Tuesday, 8 June 2010
Your last chance...
Here's your last chance to make a contribution the Anglesey People's Manifesto - the second draft is attached below.
This Manifesto has been compiled from literally hundreds of suggestions and contributions made by commenters to this blog. The first draft (published here) was an amalgamation of all comments in their 'raw state'. This new second draft attempts to draw them all together to make a well reasoned, coherent document. I would very much appreciate it if you all could take the time to read it and post any edits or additions you think should be made to the document. My intention is to finalise it this week and pass it on to the Council, Ieuan Wyn Jones and Albert Owen.
Considering what is going on at the Council currently - partly caused due to our elected councillors failure to produce a unified and unifying vision for the future of Anglesey - I would suggest that there has never been a better time to produce such a People's Manifesto to fill this void.
Anglesey People's Manifesto 2nd Draft
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
41 comments:
Brilliant! This would have taken 20 years, a cast of thousands and bucketloads of dosh to produce at Llangefni!
The people's voice speaks. Dare ye not ignore it, IOACC.
Anon 11:20 - yes, I can confirm no expensive consultants were used in the production of this document & it has taken only two weeks to produce! I should also mention I have received some significant help from a few knowledgeable persons who have assisted greatly in getting it to this stage - they know who they are. Thank you all.
Nice one Druid, Nice one son.
Thank you, a voice of reason in these dark days (sorry for being over dramatic)- but thats how I feel, once again we have been let down by the islands politicians, they know who they are !!
I think we should now get rid of Ynys Môn County Council as an entity and merge it with Gwynedd.
Can I say, that I at least appreciate, the hard work and dedication of the council's staff in delivering the services we all rely on.
Not that we should forget the peoples manifesto, it should be an important document to judge all candidates in the new council elections against, just that you need to include policies for Gwynedd now as well. Sorry but I'm sure you're up to it.
DERWYDD,
Excellent piece of work.
People should take notice of this.
Do not be surprised, or dissuaded, though if known OBSTRUCTIVES on the Council try to diminish its importance and effect...they know no better !
BoF
IS THERE A PUBLIC QUESTION-TIME MEETING TOMORROW EVENING IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBER....?
Sorry to come back to the Welsh Language issue, but it's not mentioned at all! Can't you add a token paragraph wishing the Welsh Language well, or anything that dispels the suspicion that some of your supporters would love it if the language died?
12.59
Ni dddyler Cymro Cymraeg orfod ymddiheuro am godi`r pwnc, nac am gefnogi`r Iaith....dalier ati, gyfaill !
BoF
"IS THERE A PUBLIC QUESTION-TIME MEETING TOMORROW EVENING IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBER....?"
According to the Council's website, it's on Thursday, 7-9pm.
Can someone confirm that the leaders of Plaid Cymru and Labour groups (Parry and Chorlton) signed the new Agreement?
I think in addition to the peoples manifesto, we need a popular movement. I for one think this should be about the merging of the Councils based on good governance principles. We will need to encourage more women to take part as well as others to truly reflect our communities. Maybe it's time the main political parties step up to the plate and give us a lead!
15.01 Much as I agree with you generally stats man...why do you assume we need the political parties to give us any lead ?
I suggest we are just as capable as independent-minded individuals of forming our own judgement on local Anglesey matters ?
If we had a raft of newly-elected independents, we should have confidence they would soon form themselves into sensible groups...or is this naive thinking ??
Can someone confirm that the leaders of Plaid Cymru and Labour groups (Parry and Chorlton) signed the new Agreement?
15.17 Why not ask them -
wjcau@anglesey.gov.uk
rgpau@anglesey.gov.uk
16.06
So we can take the Druid's silence on this to indicate that Parry and Chorlton did not sign for the new agreement.....after all, the Druid knows most things;)
So why all the panic from senior Plaid people, as reported on here?
Ioan - thanks for your comment. I decided on balance it was best to remove all mention to welsh or english medium schooling as this would merely give certain people the opportunity to shoot down the entire manifesto because of one item. As a welsh speaking Islander I certainly have no desire to see the language die. With regards to your point, I will consider what kind of wording would be suitable.
To Anon 15:10 sorry - my point was ironic as in the lack of a lead from the main political parties.
I'm sure there are capable individuals out there, it's just a case of finding a way of getting them involved - any ideas?
16.40 Ideas, certainly.
1. There are many intelligent "voices" with such potential, on this blog for a start ?
2. Druid can post a page on this very subject, encouraging candidates...the People`s manifesto candidates ?
3. The Press can be cultivated to promote the idea, publicly.
4.We, bloggers, can network and identify those we believe will be suitable candidates.
5. Look to our community councils for promising talents.
Etc etc.
BoF
16.54 Yes absolutely....but there are excellent intelligent people already in the wings waiting to stand against the worst OBSTRUCTIVES....we know who they are -
Benllech, Amlwch, Holyhead, Aberffraw, Rhosneigr, Llangefni, Bodffordd, Llaneilian, Mechell, Valley, Bryngwran, Pentraeth....and certainly LLANERCHYMEDD.
Encouragement be to ALL who wish to stand !
We see you don't include Llanbedrogoch. That's Cllr Durkin's Constituency. interesting.
At last you seem to be seeing the light.
Red Wharf Bay.
It would be nice if new people did put themselves forward. But, would the good people of Anglesey chance a new name? I fear they wouldn't. Insular ideas are not confined to the Council, and you could say that the councillors really are only representing the attitudes of those who voted for them. It's a catch-22, I think.
Anglesey Labour is most unlikely to back the new Terms of Engagement, even if John Chorlton is set on drinking from a poisoned chalice.
19.39....You speak officially for Labour ? Explain why exactly ?
yes, i'd be interested hear why Labour is against this. maybe because it looks unethical, and a badly drafted document?
maybe Chorlton will leave Labour again?
more money in cabinet!
Reconstructed Council.
I well remember a (clever looking) chap walking along the wall of a local harbour. He looked down at an eighty foot fishing vessel which had worked off the coast of Scotland for over fifty years . The slick man said I am building a new boat, it will be better than that because it is Naval Architect designed. The owner of the fishing vessel replied "well, mine has evolved over hundreds of years experience with a proven record in every kind of weather and sea thrown at it, I know where I would put my trust". Isn't our council like that, no matter what turbualnce is thrown at it, it will evolve all for the stronger SO lets keep the modern radicals and shouters out and slowly evolve through local tradition and experience.
Anglesey Islander
8.31
Wisdom indeed, can not agree more !
Subversives keep away ?
Druid (16:36) - thanks for your reply.
As for "...As a welsh speaking Islander I certainly have no desire to see the language die", I (12:59) did not accuse you of that - I'm just not convinced that every one on this forum agrees with you!
IOAN 13.22
`Does dim gwaharddiad, meddai`r Derwydd, i draddodi unrhiw bwnc ar y Blog yma drwy`r Gymraeg....mae rhai ohnonom yn barod iawn i wneud hyny ?
BoF
Peoples' manifesto - what a coherent, easy to understand (ie lacking management speak), well constructed document. Thank you Druid et al. for your hard work.
I have long thought that we need a new en masse influx of candidates, especially women, to renew the somewhat stale and ineffectual present lot, many of whom have been around so long that they cannot but help being stuck in a particular mindset.
The annual settlement increase of funding for Mon is based on population. Some years ago the Townsend formula was developed by WAG for this purpose. Townsend himself pointed out that rurality was an issue which NEEDED to be taken into consideration and suggested that this needed to be examined in detail and the formula possibly amended.
Re local entrepeneurs being encouraged: Menter Mon should look at it's policies and not do business itself but only support and facilitate those citizens and groups who want to set up new enterprise. Otherwise surely there is potential conflict of interests.
re light pollution - dark skies are an under utilised asset. My visitors from afar always comment on how many stars there are here.
re Wylfa B - reluctant as I am to support Wylfa B what would assuage some of my doubts would be a well publicised plan to cope with an emergency situation. Iodine tablets in Amlwch police station is just not good enough.
Allotments - the council have a statutory duty to provide allotments when a small number of people request them. Use of allotments should be encouraged.
Farmers and small holders should be encouraged to diversify in an imaginative way. The University at Bangor has been running a diversification project for a number of years with some success. Beekeeping has been much on the news lately and Anglesey's varied habitats provide excellent forage, especially on the AONB and SSIs and we could be a leader in working with local land management people (farmers, landowners, CCW, Forestry etc) to maximise benefits for bees, beekeepers, general flora and fauna and tourists.
Red squirrels have more or less been succesfully introduced, how about reintroducing otters to the Island? Newborough forest could be managed in such a way as to benefit the Islanders and tourists rather than a as a funding stream for CCW.
Btw Parc Derwydd rather than Druid Parc?
Language issue - I am fully supportive of bilingual policies so long as that is truly bilingual (ie in English as well as Welsh - I am told the fire escape notices in the Council's education dept offices are only in Welsh - I'm not sure if this is still (or ever) true). Lately I have felt that the policy is being used as a means of exclusion rather than inclusion, which defeats the object in my humble opinion.This especially applies in the job market as the only way to become really fluent is to be around speakers of the language that you want to learn and that can be diffcult if you are turned away from every job that desires fluency, not to mention that people who are less well qualified are likely to get a job if they are already fluent.
nooka the impressed
Nooka - thanks for these very constructive comments. I'll make sure they are reflected in the document.
Re. Druid Parc / Parc Derwydd - I thought that Druid Parc would be more understandable to English visitors from L'pool/Manchester/B'ham so decided to use that instead of the correct 'Parc Derwydd'!
To Nooka
Thank you for being positive.
Talking of light pollution, on Radio 4 recently there was an interview with a person who is studying clouds, he watches them from Llanbadrig Church. A good advert for Ynys Môn as any!
Druid and stats man - Thankyou for your kind comments.
I heard the programme about the noctilucent clouds, and nearly included it in my comment.
I'm frequently being told off for my Wenglish - but in reality I feel anything which promotes interest in Welsh (and indeed wenglish can be more accessible for newcomers) is a good thing.
"...a person who is studying clouds, he watches them from Llanbadrig Church. A good advert for Ynys Môn as any!"
He might even be a Druid Blogger! He might even BE the druid!
There's a LOT of publicity coming Anglesey's way on the project Facebook pages:
http://www.facebook.com/BBC.cloud.experiment
Good on 'im, I say. At least it puts us on the map.
18.11 No, dear boy, you are mistaken, its GWR of Bull Bay taking an evening stroll to Llanbadrig, smoking his pipe, and contemplating the future !
19:30 - you could be right. From there, the world just falls away off a cliff, into the sea. I do hope he doesn't take a step too far. We couldn't cope without GWR, OBE (for services to local government)
Anon 18.20 Thanks for the link - very interesting.
Nooka the Cloudwatcher
just had a thought - if you look at the llammas project - they have a project in pembrokshire and look closely at sustainable development
maybe something along the lines of a policy on this sort of thing would not go amiss
http://www.lammas.org.uk/
i know of a number of project and individuals that have had major issues on the island due to draconian planning issues - the times are changing maybe the island needs similar poicies to those the pembrokshire council have had to address
To Nooka an other cloudwatchers, nice weather on the way, especially after Monday with current models saying Tuesday to Thursday relatively clear nights. If thats what we want for them clouds
See http://www.weatheronline.co.uk
Thanks Stats man. Hoping to see the aurora one day too. Y Cochyn Sais - heard about the people (Dolgellau I think) who are making duvets from sheep fleece. Also I notice there are all sorts of lovely rural ideas further south in terms of creative & sustainable house building/dwellings using wool insulation, straw, earth and imagination. Is it just planning regs or something else as well that results in these kinds of projects not happening here?
What abject cowardice Druid! It only took a couple of irrational posters like Ioan above and you capitulated utterly on English Medium Education in Ynys Mon.
It's nothing to do with survival of the language. Statistics show that Welsh medium education does not produce fluent Welsh speakers from English speaking families.
What happens when an english entrepreneur looks at Ynys Mon as a place to bring up his kids? He sees it as a no Go destination. No wonder only OAP's Move here.
What happens with Wylfa "B"? Are all those incomers supposed to embrace WM education for their kids for two or three years?
Apply some logic!
Post a Comment