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If you read the “Western Mail” today Friday 16-1-09 – then delete all this now.
If you’ve not read it, then have a laugh at the deluded - and read all this:-
To comment on this article – please write a brief letter in to the “Western Mail” Letters Page
“Western Mail” – News Report page 19 Friday 16-1-09
‘Councils should stay out of world affairs’
Jan 16 2009 by Robin Turner, Western Mail page 19
- WELSH councils were advised yesterday to concentrate on local services – such as collecting bins – instead of passing motions on global issues like ending poverty and the crisis in Gaza.
The Taxpayers’ Alliance branded the idealistic motions a “waste of time and taxpayers’ money” after details emerged of motions at one council meeting this week.
At their January full council meeting, Swansea councillors were debating notices of motion from nine Labour councillors, including group leader David Phillips, veteran campaigner Alan Lloyd and former mayor Robert Francis-Davies.
One motion called on the council to urge the Government to end the “dark and dangerous” battles going on in Gaza.
Another demanded the council begin talks with South Wales Police over the setting up of emergency shelters and a 24-hour hotline for trafficked people, and join the national “Not For Sale” campaign against trafficking.
A third motion asked that the council joins a national “stand up and take action against poverty” campaign.
But the motions, variants of which can be found in council chambers across Wales, were criticised yesterday.
Taxpayers’ Alliance campaigns director Mark Wallace said: “No matter how laudable these motions may be, the councillors were elected to look after local problems.
“When it comes to Hamas and Israel, both sides have failed to listen to the UN’s call for a ceasefire so I don’t see that Swansea Council is going to make a difference. It’s just going to waste taxpayers’ time and money when they should be concentrating on solving local problems.”
Independent Swansea councillor Ioan Richard accused fellow councillors of turning monthly council sessions into “a second rate polytechnic students’ union meeting”.
The Swansea Valley councillor said: “The sentiments in the motions are good ones that would be very hard to argue against. But shouldn’t local councils be concentrating on ensuring the bins are collected or that planning applications are looked at?”
Part of the Labour group motion on Gaza read: “The situation in Gaza is a very dangerous and dark moment in both Palestine and Israel’s histories.
“This council calls on the UK Government to redouble its efforts and, building on the links that already exist, urges both sides to start the dialogue that will end the carnage.”
Part of its motion on human trafficking reads: “This council resolves to adopt a Not For Sale policy and on behalf of the council, the leader and lord mayor should sign the Council of Europe’s fight against trafficking in human beings which the UK Government has already ratified.
“It also calls for talks with South Wales Police to establish for trafficked people, especially women forced into prostitution, “walk -in shelters” and secure long-term refuges plus medical and psychological assistance and 24-hour telephone emergency hotlines.”
In response to criticism of the motions, Swansea Labour Party leader David Phillips said: “I am really amazed Coun Richard is raising objections to us wanting to do our bit to help.”
His labour colleague Alan Lloyd, a founder president of the United Cities Local Government Campaign, said: “People will be shocked that a member of this council could speak out against this kind of humanitarian campaigning that we can all play a part in.”
A spokeswoman for the Welsh Local Government Association said: “It is up to each council how it runs its meeting agendas.”
Jan 16 2009 by EDITORIAL COMMENT Western Mail page 22
EDITORIAL COMMENT page 22 Western Mail 16-1-09
Western Mail comment: Councillors should stick to voters’ local issues
IT IS a feature of political bodies everywhere that they tend to delude themselves that they’re more powerful than they actually are. It’s a misconception that appears at all levels of elected office and, as we report today, it can be at its worst in Wales’ county halls.
Not everyone at Swansea Council is impressed that the venerable body is spending its time discussing the crisis in Gaza. That’s not to say that international crisis isn’t a serious business – but surely the Foreign Office has more chance of brokering a ceasefire than Swansea Council?
This is not a new phenomenon. The campaign to declare Wales a “nuclear free zone” was conducted through a series of votes at the then-eight county councils. The effect, of course, was symbolic.
Likewise, the Assembly has grappled with the question of whether it should discuss matters over which it has no control – the war in Iraq being the most high-profile flashpoint. It may be a body elected to represent Wales, but AMs would do better to concentrate on using the powers they have.
The plain fact is that local government in Wales has a very specific set of powers. It raises funds through grants from the Assembly Government and charging us council tax; it then spends that money on schools, rubbish collections, leisure facilities and so on.
We elect councillors to monitor the delivery of those services, making changes where necessary. Councillors have plenty to discuss, and the people who elect them would surely expect them to concentrate on local issues.
Swansea council isn’t the only offender, to be fair to Wales’ second city. But there shouldn’t be safety in numbers: councillors should stick to dealing with the issues they were elected to look at.
Any politicians who want to deal with foreign affairs, can, of course, stand for election to Westminster. There are tiers of democracy in the UK; voters are sophisticated enough to know who does what, and politicians should do the same. It isn’t as if there aren’t big questions for local government to grapple with. Councils are being hit by the credit crunch just like everyone else, with settlements likely to be tighter and demands for their services getting higher.
That would be enough to keep most of us busy, and Wales expects its elected politicians to be doing everything in their power to benefit the country during an economic downturn.
The Welsh Local Government Association tells us today that it is: “up to each council how it runs its monthly meeting agendas”.
And that neatly summarises the point. Councillors can choose to discuss things they have no control over, if they want. But their voters are watching. A key feature of democracy is, of course, the ability to remove councillors if they don’t spend their time addressing the issues we expect them to.
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As for myself, I neither support Hamas or Israel in this latest Crisis, surely Hamas has been really stupid i(or have they?) n prompting Israel to react like this. As for Israel, surely another way could have been found regards sorting out Hamas and the threat they represent to both Israel and Palestinians. Whatever, I support the call for this brutal aggression to come to end full stop, making war on Women, the Aged and Children is not the way to achieve ones ends regards this issue. As for the BRIT LEFT and Plaids Followers of Fashionable causes, have you got nothing better to do than, like campaigning to stop CYMRU CLOSING DOWN!
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PS: What about Dafur, the Congo and other victims of genocide, when will you march for them?
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Gethin.