Here is a list of the new Executive portfolio Holders:
- Clive McGregor (Llais i Fôn) - Leader of the Council
- Thomas Jones (Llais i Fôn) - Finance
- Robert Ll Hughes (Llais i Fôn) - Social Services
- Bob Parry (Plaid Cymru) - Economic Development
- Eurfryn Davies (Plaid Cymru) - Education
- John Chorlton (Labour) - Planning
- Cliff Everett (Labour) - Corporate Governance
- Hefin Wyn Thomas (Menai Group) - Highways
- Hywel Eifion Jones (Menai Group) - Property & Smallholdings
UPDATE: As a commenter writes below, the new Executive is composed in a very interesting way. Each group has an equal 25% of the vote with the Leader of the Council holding the casting vote.
46 comments:
must be a provisional list surely, subject to agreement by the local members of Plaid Cymru and Labour.
If either or both the members of these two parties don't buy this proposal, it falls.
Druid....remarkably quick off the post as usual !
This is an impressive and long-experienced line-up of governing talent and we wish them well...trusting they are mature enough to work together in unison.
John Chorlton excellent choice for Planning.
Hefin Thomas, a good choice, he`s been critical of Highways` shortcomings in the past.
Eifion Jones, a very intelligent safe pair of hands, with career-Finance experience.
Bob Parry, good at what he does and knowledgable about ec. devt.
The others too, all very capable.
By a Professional Observer !
This is the same bunch that got us all in to trouble in the first place.
What a load of Bo.l..ks.
If this is the best McGregor can do he need not have bothered.
Completely off topic but ever so slightly related comment.
Since you started this blog, you have reported the main political activities on Anglesey with a depth and detail that national newspapers would be proud of.
At a time when such local mainstream media reporting is largely limited to trivia, your efforts to report what is going on on Anglesey, much of which is misunderstood outside the island, are highly commendable.
If anyone else wanted to start up a local blog, then this is a great example of how to do it. Indeed, it is a shame that we don't have other such sites in various localities around Wales.
Keep up the good work!
I can only whole heartedly agree with Anon 20:47
and Dylan too, too true - well done Druid keep up the good work - i find it more true to life seeing whats going on here rather than looking at the official site
maybe something will change - the sooner the old school moves on the better in my humble opinion
Eurfryn 'Left Swing' Lewis in charge of education? What an insult! Will he be telling kids how to get sewerage connections to your own property development at the taxpayers' expense? (Ref: Ceri Stradling report)
Dylan, high praise - thank you very much indeed!
None of them have anything to hide then. Thats good news I`m sure.
Thank God McGregor isnt in charge of our judicial system.
as a Labour supporter I'm shocked that John Chorlton's agreed to this brushing under the carpet and using the party he's member of. what was he thinking of? Can't he see that he and the Labour group are being set up?
what are the 2 areas with the biggest problems?
planning!
corporate governance!
An interesting balance of power, each grouping has 25% of the vote with the Leader of the Council having a casting vote. Can anyone enlighten me regarding the political leanings or affiliations of Menai Group and Llais i Fôn?
01.24
Prometheus, political leanings are irrelevant. they have same characters, same agendas, same culture, same cloak and dagger climate, and so same outcomes.
nothing will change.
meanwhile Anglesey suffers.
We are all entitled to opinions but let them be based on something other than gut-instinct ?
As an informed insider, I believe the Executive is the best of the available crop. It is mature and experienced. There is considerable intelligence and governance talent there. They are mature enough to work in unison. They know they have a moral duty to do so, for the sake of Anglesey.
They are the preferred members...preferred by WAG, WLGA, the Recovery Board....and CMcG is the preferred Leader also, by these bodies, as he, and he alone, has their confidence to lead the Exective forward....no-one else.
Mt final opinion - The Executive should now listen to the People..adopt the DRUID`s Peoples Manifesto, as the blueprint for the future.
Subversives, keep away from this progress !
Prometheus - If I knew, I'd tell you. The reality is that they are not really 'political groups' they are better termed as 'power factions' gravitating around specific leaders.
Prometheus.
I have asked before, what political or any other ideology prevents Anglesey Councillors working together for the good of Anglesey...if Cameron/Clegg can, or Brown/Clegg could have done so, on a higher political scale for the good of the Country, set aside ideological beliefs, and concentrate on the here and now.
I don`t accept that ideologies, other than the wish to contribute to the common good, has a legitimate place in Anglesey Council.
BoF
CURIOUS ?
What became of GWR, leader of the Amlwch Mafia, in all this reshuffling ?
Anonymous 09.31am.
GWR - has stayed out of the wrangling as he thought that all groups should be part of the alliance, but one group leader from Holyhead refused to work with the Original Indy's.
So there was to be a counter coup with Bryan Owen and GWR to lead a seperate co-alition - but Plaid did not get on board.
Nothing ever changes - Plaid in charge of education and economic development - bit of a joke.
This lot have as many skeletons in the closet as the last lot.
Once again Brothers, it is so good to see the positive and sensible (blog) debate through the day until the time some of the children get home from Llangefni after which all hell and the rubbish hit the screen.
Long live maturity!
Anglesey Islander
If Plaid ran these pages I would not be able to understand them, just like the Post Election speech when The Annointed One did not utter one word of Saes.
I wonder when he was arresting a person he knew to be a Cymro if he did all the words in Welsh??
If Bowles had not refused to remove the offending "Terms of the Alliance" relating to Cllr Schofield and Durkin, then it is said that all the councillors would have signed up. As it is, those councillors who know the difference between right and wrong are refusing to do so.
To Blin O Fon 09:05
You make a fair point.
I can appreciate you feeling like this regarding ideologies. Given the way that 'new' labour effectively abandoned their core principles and heritage, with the dropping of clause 4 back in the nineties, without replacing it with anything worthy of social-democratic aspirations and then picked up the neo-con monetarist thread left by the Thatcherites - As such it could be argued that political ideologies are dead.
Personally, I would argue that a political party without an ideology is just a collection of individuals serving either themselves or the party interest (effectively to remain (regain) in power is the prime objective).
I've thought for many years now that the 'Conservative' party if it were to reflect the 'conservative/conserving' principle, then it would be championing the welfare state and the traditions of that generation born in the 1930's-50's, (the demographic bulge of the elderly) rather than a retrenchment into Victorian values.
Ideology, or rather a competent articulation of such also gives us, (the voters), some degree of assurance,(increasing diminished by broken manifesto promises), of the direction, values and principles of those espousing said ideologies.
I would agree with (and recommend reading) Tony Judt's 2010 book 'Ill Fares The Land' where he implies that politics is effectively dead (not taking a rest) as long as our political decisions are dictated by 'the market' and economic dogma without regard to moral and sociential considerations - where we know the cost of everything and the worth of nothing. (My interpretation of Judt)
In relation to the political grouping of IOACC a clearly stated set of principles for each group would provide the members of the various groups with something to identify with, rather than engaging in parochial tribal affinities or disputes; and would provide us, the voters, with some standard with which to hold them to account.
One would hope that the wish to contribute to the common good was a principle that all these groups are pursuing - in the event that this is not the case I can't see anyone standing for election under the banner "I'm in it for myself" even though subequent behaviour may bear that out.
PS. As far as Cameron/Clegg goes there's no mutual exclusiveness between 'in the interests of the country' and 'in the interests of my political career'
Prometheus 12.43
Astute political philosophy indeed, thank you, I`ll ponder it most carefully.
BoF
Thank you BoF.
Additionally, I note that there are no women on the executive.
So where's that representation 'with experience' for 50% of the population? - Unless of course any of the exec have had gender change. :-)
General blog comment>
If you fill in the password before entering your name then the 'blogger' won't add your contribution to the thread.
Name first and then password works fine.
Prometheus 15.08
None as far as I know in the Exec...but in the others....?
Only joking, folks.
re. More women needed.
I'd be interested to know how many of the other contributors to the manifesto were middle aged, middle class white males?
If they are the only ones to take an active interest, why should they be derided?
If a person is not interested enough to contribute, don't force them.
Do women think the answer is more women, or just better people?
18.19 Not many ladies follow this blog, then ?
Interesting.
18.19 and 20.35
It seems not....how disappointing !
Casanova.
DERWYDD
Might you post some encouragement to our fair (and other) ladies to participate in this fascinating political Blog...they may not be interested in politics,...but politics is interested in THEM ?
seems to me the only politics that thrive on the island are the politics of self interest
Maybe the women would be more interested if there was more to be achieved
Whilst this may sound negative i am trying to present this from an objective point of view
There really isn't anything on the island to work with - the only realistic area for growth is tourism and yet there is a typically retro feel to the island, and this is sadly in the negative way not really something to be proud of.
I noticed today that CAT in Mychynllech opened a learning centre they received 6 million investment for, which shows there is a market for "new age" approaches, yet planning has and still makes it difficult for less conventional development to go on (see the llammas project local more on this) Sadly farming in Wales is on the decline. will try and add this to the manifesto
On a positive note....
Excellent hotels and restaurant throughout the island and...
Halen Môn -world renowned
Derimon Smokery - award winning...
Quality sea food like lobster in abundance...Award winning beaches, caravan and campsites...
Interesting historical sites, village with longest name, famous agricultural show, busy and developing port....
And much much more, all thanks to hard working and dedicated entrepreneurs - a lot of them women!
Stats Man:
Recently (on a Sunday) we met up with a relative who had sailed from Cardiff into Holyhead Marina. He had invited us to go out for a meal in the town at about 6.30.
He was most unimpressed with choice of eateries available. We had to settle for the chinese resturant that being the ONLY place open where we could sit down and eat. When I asked in the Pub at the lower end of the high street where in the town we could get something to eat the barman and the patrons fell about laughing - literally.
I can say with complete confidence that he (our relative) will not be coming back again!
This is such a shame - especially when as a couple of years ago we found ourselves in the Isle De Re (near La Rochelle, France), a small island about 1/2 the size (30x 5 miles) and with a similar geography to much of Anglesey. The local economy was obviously thriving, (tourist and local produce based) and we were spoiled for choice for places to eat.
I agree with most of what you have written; BUT with Holyhead being such a prime arrival point, the lack of facilities there does not inspire my faith in vistors/tourists returning home with pleasant stories to tell.
To Promethuswrites
Sorry your friends where disappointed.
I did say throughout the island, in relation to Holyhead the Anchorage is not that far away, or Cleifiog Uchaf or the Valley Hotel or the Bull, and not forgetting the places in Trearddur Bay (The Mobile Food Guide recommends 'The Waterfront Restaurant')
I agree with your thoughts about Holyhead, but sadly this is a problem many port towns have, it's a place people pass through. Haven't got a magic answer, maybe the grant monies available will help, but hopefully it'll involve more than just making a junction look nice.
Stats: You are right of course about Holyhead being a port town.
However it does have a magnificently placed marina and beautiful surrounding landscape. How often do the cruise ships come in? I'm sure I've seen this topic discussed back in the blog archives.
HOLYHEAD should not be given more government support...it should be demolished, cleared and made into a car park for Stena ?
Prometheuswrites:
On a similar note - bear with me -
A good website is
http://www.shipais.com/ it shows ship movements above a certain size
and I recall looking at it one day and seeing a cruise ship passing, and wondering why it had not docked at Holyhead.
It turned out to be the Boudicca Cruise ship (returning to Liverpool after it's claimed a Norovirus made nearly 70% of the passengers ill - see http://www.holidayclaims.com/LatestNews/illness-outbreak-on-boudicca-cruise-liner.htm), maybe it was good thing it had not docked at Holyhead then.
Anon 11th June 20:33
I always thought that's what it was!
21.19 and 18.16
You got it qwrong again!!
It was not a cruise ship. It IS an evacuation ship
Back to cruise ships - is there a list anywhere? There are supposed to be 12 cruise ships docking at Holyhead in 2010 and I want to get some business out of them.
So far I have found:
Holland America Line
07/08/2010 - WESTERDAM
03/09/2010 - PRINSENDAM
Can anyone add to this?
Found a list here
http://www.holyheadport.com
Can I also suggest you contact Celtic Wave the joint project to encourage Cruise Ships to visit.
The web site I think is
http://www.celticwave.co.uk/
However it was down/not working when I tried to look.
The 'Celtic Wave' differs from the Mexican version in that everyone just sits on their hands to keep them warm.
Did anybody see the Spirit of Adventure today, at Holyhead, I see she's now heading for the Scilly Isles, and was in Dublin this morning, so the visit to Holyhead couldn't have been that long ?
Is the Finance portfolio holder not the one who falls asleep during meetings....if so, God help us !!!
My immediate thought when reading the OP was - no women councillors on Anglesey then?
As has been noted above - why no women? What is the ratio of male to female councillors on Anglesey - anyone know?
I've looked at the list to answer my own question. There are two female councillors out of 40, both Plaid:
Fflur Hughes
Rhian Medi
As my council fails to represent me by a factor of 45% I feel it is appropriate for me to withold 45% of my council tax. Would soon see gender equality if all women did the same.
Unfornuately our wonderful ACC doesn't feel the need to publish a list of all town/community councillors. Is there one available anywhere?t
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