- it is not about merging the two authorities;
- it is not a "take over" by Gwynedd;
- and it is "not primarily a response to or a solution to Anglesey's [governance] problems."
Its worth noting however that the use of the word 'primarily' does clearly indicate that WAG sees some form of greater collaboration with Gwynedd as a partial solution to Ynys Môn's issues. This is reinforced by this section of the statement: "if Anglesey’s members and officers show the leadership and commitment necessary to make it succeed, it will be powerful evidence of progress towards a sustainable recovery." Presumably the implicit message here is that not showing such "leadership and commitment" would indicate the opposite.
What will this mean in practice? Well, Carl Sargeant notes that Anglesey and Gwynedd already have a good record of working together, having operated a single education support service for many years and are currently also cooperating in developing a new joint Local Development Plan. However he wants both counties to go much further and look at "the full integration of major services" and "moving towards a shared senior management team". This means that in all probability there will be no direct successor to Anglesey's Interim MD, David Bowles -- the highest paid civil servant in Wales. Instead it is now far more likely that Gwynedd Council chief executive, Harry Thomas, could become the joint head of both Councils. Furthermore in order to unlock the kind of savings which Sargeant is after, there would also presumably need to be further rationalisation of Service Heads between the two councils.
Councillors will not be effected -- Sargeant's statement says, "I have no wish to reduce democratic autonomy; I want to help safeguard essential services. If this programme is implemented, both councils would continue to exist as separate democratic entities. Councillors would have the same range of responsibilities as they do now, and would be accountable to local people in the same way."
The Leaders of Anglesey and Gwynedd councils, Clive McGregor and Dyfed Edwards, have already issued a joint statement indicating their "willingness to consider" moving forward, and a joint 'scoping study' will now take place to identify exactly what collaboration of services and senior management is possible. The results of this study will be reported back to WAG in February 2011.
Personally I am in favour of greater collaboration and greater sharing of resources between the two councils. It is clearly not acceptable for taxpayers in the UK's poorest locale to pay the wages of Wales's most expensive civil servant. However, as I have often argued in this blog, I would be against any kind of more wide-ranging merger of the two councils. It is imperative that Ynys Môn retains its separate identity as I don't believe that its quite specific needs and problems could be addressed as effectively by a larger, 'super-council'.
You can read the full statement by Carl Sargeant, and the terms of reference of the scoping report below.
Written Statement by the Welsh Assembly Government
107 comments:
News to the majority of the public, but this has been on the cards for a while.
We could soon be seeing a local government reorganisation, using more subtle words such as 'collaboration'. Conwy and Denbighshire already share a highways officer, and I'm sure those two counties will be sharing more resources soon. Not only will this happen to Gwynedd and Ynys Môn, but other counties in Wales.
I'm very glad, the more they take from Anglesey the better, the difficulties will be trying to hide all the mistakes and the mishandlings of people's files and properties, most of these will be shredded before they get uncovered.
The mess caused by Anglesey will be a national disgrace to the people of Wales and a national embarassement to Carl Sargeant.
Gwynedd, will be red faced when they see what has happened in the past, who will we turn to, no one, because as usual the buck will get passed around, Anglesey have created this mess, and they should be punished for failing the people.
Carl Sargeant seems to know that his days as sheriff to sort this town out are numbered, his back is to the wall, and deputy Gibbons is riding over the horizon.." Whoa there sheriff! What's the hold up?"
" The monkeys are running the zoo!"
I am very pleased to hear such news.
Maybe now we will see the end of Anglesey County Councils feckless and abusive Legal Department altogether, same goes for the inept Finance department.
Very Good news
Let`s hope all IoACC senior officials are made underlings.
Next Recovery Report
"work well under supervision"
This is welcome news - so far as it goes.
What isn't mentioned is the cost implication of joining together in some form. I gather that Anglesey's planning department is hiring a consultant (the old, costly favourite) to examine how they might achieve a better outcome.
So, 'yes' to sensible co-working, 'no ' to a super-council and costly consultancy exercises.
There is a danger here. The 'mix and match' approach is a long-standing favourite of the Assembly. What is less well-known is how often this approach has failed.
For example, Bangor Uni and NEWI college, Wrexham, came under intense pressure to undertake a 'strategic collaboration' to cut costs a few years ago.
The pressure was such that Bangor was forced into agreeing to examine things closely, even though the whole idea was palpable nonsense. After much time and money wasting trying to force a toeing of the Assembly's line, Bangor came up against a nascent revolt amongst staff, and decided that discretion was the better part of taking the Assembly's bitter pill. In the end, they went their own separate ways and reinforced their individual identities as unis in their own right - Bangor apart from the federal University of Wales, and NEWI as the new Glwyndwr University.
So, mergers beware!
This is bad news for Anglesey.
This is an attempt to turn the clock back to 1974 when Anglesey was originally shoehorned by the then Labour Government into a wholly artificial county called "Gwynedd".
It didn't work then and there's no reason to believe it will work now.
The next stage will be to force Anglesey to share a Labour MP with some part of "Gwynedd" to ensure that the red flag - which has done so much damage to the island - continues to fly there.
The existing Gwynedd Council is riven with the same kind of factions that exist in the IoACC. This is very depressing.
Until control of Anglesey is wrested from the low-IQ councillors who are supposed to be running the island there will be no hope for it.
Richard
"Until control of Anglesey is wrested from the low-IQ councillors who are supposed to be running the Island,there is no hope for it"
If you've not go the message by now, here it comes.
The Councillors, low-IQ or otherwise, have not run Anglesey County Council since the Labour Commies rolled in from WAG on the pretences of coming to HELP move Anglesey County Council forward from it's bad old days.
Just read Clive McGregor's "Term of Hate" which the Alliance are suppose to be running the Council on. It should tell you all you need to know and why Anglesey County Council is the laughing stock of Wales.
There are issues that are unresolved, the wreckless decisions made by executives to destroy families is the tip of the iceberg that Gwynedd will take a sniff of and decide " What the hell is this all about?"
Will this help the people of Anglesey, well let me see, one important part will Carl Sargeant tell Gwynedd, that the people of Anglesey have lost faith in Anglesey Council, and would that be a remedy to convert the unbelievers, I don't think so, Carl Sargeant will never ever get the people on board his ideas, the people of Anglesey have complained for years about the standard of duty of care by Anglesey, the duty of care that the Council has towards the people, and it has been swept aside, ignored for years. How can Carl Sargeant think that by joining forces and departments the people will feel more confident? Because the same faces will still be there, when in reality, they should be gone.
Anglesey will never survive, as long as the faith of the people is dragged through the streets, we have no faith, we are the voter who is treated unfairly by an incompetent Council, the secret deals and meetings behind closed doors will continue, unless, we say NO!
If Carl Sargeant wants to take the risk of joining these two Councils and hope that the past can be forgiven and forgotten we say Never!
Until Anglesey is disbanded and Inquiries are held into dubious decisions made behind closed doors, we will never surrender!
Maybe by diluting the problems and sharing the important issues Carl Sargeant thinks that they will disappear, the blame will go from Anglesey to Gwynedd, then in a few years time it will be all forgiveness and light, the blame for this mess lies in Llangefni and not in Carnarfon, we cannot let our problems disappear and be swallowed up then shat out in Cardiff, we want our problems sorted here, now!
The Terms of Hate, or the Anglesey Charter call it what you want, is a shackle used to silence the people, where do we get these idiots from, did they float down to Llangefni on election night on a raft of turnips? It's time for some serious soul searching, where have we gone wrong? and where are we going? I don't know, but the Terms of HATE are a good indicator of how little the Council think of us, the voter, the tax payer, the low life who has to look up to these fat cats, with their secret meetings and fat snouts in the trough, get real, get rid of them!
floating down on a raft of turnips..brilliant.
Will people please stop referring to Labour as 'commies'. New Labour aren't even left wing - they follow neo-liberal economic creed as espoused by Thatcher. Blair was more right wing than Cameron. In short, they are a disgrace to their roots.
Now, on to the subject. Working hand in tentacle with Gwynedd is not such a bad idea except for 'rationalisation'. Rationalisation usually involves job losses but so long as it's only management, council officers (and hopefully councillors) then so what, But if it involves the ordinary workers then it must be resisted - the last thing Anglesey nees is more laid off workers.
Red Flag.
Were not talking New Labour here, were talking about commies who have infiltrated New Labour. Their actions are speaking loader than any word.
Les Williams - As you predicted, I have deleted your post. You asked commenters to 'name and shame' certain people. The rules of commenting clearly states this is not allowed. If commenters have concrete allegations about corruption with evidence to back it up, they should take it to the proper authorities -- not 'name' persons on this blog.
I have also deleted a number of comments in reply to this original comment.
A serious Question......what exactly has the Finance Portfolio holder done to deal with the Council's looming BLACK HOLE ??
Answer : NOTHING, he has been inept....head in the sand !
He's been too busy going round and round in circles on his raft of...yes, you guessed it rwdis! Domi Chwech!
That was very childish of me and I apologise, but the turnip rafts certainly are the most amusing things I have read for years, where does he get them from??
Druid stop deleting good points, they are really interesting, we know the cabbages read these blogs, let them run, so they can get a feeling of the tone of the people they have let down..never mind Carl Sargeant he's too busy getting turnip raft riding lessons.
DRUID what you have just deleted is FACT.....no point in putting facts on here any more ??....I'm away !
Look here, stop slagging my turnip raft business... chuckle chuckle, the best in Anglesey...
Anonymous 10;53 don't run off, we are all entitled to free speech.. some of us deserved to be listened to, more than others..
Splash!!! Got to go Carl in the water, turnip raft slipped under him..
The 10.38 Question is a sound and pertinent question that merits a frank and critical debate...the situation affects us all....not to be suppressed Druid....please !
11.00 - I am happy to allow you to post again if you take care not to name individuals.
Druid, please allow the voice of uncertainty and concerns be heard..
Druid, the individual was not named, only his Office....and the office holder has no idea how to proceed.......and should this not concern us, and should we not acknowledge the ineptitude.
Sounds like a suppression of a legitmate public concern to me ?
Isn't this why we are here, to take note and respect the bloggers who takes the time to air grievances,issues and concerns? The majority here know the problems and the minority are concerned about the heinous crimes that have happened in the past, we have a right to know. People have been here congratulating the efforts made by the Council when they have systematically condemned the voice of free speech, isn't that what we are here for, to be heard, and for those who don't like what they hear, to run back to their puppet masters and report us all. Don't be part of the problem Druid, be part of the solution.
These problems have been going on for years, Carl Sargeant is looking for an exit for this lot, and we are constantly reminding him and them that they are there for US!
The current is a bit rough today, will all turnips rafters take extra care when approaching Llangefni next week, the moorings outside the Offices are a bit slippery....
On a lighter note, Carl has yet to navigate the route across the Menai Straits, last heard he was floundered outside Felinheli, this is going to be tricky for the turnip rafters to get to the new Offices in Caernarfon, will keep you posted on his journey, length of time, and allowance etc..
A word of caution to those who think that it's sensible to name or impart information from which individuals may be identified: respect Paul's blog and your own wallets by refraining.
So long as an individual's identity can reasonably be deduced from what you post, then you are opening yourself up to the dangers of libel, which in practical terms means a hell of a legal bill unless you have cast-iron (and I mean cast iron) evidence to back up what you say.
Paul is entirely right to remove these posts, so give him - and us - a break and just stop it.
11.58 ?
Is there not a clear distinction between asking a simple question, seeking an answer... and making an allegation, substantiated, or otherwise ?
Photon: No one wants to see this excellent blog being hit by a massive and expensive libel action - but the first line of defence against any such action is that the words at issue were "fair comment on a matter of public interest".
If we lose the right to "fair comment" then indeed we may as well all go and live under The Red Flag.
It is not illegal, and not libellous to name, and to criticise, individual elected politicians. It goes with the territory.
No one can be sued for libel for expressing an opinion - no matter how unfavourable or hurtful that opinion it may be. A libel is an untrue statement about someone which is presented as FACT - and which tends bring them into "ridicule, hatred, scorn or contempt".........If it's just an opinion there's not a damn thing they can do about it.
The Local Government Minister has a very high IQ for an ape.
Galan Urco and Carl
IN MY OPINION. Dependence Allowances amounting to £20,000 paid to a Council Councillor since 2002, was contrary to what the Council say as nothing but a procedural error, in breach of the Constitution, unlawful and must be paid back.
15:12 If you're going to name people, be a brave little public urinator and give us yours. Nothing more annoying than a snivelling little local with no Council business to attend to for another month, is there?
Most people find it hard to believe someone akin to Carl Sargeant has ever made it in politics.
What we need in Anglesey is someone with positive ideas and a business attitude but scarily most of these politicans are failed business people so what hope have we?
Save money by replacing ineffective corporate heads.
Political motivation and Business Motivation are all traits of good leaders and motivators, all of these are missing on Anglesey.
Let me see, we have the Druid, worked in Japan worked in Deutschland, top tory for Anglesey, but the biggest threat is the extremist(s)not the second home firebomber, not the clown who spray paints and tags buildings with obsenities, the worst nightmare for the politicians is the person who tells the truth, and nothing but the truth.
The person who has no ties to Labour, Plaid Dumbru or Tories or LibDems, the worst nightmare is the man who puts himself before his country, the martyr for freedom, for democracy for human rights, for free speech, the man who will go to Businesses and say take my people and give them work!!!!!!!!!!
Amazing.
Jeremy Vine show last Wednesday included a piece about Council Chief Executives' pay and what should be an acceptable level.
One of the contributors said that £40,000 and performance related topup was TODAYS' preferred choice and not just a fat cheque with ZERO performance incentive.
INCENTIVE is key to motivation, performance and profit...but profit can apply also to public sector.
Why are Anglesey Council spending £750,000 to "improve their image" and a further £270,000 per annum employing David Bowles as a referee to prevent catfights amongst the low IQ politicians in Anglesey?
You could'nt make it up.
Readers may not like this but I think its unfair to keep slating the Councillors.
OK they are not all perfect and more than one I gather from these posts are dis-honest, but the ones I have met, try hard, do good work for the community and stand up for their constituents.
Problems are masked by petty politics, when the real problems on Anglesey in the main are down to poor governance and maladministration.
Get rid of the Senior Staff at the Kremlin and I believe we will see real progress from the majority of Councillors.
A full and proper investigation of the Counci`l activities is warranted. We`ve all had enough. Shame on Carl Sargeant and the Assembly for not recognising this sooner.
This merger is nothing short of admitting that Bowles has failed but his reputation seems more important to the Assembly than the real people of Anglesey.
I don't mean to slag the councillors off, I just want to be heard, that's all, and not be blanked by those who I thought were there to help me, instead they chose not to help but to laugh at me instead.
Who else could describe them as floating down on a raft of turnips but the Kontiki Turnip, the best name on this blog!
By the way, Carl struggled but managed to get hidsturnip raft into the harbour at Caernarfon.. journey time from Porthaethwy 5 hours, he's going to have to work harder, tomorrow's turnip rafter is our good friend Paddy Gibbons, bejasus!
Recovery. What recovery? David Bowles's bread is buttered either way.
The more trouble David Bowles can create, the longer he will be here and the longer he is here, the more £1160 a day + all expenses paid he will get.
That why it's in his interest to keep causing as much trouble as possible by demanding the "Terms of Hate" are kept in place knowing full well the rift they are causing which won't go away until they are kicked into touch. The problem then is Clive McGregor will be kicked in to touch with them. No great lose that's for sure.
It is understood that the Police and the Information Commissioner are now involved in an high level investigation of breaches of the Data Protection Acts by Anglesey County Council, which are thought to be so serious, command prison sentences for those found guilty.
It is future understood that these breaches were designed to undermine certain Councillors positions by unlawfuly divulging falsified CRB disclosures for political purposes.
22:59 That's interesting, because there is no custodial sentence under the Data Protection Act.
Of course, that doesn't mean that whatever use the data was put to could lead to a criminal prosecution.
Photo.
Exactly. Particularly if the data has been used for malicious purposes whether the information is false or not. Very serious in deed.
IF it is the case that this Blog (as appears from some of the above and the deletions)no longer allows expressing opinions on elected Members, their conduct/misconduct, aptitude, integrity, competence.....what's the point ?
We recall the Druid's original raison detre'.........!
Brawd - the rule of commenting have not changed.
Brawd o Amlwch.
If what is said at Anon 22:59 is true, the consequences for those involved will be very serious and it would not be right to mention names until the alleged Investigations are finalised. We should leave that sort of nasty behaviour to the Likes of Clive McGregor & David Bowles, with their Terms of Terror& Hate.
If the County Council has falsified CRB application requests and then allowed any of the discloser to get in the hands of the criminal element at the Council for unlawful purpose's, then God only Knows what will happen to the Council & Those involved then?
CRBS ARE VERY VERY CONFI FUCKING DENTIAL!!
Maybe it's the Human Rights Court that's on their case......
20.59 have you considered, may be a load of mischievous BULLSH.T to get people's imaginations going ?????
It sounds to me that, David Bowles Clive McGregor, Car Sergeant and the Recovery Board are wishing they had never heard of Anglesey County Council.
There is never smoke without fire and this new alleged scandal could just f..k Anglesey County Council up all together.
Don't wan't to rub salt in the wounds, but what you have read here is all true and when the whole thing goes public, which it will (The BBC is already on to it) heads will roll and it could destroy the council altogether.
I know for a fact, there at least five Senior Officers and five top Councillors involved.
If there is an investigation in to what appear to be very serious allegations, lets hope those involved are suspended from duty immediately pending the out come, and that includes the Councillors.
Insider 13.54.
You seem to have a particular disposition to divulge so-called salacious facts, judging by your many past comments......but its noticeable, when it comes to it, they amount to nothing in the end....??
Wales needs far fewer councils, there is widespread agreement on this point; so I just wish the Assembly would be open about it rather than proceeding by subterfuge and tinkering.
15.05 I could not agree more.
I have also long argued that the term of office of Councillors should be limited to say 10 years, retiring at 65.....would this not solve the problems of Anglesey for example, where a great many of them seem to want to hang on forever, way past their welcome !
Yes, this would require a change in legislation....but WAG are about to have increased legislative authority....this change should be high on their prioity list, I suggest.
Will the anon moron at 14:32 please explain what has "salacious facts" got to do with the issue of criminal misuse of CRB disclosure?
CRB disclosures are private and confidential to disclose to third parties is indeed a criminal offence, what part of that don't people understand?
Insider 15.51....you miss the point.
What about the turnips rafts will kontiki turnip survive if they have to hand them back?
Have they got a further use i.e turnip rafting for the holidaymakers?
Has the cover up started?
whoa there that's a shed load of deleting...has something gone wrong here? someone been pushed before they got thrown out?
Can anyone see whether there is another bonfire behind the Kremlin in Llangefni yet, not that it matter now, the Investigators will have all they want by now.
That's good... at least we can hope for some payback now..
Allegations of "criminal misuse of CRB disclosure"......excuse our lack of knowledge, but what exactly does this mean.....without naming names, its doubledutch to most of us...??
Criminal Records Bureau handles background checks on those in positions where those subject to the check may (through work) be contact with certain segments of society everyone wish to defend.
CRB checks are made against elected members.
And what is wrong with a CRB check against a proposed councillor?
Might as well do them on all the officers too!
And teachers and sports coaches, etc, etc.
20.03 Are we saying that certain members have failed the checks...or...what exactly ?
No idea ..... but even if they have failed what exactly does this mean?
Either they are 'baddies' or the checks are wrong/meaningless/scatter-gun/whatever.
I have never been CRB checked but if I was and I failed (whatever that means) I would be rather annoyed (to put it mildly).
Can we have some more substantive info please.
Oh, what a twisted web they weave....
CRB Records don't mean to much on their own. The things that matters are whether there is any information relating to an employee or potential employee.
1. Held under Section 142 of the Education Act 2002.
2. The ISA Children's Barred List.
3. The Vulnerable Adults' Barred List.
4. Other relevant information disclosed at the Chief Police Officer(s)discretion.
This is of no concern to County Councillor as there is no statutory responsibility for Councillors to be required to conform to CRB checks as they are not employees of the Council or act in a voluntarily nature for the council, nor does their duties include working with Children or vulnerable adults as laid down in the Legislations.
It is my opinion, the obtaining of information held by the CBR (If any) has been made for dubious reasons and amounts to some very dirty business.
Oh yes, now I am beginning to understand.
On TV I remember seeing that fellow who used to be a councillor repeatedly ask a journalist if he was a paedophile, when, of course, the journalist was actually trying to investigate some dodgy property/planning matters the guy was supposedly involved in.
All very strange.
What we understand I think is that, as on this topic, Anglesey Councillors have always engaged in mutual muckraking to inflict maximum damage on each other....and vendettas go back 20 years.
They are a dirty and sordid lot.
9.31........yes, and that is why 15.21 yesterday is spot on....if Councillors had a time limit of 10 years for office, with compulsory retirement at 65, we would not be in this mess.
They just want to go on...and on...(the money ?) and will not step down in favour of new and cleaner candidates......!
Cllr Hefin Thomas's Menai Group Collapses .
It is understood that the Cllr for Cadnant Cllr Keith Evens has today left the Menai Group and gone as an unaffiliated independent member.
As the Menai Group now only has two members the Group can no longer exist, leaving Clive McGregor's Alliance at the point of collapse.
More latter
15.18 Nonsense....it makes no different to the balance of power.
Let's face the truth, irregular practices are so prevalent within our beloved Council Office it has manifested into crime activity.
More on Hefin Thomas:
This time it's good news for Xmas:
"Free parking in the run up to Christmas"
http://www.welshicons.org.uk/news/transport/free-parking-in-the-run-up-to-christmas/
The Welsh Icons website has an excellent coverage of local news.
And this:
"Coastal recreation masterplan to be unveiled"
http://www.welshicons.org.uk/news/anglesey/coastal-recreation-masterplan-to-be-unveiled/
So it looks like Captain David Bowles has got the ship IoACC 'back on course' in the economic arena.
A pity that he hasn't yet managed to clean up the 'hole below the waterline' that helped caused the problems in the first place; the one that the accusations of alleged wrongdoing are slowly bringing into light.
I wonder sometimes about the direction of this Council, sometimes I get infuriated by the lack of compassion shown to the people, I wonder how awful it is for the victims to realise that the wrongdoings of the past will never be righted.
This is the millstone that is driving the people mad. We read about the forthcoming marriage between Anglesey and Gwynedd, a marriage of convenience, to share costs and services, how can we allow this to happen when we all know that anything that involves this council is doomed from the start.
People come, people go, new leaders, new directors, new political parties, new propoganda, new styles, new LIES, but the only thing they don't have is the support of the people.
The Councillors will support anyone or anything as long as their little position is secure, the danger we are facing, is that when the marriage takes places, will this new identity have the wishes of the people or will it be created to take the pressure from the Council of Filth, and ignore the people even more?
The subject of CRB is baffeling. One assumes that those who have been 'cleared' have nothing to hide and those who have failed to be cleared 'might' have some background which prevents them being cleared. If a person is not cleared, how would anyone know that person should not be involved with those who are to be protected ?
Charges for Parking and other other money raising activities.
How many Loss Making Activities have the council dropped BEFORE setting out on money raising activities ?
AI
This page contains lots of references to CRB checks and Human Rights. Would it not be a
contravention of human rights to allow a person who has failed the checks to continue is 'position' ?
Particularly if such a person has put himself/herself up for a public post. We need openness not hidden secrets.
Billy Elliot
There is no such thing as failng a CRB check.
Post a Comment