Friday, 28 January 2011

The nuts and bolts of a merger with Gwynedd

In order to throw a little light on what exactly is behind the rumours that the Welsh Assembly Government is looking to merge Ynys Môn with Gwynedd, lets take a look at the actual last minute WAG amendments to the Local Government Measure which have sparked these stories. They have now been published (and are attached in full below this post) but this is the key passage:

"Welsh Ministers may, if they are satisfied that it is necessary to achieve effective local government, make an order ("an amalgamation order") for the constitution of a new local government area by amalgamating two or three local government areas."

The amendment goes on to stipulate that, before using the amalgamation powers, Welsh Ministers must be satisfied that local authorities have not achieved sufficient collaborative arrangements. However, although these powers are intended to be a last resort measure, it does look as though WAG Ministers will be able to amalgamate two or three local authorities where they feel it is necessary -- without, it seems, the need for any consultation.

There had been some questions about whether these amendments were legal as they were seen to significantly change the purpose of the Measure as it was originally tabled. However the legislation office and the Presiding Officer have ruled that they are within "the general principles" of the Measure and therefore it appears that WAG's intention is that they should be voted on next Wednesday (2 February) in Legislation Committee No. 3's meeting.

It is worth noticing that WAG has a majority in both the Committee and Plenary, so unless Plaid Cymru were to rebel, there is little chance of these amendments being blocked.

With regards to a timescale when these Measures would be implemented, it would not be for some time. The Local Government Measure still has to go through a third stage of having amendments tabled and voted on in Plenary, a fourth stage of the Measure being passed by the National Assembly, and a final stage of receiving Royal approval -- which will take several months. Even after that, the Minister would (should his amendments be approved in their current form) have to produce an amalgamation order which again could take some time.

Given the limited legislative time left in the Assembly (it will be dissolved in April prior to the election), it is unlikely that the Minister will be able to use any of these powers before May -- even if the Local Government Measure receives Royal Approval before then. Therefore, although these amendments will be voted on next week, there will be no immediate changes, and it is by no means certain that they will become law before the elections in May.

Who knows what will happen after May though...

UPDATE: The Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA) leader, John Davies, has slammed WAG's handling of these amendments:

WLGA leader John Davies said publishing amendments "at the eleventh minute of the eleventh hour does fundamentally call into question the effective scrutiny of such an important piece of legislation both within the assembly and by stakeholders".
He welcomed [WAG Local Government Minster Carl Sargeant's] assurance that the amendment does not pave the way towards a wholesale reorganisation of local government.
Mr Davies added: "While this provides reassurance, it does bring into question why this did not form part of the extensive 18-month policy debate and evidence gathering sessions on the [Local Government] measure that have been undertaken within the assembly on which the WLGA were asked to give evidence.
"Clearly this is not only a matter for the WLGA but for assembly members who from recent headlines have also expressed a significant measure of dissatisfaction in this process.
"It is concerning that legislation as fundamental as the future structure of authorities can be done without scrutiny and wider engagement or consultation."

Ammendments Local Government Measure

72 comments:

Rhys Williams said...

Thanks Paul, very useful information, however I still don’t hold much hope for the current Council. At the last election apparently 13 new Councillors were elected, but nothing much changed.

The only hope as I can see it is that we have a root and branch change at the Council, starting with getting rid of the cabinet.

Furthermore it's clear that sharing services with Gwynedd is a must and not an option.

On element of the Local Government (Wales) Measures was devolving more functions to Town or Community Council, I think is a good idea and well worth considering further.

the outsider said...

I suggest that bloggers read the BBC's website today on this story. The Welsh Local Government Association have made a statement about the lack of consultation and this is both a simple and important point. I have faith that the people of Wales will not put up with this. They will NOT vote yes in the referendum if WAG introduces 'Measures' like these.

Anonymous said...

"WLGA leader John Davies said publishing amendments "at the eleventh minute of the eleventh hour does fundamentally call into question ....."

Such behaviour is even more reason not give the useless muppets more powers.

Vote NO in the referendum

Anonymous said...

Is this True(lies) Wales blog now then?

Anonymous said...

Anglesey must have fresh elections now. This is the democratic way of resolving this shameful state of affairs.

WAG should put the wheels in motion to call an extraordinary election in Anglesey. To force the island to merge formally with Gwynedd would be undemocratic.

By all means have innovative co-operation between authorities to deliver better services as cuts bite, bur NO formal amalgamations!!

mondeo man said...

any news re Chorltn's retirement yet?

Anonymous said...

See Anglesey Island of Opportunity---
Anglesey - Councillors deemed "inappropriate" and capable of VETO by Council MD David Bowles
Sources close to the situation at Anglesey Council claim that MD David Bowles has said he would VETO the following politicians from becoming LEADER!

1. John Chorlton
2. Hefin Thomas
3. Goronwy Parry
4. Aled Morris Jones
5. Gareth Winston Roberts
6. Bryan Owen
7. Barrie Durkin

?????????????????????

Anonymous said...

What a pile of rubbish we get told from Cardiff, don't they really know what is going on at street level?

Excuse me Druid, but when something of this magnitude is dropped on the people of Anglesey wouldn't it have been more realistic for you to declare that the people have no confidence in this Council anymore?

As prospective Conservative candidate for this shambles called Anglesey, it would have been appreciated if the seriousness of the problems we have could be posted here so that even the simplest voter could understand the real problems that are being discussed behind our backs in Cardiff.

Because of what has happened to poor John Chorlton, the island seems to be under a siege, and the WAG are running around doing everything to bring this mess under some sort of control, nothing is too much trouble, no expense is being spared. To save the blushes of IWJ and AO.

But, when it's an ordinary, decent, law-abiding citizen, then no one even takes any notice, the Politicans skins must be saved at all costs. So please don't try and tell us that we are all equal and the interest of the people are paramount.

We are not asking for miracles, Druid, we are asking to be treated fairly, or does that take a miracle in this Country.

Anonymous said...

MORE FROM -"ANGLESEY-ISLAND OF OPPORTUNIY"

January 26, 2011
Anglesey - Bowles "impartial" judgement as "public servant" called to question.
Disturbing reports are filtering through post the sacking of Councillors Hefin Thomas and John Chorlton on Monday by the ruling group led by the lame-duck leader Councillor Clive McGregor that £270,000 a year Managing Director David Bowles may not be as impartial as the job demands.

Apparently, David Bowles has stated (although not publicly) that he is not prepared to work with the following Councillors or allow any one as leader because they are not trustworthy and have not signed up to the "terms of engagement":

1. John Chorlton
2. Hefin Thomas
3. Elwyn Schofield
4. Bryan Owen
5. Barrie Durkin
6. Goronwy Parry OBE
7. Gareth Winston Roberts OBE

Although David Bowles was originally appointed by Dr Brian Gibbons of The Welsh Assembly Government, the time has come to question David Bowles remit given that the only success achieved thus far has been in uniting most councillors against both him and leader Councillor Clive McGregor.

As Managing Director, David Bowles should be "managing" Anglesey Council to the point where the authority is credited for "excellent public administration" however David Bowles is apparently not involved in the day to day running of Anglesey Council.

At such a crucial time, where there is a threat of merging two authorities with conflicting interests, David Bowles should be on top of his game and remaining "impartial" as all public servants should be.

David Bowles seems to be more of a political "Mr fixit and mentor" to hold the hand of the inexperienced Council Leader. Did Anglesey ratepayers realise their new Managing Director was appointed only to resolve the political bickering? His salary of £270,000 a year would have employed the many planning officers Anglesey Council so much needed following the departure of Martin Eaglestone that led to the collapse of the Local Development Plan's delivery.

The remaining members within the ruling group include Councillor RG Parry (Bob Parry) who may feel more comfortable if Anglesey and Gwynedd merges leading to an overall Plaid Cymru political control.

In the meantime, the ruling group, continues to able along, with a technical authority to lead although power has all but evaporated given the lack of credibility. Surely given that the game is up, leader Councillor Clive McGregor should resign now thereby allowing any future leader and his cabinet a fighting chance to:

1. Focus on costs and the IoACC budget
2. Focus on Jobs, Homes and Prosperity
3. Steer away from Gwynedd before it's too late.
4. Ensure lead-in to Wylfa B is well thought through.

It would seem that "selfish acts of the few" are damaging the many.

When will WAG recall Bowles and appoint a proper Managing Director who is politically neutral?

Does the Welsh Assembly's Carl Sargeant have a proper and realistic grip of the situation?

Does Elan Closs Stephens have the business acumen to drive through the necessary changes?

How long does Anglesey Council staff have to put up with David Bowles because at today's staff meeting held at the Council debating chamber many voiced total dissatisfaction with the Managing Directors attitude, some were vociferous indeed.

Why is David Bowles and the Leader allowed to hijack democracy and call it their own?

Message to WAG: pull the plug on Bowles and force the Leader to resign; let Anglesey Council get on with its pressing business during this unforgiving recession.

Oh Bowles-have you made a balls ???

Anonymous said...

HAVE A LOOK AT THE FOLLOWING SITE FOR THE TRUE STORY BEHIND THE PROBLEMS--

http://ynysmon.com/

THE SAME 2 NAMES KEEP POPPING UP-Bowles & McGreggor "!!!!

Need more be said ???

Puck said...

Off topic I know.

Following blogging links today I ended up on the blogger Laudanum's current page.

The blogger's browser tab reads:

Laudanum 'What a Tosser'

Such self depreciation in a blogger.

Will he go back and change his post or leave it as it is?

What a silly b**gger.

Anonymous said...

...Chorlton, B Parry , McGregor. I thought these three are retiring anyway at the next election. perhaps there are more....some would say they should all go.

Anonymous said...

Extract from County Council Meeting 9th December 2010
Thursday's Full Council meeting also unanimously voted in favour of Carl Sargeant's order suggestion that Anglesey County Council should collaborate more with Gwynedd Council in order to share resources and save costs. In response Aberffraw's Cllr Glyn Jones made the following pithy plea for more collaboration within the council itself too:


"We have just heard of the need to collaborate with other Authorities, let us start by collaborating here in this Chamber today. Let us make history today in this Chamber, let us put Anglesey in the Media with good news ... Let all 40 Members collaborate, let's form an Alliance of 40 Members to move this Council in the direction that the electorate of Anglesey expects and deserves of us."

Mr Leader-the ball is firmly in your court..

Hear, hear.

Had the Leader heeded this "pithy plea" and reacted so Anglesey would not n ow be in such a predicament..!!!

Why Clive did you choose to ignore this plea ??

I dont know the Pleading Councillor personally but had his plea been addressed accordingly Anglesey may have been saved !!!!

Anonymous said...

Oh dear, Puck. Did Iolo of Anglesey Laudanum touch a nerve?

An Eye On... said...

Well we see from the documents and the statements that it's a matter for the WAG etc etc, blah blah, rhubabrb rhubarb.

No it bloody well is not. It's not a matter for the WAG, it's not a matter for Parliament and it's not even a matter for the Queen or the sodding EU or even the UN.

It's a matter for us - the voters in Ynys Mon and the voters in Gwynedd and for any politician or civil servant at any level to presume otherwise is disgusting arrogance and worthy of nothing but public contempt as a minimum.

Anonymous said...

22:15.
Every elected member is asking the same question. This is one of the reasons why Clive McGregor, has lost the confidence of the council.

Anonymous said...

Red flag.
Not only are you right but any failure to do everything correctly, will leave the offending Authority open to Judicial Review.

An Eye On... said...

Because of what has happened to poor John Chorlton,

Poor? Poor? He's milking over 60K a year. Poor he is not.

Socialist and friend of the people my arse. He's got as much in commom with the working class as Gerald Lord Grosvenor and certainly less relevance.

When was the last time he publicly stood up and slammed employers on this island for paying below market wages? When was the last time he stood up and publicly slammed local employers for continually eroding working conditions?

Thatcher was a bigger friend of the workers than Comrade John and I despise the woman.

Anonymous said...

I HAD AN IDEA,
wondering if this is possible:

Obviously the problems within the Council are the Councillors, plain and simple. With any election its obvious they'd be re-elected. And obviously you can't ban them.

So I was wondering can WAG pass a law. OR the council add to it's own standing orders new rules on who can be in council?
My idea, is to say: Councillors can only take office for two terms (like the U.S President!) and cannot seek re-election?

That'll get all the 'old guard out' and certainly bring in much needed fresh blood.

Is this possible or unconstitutional?

An Eye On... said...

Anon 23:26. If WAG want to get involved and do something constructive what they should do is dissolve the council and bar everyone from standing who is a councillor, ever has been a councillor or has ever stood as a councillor at any level ever anywhere in the UK.

Anonymous said...

To 23.26

The problem within the Council is not only Councillors. It is also Senior Officers of the Council who are to blame. No use getting rid of the old guard as you put it, unless you get rid of corrupt senior officers. And believe me, there are a few of those, I know I am a victim.

the outsider said...

I agree with Red Flag @ 23.13.

Anonymous said...

A report has been compiled. This report is based on evidence, which can be substantiated by documentary evidence. This evidence is enough for a judge to preside and make an obvious statement based on the evidence that theft has taken place and has been facilitated by shallow audit coverage.

Believe me, I have the Ombudsman for Wales in a very tight corner, and am about to unload by reporting them for their ignorance. They are a sheer waste of Public Funds. Wet behind the ears is an understatement.

Lugs the Destroyer

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Anonymous said...

Calm down Lug.
We know you have the bastards bang to rights.

Anonymous said...
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Anonymous said...

For years we have all been humiliated by incompetence, by an uncaring and unethical Council, it's time for the people to decide, more of the same, maybe worse, or do we want to have our own say? The latest news drom Egypt is grim, and the world is watching, everyday, the news from Llangefni is grim, and the people are watching. We don't care what the Councillors think, we want our ISLAND back! Now, what part of that don't the Council understand!

We need democracy! That's what's missing, democracy, the right to be heard, the right to be treated like a human being.

Carl Sargeant, be careful what you say, be careful what you decide, your words and decisions affect us, we want change, we want our rights, we want our dignity.

Don't go thinking that the idiots we have will lead us out of this mess, they won't, they can't, only the people can decide, and our lives will not be dictated to from Cardiff nor will it be dictated to from Caernarfon.

Anonymous said...

Can anyone explain to me if these special measures will be for the people and the chaos, or for the political skins that need saving.

In my opinion these special measures are being introduced to stop the Welsh Assembly looking like complete idiots, they have all failed us, that is the reality, we have all been let down, we feel persecuted, and let down by an incompetent Welsh Assembly and incompetent Welsh Authority.

Have you noticed, nobody in the political parties are saying anything, the people being ignored, again.

Brawd o Amlwch said...

If WAG really want to make a difference and improve democracy, and rid the People of Wales of agitating local Councillors,as in the infamous IACC, its really very simple.
Its supposedly about to increase its legislative powers, that is, it can soon legislate new measures for the good of the people of Wales.
So, lets look at electoral law ?
Lets legislate that Councillors must step down after 2 terms and retire at 60, whoever they are, and however good they have been.
Open the doors of our Council chambers to clean and fresh candidates. There are plenty out there.
This is the ONLY way to rid ourselves of the kind of cancer that afflicts Ynys Mon.
Who in good conscience can really object ?

Anonymous said...

2 Lists of Bowles' Magnificent 7-

SPOT THE DIFFERENCE !!

1. John Chorlton
2. Hefin Thomas
3. Goronwy Parry
4. Aled Morris Jones
5. Gareth Winston Roberts
6. Bryan Owen
7. Barrie Durkin


1. John Chorlton
2. Hefin Thomas
3. Elwyn Schofield
4. Bryan Owen
5. Barrie Durkin
6. Goronwy Parry OBE
7. Gareth Winston Roberts OBE

Are there any more names to be added to the Lists ????

Anonymous said...

10.33 All known troublemakers.
Driven by a mix of self-interest, mischief and greed.
Agitators....add Bob Parry ?

Anonymous said...

What gets me, after all the allegations made against Councillors not one scrap of evidence has been shown to anyone.

All I've seen is hysteria whipped up by Clive McGregor and David Bowles and the rantings of some lunatics on the Blog.

Show us the evidence, or BELT UP,

Anonymous said...

@ Anon 11.25
When the authorities are shown the evidence they either ignore it or refuse to answer and then refer it to another authority who then does the same.

As for evidence there's plenty of details being published across the Mon blogs.

If you mean show 'you' the evidence you'll need to supply your name and contact details.

Anonymous said...

11.25 Another Councillor in delusion of the cancer they have caused ! Wake up, do us a favour and fade away.
Look at Egypt, burning in protest !

Anonymous said...

I agree with 12:47,

Wake up councillors, smell the coffee!. Do us all a favour and leave the Council, allow the people of this great island to get on with things.

If then there are problems with Senior Officer, there are clear procedures that can be made.

Get out NOW councillors, before you make 100's of people in Llangefni redundant, increase my council tax, see lower spending on our pupils, and risk the prospect of Wylfa B.

Get out, get out now. You are all a disgrace.

Anonymous said...

100's of people in Llangefni are going to be made redundant without the Councillors help. Why the hell do you think the Assembly sent in Bowles? surely you haven't fallen for the old chestnut that Bowles and McGregor have been pumping out?

Rationalisation has been the name of the game all along.

Anonymous said...

The Anglesey cake is choking them maybe???????????

kp said...

Maybe now people will start to realise why education through the medium of Welsh is not such a good idea.

If Wales can't provide enough jobs for the Welsh educated, where else are they expected to find work.

By all means seek it in England or elsewhere but remember you will be up against a great many that have been exclusively educated through the medium of English (and this includes a great number of Europeans and Chinese).

The future looks very bleak for any Welsh educated kids.

Anonymous said...

Education and social housing two of the biggest things that need to be invested in, nothing else matters, people first, petty politics last. However, in Anglesey it's the cake first, the cake of privledge, power, planning permissions and special perks for being involved in Anglesey Politics.

The Anglesey cake, every slice well earned and deserved by our Politicians.

Anonymous said...

I agree with Red Flag too. Poor John Chorlton?!! He has engineered a great deal of perks and privilege for himself and his family-that's the ONLY reason he and most of those at Llangefni HQ are in it.
All the boards JC is on, his involvement with Holyhead Communities First (Another objectionable lot).
All of them have failed the people and we should demand action and prosecution to.
When they dare to tell us how great the meaningless, low paid, low status 'jobs' created through the many 'developments' will be for the people of Anglesey(which will never see their families employed ) I feel like wretching.
The barefaced cheek of John Chorlton to even state on TV that the trouble is actually that they have been " Too Honest".
How delusional they all are.

Anonymous said...

"a great many that have been exclusively educated through the medium of English"

You don't think that there is inherently a benefit in being educated in 2 languages then? I'd have thought many of those "exclusively educated through the medium of English" were quite rightly the foreign-language-less laughing stock of much of the rest of the world. The only country notably worse off than the UK in that respect is the US of A, though they probably have to do something about Spanish soon.

There are plenty of folks in the UK who were not educated primarily in English and there is a fair chance of finding them in decent jobs too, if they're smart enough.

Look at any science or engineering degree course at a decent UK university (while you can still find one). How many of the students will be speakers of English as a second language? (Hint: lots, for the last few years)

Will the speakers of English as a 2nd language manage their courses OK? Of course they will, if they are smart enough. And when they go home to their native countries, where the economy hasn't been sold down the river for the perpetual benefit of the City's "masters of the universe", they will find decent jobs.

A decade or so ago when there were still science and engineering jobs in the UK they could come in from overseas, study here, and find UK graduate jobs without English as a first language, because British industry needed more graduates than British education produced; in a tiny few specialist fields they still can do this.

But in general there is no chance of decent jobs for science/engineering graduates in the UK, regardless of whether their first language is Welsh or English.

It's not Welsh language vs English language that's the problem. It's national common sense vs national economic insanity that's the problem.

Try a different tune, this one's boring.

Anonymous said...

I can't believe how the councillors have behaved.
Leave, now before you do more damage and lose more jobs.

YOURE A DISGRACE!

kp said...

Sorry bud (Anon 21:10), you are just plain wrong. And it's your own education that let's you down.

Consider this:

The vast majority of overseas students who go to university in the UK have already completed their final two years of schooling here in the UK (at vastly expensive private establishments ... living, learning, eating and breathing English, be it in England, Ireland or Scotland). In other words, reading and writing in the English language is second nature to them. They don't struggle when they enter university.

Others come from countries such as Malaysia, Singapore, India or Sri Lanka where teaching has always taken place through the medium of English. Again, they have no problems with 'language' at university.

Now, compare this to the poor souls that have been educated through the medium of Welsh. Reading and writing in the English language is alien, it involves translation, it takes time and it requires effort.

Is it any wonder that so many Welsh kids have to drop out of English, Scottish and Irish universities in the first and second years simply because they cannot handle the demands of reading and writing in what is, quite understandably, their 'second language'.

If you don't believe me ask the parents of kids attending universities outside of Wales. I think you'll find they concur.

Pity you and pity your kids even more. Don't come shouting to me when they can't find work, you educated them in the way you wanted. And they could (just could) suffer throughout their whole lives because of your choice!

Anonymous said...

"I can't believe how the councillors have behaved.
Leave, now before you do more damage and lose more jobs"

Some Cllrs do a very good job as do most of the Council staff. Its the few Councillors and some Senior Staff who have been in the Job for donkeys years who have destroyed this Council.

Durkin tried to clean up this mess and I know the likes of Raymond Jones, as honest as the day is long will be a good Cllr in the future. Give some of them a chance get rid of the ones who have been there years by all means.

I dont vote for them and you shouldnt either but I bet some of you moaning about the Cllrs vote for the same clown time after time.

An Eye On... said...

KP you're speaking utter rubbish. The kids that are educated in Welsh are also fluent in English. You are inferring that their knowledge of spoken and written English is scant to say the least - it isn't, they are fluent in both.

The ones that struggle to read and write in English aslo struggle to read and write in Welsh. It isn't because they were educated in Welsh it's because they have learning difficulties in general.

As for your other assertions, having lived in Greater Manchester I can assure you there are whole swathes of areas where engkish is very much a second language, where local papers advertise for teaching assistants with the caveat 'must be fluent in a south asian language' . These kids only speak english at school and only in the classrooms - in the playground they speak urdu or whatever. Many are the grand children of immigrants and have never left this country, Funnily enough, they have a better chance of going to university than their indiginous white counterparts which blows holes in your claims about kids educated in Welsh. The bottom line is you have some kind of chip on your shoulder and are also some kind of bigot.

kp said...

Sorry Red Flag, you just have to look at the statistics to see that I am right.

The teaching profession in Wales is playing an enormous con trick on the public of Wales.

It is time the truth was exposed.

The Real Insider. said...

NEWS FROM THE KREMLIN.
It is understood from a meeting yesterday, that an application for judicial review is to be applied for, regarding David Bowles's alleged breach of his Political Impartiality and the affects that has had on the council's failure to operate democratically.

It is also understood that a complaint has been made to the Ombudsman against Cllr Clive McGregor for a number of breaches of the Councillors Code of Conduct. Including bringing the Council in to disrepute and failing to respect fellow Members.

Anonymous said...

"It is also understood that a complaint has been made to the Ombudsman against Cllr Clive McGregor for a number of breaches of the Councillors Code of Conduct. Including bringing the Council in to disrepute and failing to respect fellow Members."


It just gets worse and worse!
I don't care if this McGregor man is a disaster, this tit for tat is making things look even worse.
Even though there MAY be some 'good' councillors. I think it is their duty to stand down collectively as a council. So that we can have a total fresh start. And call an election now!

Anonymous said...

"Sorry Red Flag, you just have to look at the statistics to see that I am right. ... It is time the truth was exposed"

Please feel free to tell readers where they can find these statistics, ideally together with comparatives for other parts of the UK.

It's usually time the truth was exposed, however inconvenient.

Anonymous said...

Sorry KP, but statiscally the least likely to gain a Degree are afro-caribbean males closely followed by caucasion males from northern England and Greater London with a working class background.

Funnily enough, both groups have relatively few Welsh speakers.

Anonymous said...

Outside Wales all products of the Welsh education system are at a disadvantage.

That would only hold true if they couldn't speak, read & write english. Try as I might I cannot find anyone amongst my aquaintances who cannot speak english. A welsh speaker in England is on an equal footing to an English speak.

A History GCSE or A level studied in welsh is worth just as much as one in English.

If you have such a downer on welsh, may I suggest you bugger off back to where you'll feel at home - Barking or Oldham or Burnley or wherever else small-minded BNP-type bigots and Daily Mail/Daiuly Telegraph dimwits who still live in the 1950's reside.

The decenralisation and resurrgence of ethnicities is EU encouraged . In Spain the schools oin the Catalan and Basque areas no teach that as first language. Like wise it's starting to spread in France (did you know that 200 years ago hardly anyone in France spoke french?). The cope admirably in Belgium with it's bi-linguial system and the have never had any problems in non-EU switzerland with it's tri-lingualism. Some time in the next 20 years Spanish will be the number one language in Califoirnia and already 40% of it's schools are Spanish speaking.

The scottish Islands are promoting Gaelic, their are now gaelic schools on the scottish mainland (as well as a gailic BBC TV channel - Alba). Gaelic is growing in the Republic of Ireland and in Sinn Fein dominated councils in Northern Ireland the use of Gaelic place names and Gaelic street sigange are becoming routine. There are even gaelic schools in the north as well now.

This is going on all over Europe bit by bit. There are 160-odd recognised indiginous groupings, most with their own dialect or even full blown language and an awful lot of those now have their own schools to a lesser or greater degree.

Anonymous said...

Complaining to the Ombudsman.

The most important thing to remember that when you complain to this Administrative Cabbage is that you will have to prepare all your evidence. It will take time, and you will surely post it, hoping that your complaint will be received and looked at.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

The Ombudsman does NOT like the thought of a layman, actually, compiling evidence and forming a rock solid case, the Ombudsmans' job is to dismantle the complaint and take the evidence apart, this will make the complainant really angry.

The Complainant will receive a letter, enclosing the standard line " there seems to be no substance to your allegation and therefore your file is closed"

But, unknown to you, the Ombudsman phones up the department that is being complained about, and informs them what YOU have sent the Ombudsman as evidence, it eliminates the Ombudsman having to investigate, and gives the people involved time to hide the evidence, shred documents, hide documents, and deny everything.

This is their way. The crunch is that the evidence you sent to the Ombudsman is then sent straight away to the Council, so they know what your case is built on, then they can fabricate a defence to discredit you, especially if it involves grants money paid, planning permissions etc, it's all part of the special relationship between the Ombudsman and the Council.

They have to look after their cake you see, the special Anglesey Cake, that they guard with their lives, they've all had a piece, but don't want the public to know that they have been eating it.

I mean it doesn't look very nice does it, if Councillors get planning and grants and the public are denied, I mean the public aren't entitled to a slice of the cake...........it belongs to them..their little cake, full of perks and treats for the boys..

Anonymous said...

The Anglesey cake...when can I have a slice? Sorry, wrong cake, the cake I want a slice of is made of truth and justice, and it doesn't exist here.

Anonymous said...

The victims of the Anglesey Cake.. Gwynfor Pierce Jones.
Other victims please

Anonymous said...

"If you have such a downer on welsh, may I suggest you bugger off back to where you'll feel at home - Barking or Oldham or Burnley or wherever else small-minded BNP-type bigots and Daily Mail/Daiuly Telegraph dimwits who still live in the 1950's reside."

As classic a piece of Racist anti English Bigotry as you'll come across.

Anonymous said...

I don't know about making a complaint to the Ombudsman about Clive McGregor.
If there is anyway at all, he and David Bowles, should both be prosecuted for taking tax payers money on false pretences.

What he and Bowles have done to Anglesey County Council, Its Councillors and the people of Anglesey, will go down in the anally's of history, so that generation after generation will be able to see how not to administer a Council.

Anonymous said...

@anon 13:35

Very happy with most of your post, except
"They cope admirably in Belgium with its bi-lingual system"

Belgium is at risk of falling apart, and part of the problem is language. Language is less of a problem in the other areas you mention.

Anonymous said...

As classic a piece of Racist anti English Bigotry as you'll come across.

I happen to be English. Born in the south to English parents, raised and educated in the North West. My wife and kids are born and educated here and are bi-lingual and both my kids went to english universities and I don't consider then to be disadvantaged and neither do they in fact one speaks fluent German and has a honours degree in Business with German.

I know of not one parent in my circle whose children have struggled in universities because they spooke welsh in school.

The problems of Anglesey have got nothing at all to do with the medium of welsh and everything to do with geography - there isn't any reason for a major business to be here, there is simply no commercial advantage. Welsh, Urdu, Eskimo or English. Wouldn't make the slightest difference.

And ano 16.29, it's not bi-lingualism that is the cause of Belgium's political woes. It's the fact that one of the groups wants independence and it's own country and the bottom line is every nation has the right to self-determination.

Prometheuswrites said...

About six months ago I used a metaphor of the good ship IoACC needing to correct course to avoid the looming iceberg and to set itself shipshape.

It would appear that navigation difficulties in the chill winds this winter have resulted in the good ship becoming embedded in the pack-ice.

Passengers wishing to be rescued are anticipating the arrival of the ice-breaker W.A.G. coming to free the ship. A skeleton crew will remain on board to steer the vessel to calmer and clearer waters.

We wonder who will be playing the part of the Ancient Mariner; (with apologies to Samuel Taylor Coleridge.)

Anonymous said...

'We wonder who will be playing the part of the Ancient Mariner'

IWJ? The albatross will be played by assorted councillors.

Anonymous said...

When this ship starts sinking, at the moment it's considered to be flooding, and the water tight doors are under a lot of pressure, the crew unfortunately are not abandoning ship, they are busy disposing of evidence, and wiping the crumbs of the Anglesey cake from their fat chins.

"Ooooh, is that the planning I had for the land before I BOUGHT it" Munnnnch!

Anonymous said...

IWJ is plonker in charge of the lifeboat,

" Welcome aboard my lifeboat, please sit down and make your's comfortable, does anyone know any good songs?
What about you Bob?
" She'll be coming round the mountain, when she comes"
"Ardderchog, Bob, dewis da iawn" Altogether now........

Anonymous said...

The Anglesey Cake... a complaint.

I do not like people thinking that I have had a slice of Anglesey Cake, I must protest, it's disgusting, I will tell you why I became a Councillor.

I wanted to make a difference.

I didn't want planning permission for myself, my family and my families friends and their families friends.

I did want to create more jobs, but the employers that came here were not nice people to me and my wife, they would only pay for me and my wife and her family to go to Spain for two weeks, when we wanted 4 weeks in August because there is liitle going on then.

I didn't become a Councillor to get a new car, and that new car that was found in my garage belongs to a friend, I'm looking after it for him/her.

When I voted for the closure of the swimming pools I thought it was to get my own back at the portfolio holder ( swimmimg pools) he used to go out with my brother's mate's sister's mother, and I don't like him.

The new house we had planning for was not for me, but was for my wife's mother's daughter who has got the same surname as me, but we are not related.

The land that my brother's mate's brother bought was not bought withotu planning permission, it was approved before the completion date, and the vendor has no rights, sorry, I should have said that the vendor was happy to sell that land as it would improve local community.

I became a Councillor to help the people, they can always find me in the Golf or masonic lodge.

I became a Councillor to help People with problems, the bigger the problem the bigger the brown envelope must be.

It is a mere coincidence that Councillors have more planning approvals than normal people.

Councillors are not normal people, we always look after you, so please help the poor Council who are being slagged off and possibly being dismantled and bullied by that fat man, Carl Sargeant, we don't like him. Save our skins, please!

Anonymous said...

I wish there was a like button. Hehe

Anonymous said...

....the Anglesey cake is suddenly turning sour!..... (eh, eh!).

Anonymous said...

Let's see how many of them have had a slice or piece of the Anglesey Cake.........

Their little brains are worrying, we know how they hate to be caught out, I wonder if Barrie Durkin can enlighten us a bit more about the Anglesey Cake...

Whose turn is it next? was a famous quote in Anglesey Cake meetings...

Anonymous said...

The Anglesey cake, is for those on the make, have you been a victim of the Anglesey Cake?, tell the Druid or Photon I'm sure they would like to know.

the outsider said...

Dear Promo,

Re: The Rime of the Ancient Mariner production.

I've found a great location in Cardiff Bay for the South Pole, and of course Penmon Lighthouse and the Straits are lined up for the 'homecoming' scene.

Auditions are going well, some of the main characters have been cast.
This is the list to date:-
Ancient Mariner
Wedding Guest - Anglesey Youth
Albatross - IoACC
Skeleton Ship - WAG
Death Mate
Spectre Woman - David Bowles
The Pilot
Pilot's Boy
Hermit of the Wood

I'd be grateful for any suggestions you might have for those parts not yet filled. Maybe you would consider being a player on this stage yourself?

Best wishes
Outsider Productions

PromoW said...

@ Outsider

:)