind Elin Jones on a joint Ticket where he will seek to become her deputy..

He had been seen to have gathered little support for his campaign in statement he said ..

"One thing is for certain, Plaid Cymru will not achieve government or electoral success by playing Fisher Price politics with people’s hopes and dreams.

“Both Elin and I offer such a vision. I believe that by combining our experience, talents and different types of appeal we can work together to give the party the kind of direction and leadership it clearly needs.

“Elin has succeeded in gaining considerable support. I congratulate her on that, and today I announce that I will withdraw my candidacy in order to support her has her deputy on a joint ticket. I ask the party now to trust the next credible generation of Plaid politicians to take us forward under Elin’s leadership."

The  "Fisher Price" line  seems to be  an unveiled attack on front runner Leanne Wood  and one can see it as  compliment  to Leanne that he at least recognises that she is gathering support.

On the face of it this will strengthen Elin Jones candidature . But I'm not so sure.

It is unlikely Thomas had a large number of votes and maybe even the small number committed to him will not transfer directly to Elin Jones though it may attract some undecided.

But will  the joint ticket of two AM both with base in Ceredigion appeal to the majority of Party Members?

The idea of a joint ticket usually involves a balance of Geography or Ideology . The idea that the leadership should be concentrated in even West Wales might make those from outside think twice.

This  might be a "Stop Leanne" movement but it may also gavanalise those who have committed to her .

Simon Thomas may be seeing himself as "Queen-maker"  but he might just have added a bit momentum to his choice  but adding even more to the one he seems to be trying to prevent.

"Mr" Goodwin but still "Lord" Hanningfield

Quite frankly I find it absurd that in the 21st century we still have a system that sees people being knighted and therefore we lesser mortals should be obliged to call them Sir or Dame and as far Peers here's some of the spoken addresses you are supposed to use with them.

Duke -Your Grave (formal Duke (social).

Marquess -My Lord (formal) Lord (social).

Earl-My Lord (formal) Lord Social.


And that's just when you speak to them it even more complex addressing an envelope.

As far as I know Fred Goodwin committed no crime and he wasn't individuality responsible for the financial crisis . But then he wasn't individually for the supposed success that led to his knighthood.

Still to deprive him of a his knighthood when there are still Members of the House of Lords who have been imprisoned seems petty and has the hallmark of a government trying to switch blame from them by finding a convenient scapegoat.

This when we consider in the House of Lords are peers who were awarded their ermine robes for financial or political services, who are as culpable as Mr Goodwin.The Tories used to hand out knighthoods to their MP's from the English Shires on a regular basis irrespective of any real contribution they made,


And there are handful of peers who have served time in jail, including Lord Archer, the millionaire author who was jailed for perjury in 2001. The Tory lord served half of his four-year sentence.

Two further Tory peers, Lords Hanningfield and Taylor, were both jailed for expenses fraud but have not lost their right to sit in the upper chamber.

If he hadn't Hanningford (Real Name Paul White) at on the Conservative side on Essex County Council stood down in May 2011 White imprisoned in July of that year would presumably have been expelled from the council..

Conrad Black, the former press baron currently in jail for fraud, also remains a peer.

These are life Peers and can in theory still turn up and vote in the Lords . Where a jailed MP would have almost immediately been expelled from the commons.

Furthermore although the majority of Hereditary Peers no longer sit in the Second Chamber . They will still be allowed their titles no matter what crimes they committed.

Lord Brocket, was convicted of insurance fraud in 1996 and sentenced to five years in prison, of which he served two and a half years




Apparently his his autobiography is entitled Call Me Charlie perhaps he at least got that right




Presumably if Lord Lucan British peer, who disappeared in the early hours of 8 November 1974, following the murder of Sandra Rivett, his children's nanny, the previous evening. had been found guilty and had served say 20 years of a life sentence and then released could have entered the second chamber a few weeks later and voted.




What we need to is abolish all Hereditary titles Mo Lords,Ladies Sirs or Dames . The very idea that we should carry on with this ridiculous system is ridiculous in a modern democracy of equals.

Andrew Lansley first among equals?

Andrew Lansley has unwittingly shown what the problem with the current devolution settlement.

A leaked memo shows that he has written to the Welsh Government to complain he only found out about the its policy of removing and replacing faulty PIP breast implants through the media. 

Now he has a point to make because there us a memorandum of understanding which calls on the different governments to

* to alert each other as soon as practicable to relevant developments within their areas of responsibility, wherever possible, prior to publication;

* to give appropriate consideration to the views of the other administrations; and to establish where appropriate arrangements that allow for policies for which responsibility is shared to be drawn up and developed jointly between the administrations.

But Lansley seems to think that he is "first among equals "and that he is not just the English equivalent of those running Health in Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland but somewhat superior to the others.

But I suspect Lansley believes the memorandum means Ministers in the devolved governments should contact him not the other way around. and they shouldn't contact each other either.

The Welsh Government has said the English Health Secretary is “arrogant and patronising” after he demanded to be notified in advance of policies in Wales.

Indeed if Lansley was so concerned about the actions of  Welsh Minister for Health and Social Services Lesley Griffiths in not complying with he memorandum,. Why didn't he seek to get a joint statement from his Northern Ireland and Scottish counterparts.

If they had done so I don't think there would be any argument.

Doesn't this show that he still thinks of himself of being in charge of health for the whole of the UK with subordinate Ministers in the devolved nations.

Perhaps Lesley Griffiths can tell us if Lansley has written to her saying why he has not decided to replace all the faulty PIP implants in England?

Communication works both ways and I suspect Lansley like most Westminster Government Ministers think it should only come from diktats from them.

P.S. It seems Peter Black is backing Lansley over this can it be more to do with his irrevocable move to the Tories than a real concern that the Welsh Government had not behaved correctly