Tuesday 30 September 2008

change of tac or true meaning

Today is the meeting at powys hq on the gwynfa hostel planning application.
Cllr gary price continued to drum up support yesterday with a mail shot but todays weather may have a bearing on the attendance of locals.
This imminent meeting has seemed to bring a change of direction or a slip from the self appointed champion of the residents of Lant avenue the saintly harold Nichols in the letter page of the B&R in which he now seeems to apportion blame at powys for taking up the option of an hostel for whoever? or as harold likes to call them 'non local drug users and general scum' when there are sixty flats available in town for rent.
This seems very odd as we all read harolds campaigning as keeping out a certain element from llandod and not as relayed to some by Cllr gary price who claims that the reason local landlords would not accomadate homeless or dss was because of the trouble they had done to landlords properties in the past.

The trouble with this appication all along is that powys are commited to welsh assembley govt to find accomadation for homeless single persons.
Whether there are any should be known by social services.
Whether gwynfa situated as it is in a residential area is suitable is a big question that possibly will only be known in time.
If not utilised by this application it will be offered by powys for some other use as they're commited to saving money and offloading properties that they no longer need.
the role of the housing association is also questionable as they have probably acquired a bargain even in todays dropping market.

all told this issue was never going to favour everyone,and the best intentions can frequently cause greater losses and further divide communities.

Tuesday 23 September 2008

out of darkness comes.....

The protestations against the blackout is still continuing andindeed growing to such an extent that the County times is warning residents in montgomeryshire that it may arrive at a neighbourhood near you!!!!
so does this mean that radnorshire was part of an experiment, seems odd as cllr millington of howey has stated that county hall is lit up through the night like a blackpool illumination.
Also strange is the new recycling centre adjacent to the new road which has security gates in the form of bollards and a swing gate a lovely surround fence,street light poles which number around 4 to 6 and a grass verge.Now we suppose the cost of this has been met by tesco who as we all know had to pay for the road.
If it wasnt paid by tescos and by the tax payers instead then this is another place where street lighting costs could be saved as the tax payer will be paying for them once they are in use!!
Also why, if the council are so intent on saving money did they permit the erection of a victorian style street lamp in the new one way streeting design in high street.
This little project has always flummuxed us as it seems unnecessary and has not contributed to the greater good or provided better facilities for the busy gwalia junction where access to the precious rock park area is severely tested.
All in all there is too much hypocrisy and money wating of tax payers money by powys county council.

Tuesday 16 September 2008

wrong season or silly season

the inevitable public reaction has started in the local press regarding the switch off of the street lights.
It has even brought claims of civil disobiediance by some including a certain gentleman who not only claims he can get 200 fellow drivers to fill powys car park at 6am in the morning as aprotest and no doubt a first,but a threat of if the lighting is not restored to full capacity then residents will stop recycling.
the car park takeover is a grand idea however the recycling stoppage is a no brainer and must not be allowed to get off the ground as if powys and its residents do not meet wales assembley govt targets for recycling then the authority will be punished which will inevitably be passed on to the residents.
Also Cllr david peters pours scorn and a certain mockery at cllr prices',i believe genuine concern over tha darkness from the lack of lighting in certain areas of town.
It should be remembered in the more populated areas of llandod and especially the trefonnen estate safety to its citizens should not be trifled with as recently a property adjacent to the main thouroughfare was the scene of potentially a fatal accident.
The question is did powys conduct a risk assesment with regard to the switching off!!
cllr tampin in the press has encouraged victimsof potential accidents to lodge a civil lawsuit against the council in such an event.
Potentialy costly on all counts!!
This is an issue that is concernng many and should not be underestimated the gravitas of these concerns.
here in llandod comprimises could be found by switching off lights at powys car park,the defra office during holidays and weekends,aldi car park which may also help put a stop to the bi weekly boy racer burn ups,and at the hospital car park far end as few cars park their throughout the night.

Thursday 11 September 2008

ecological shining beacon or not so bright

Powys county council have this week implemented their money saving 'inititive' by cutting down on the number of street lights in use by switching off one in every three.
This inititive was prompted as a money saving exercise and more dissapointingly as an ecological saving inititive.which should of been the main reason.However,
the good burghers of powys were notified and asked to vote on the matter and we guess the outcome voted in favour.
However this dark damp september is not the time to start it as apart from the weather the natural light is starting to fade.This would of been a much better option in the 'summer' months when despite the awfull weather it would have been more efficent and safer.
despite writing that, all efforts to save the planet and money should be applauded although a better execution by the council would have gone down better.
What also should follow progressively is greater savings could be and should be made by switching off the lighting at Powys HQ carpark, which are left on through out the night.The council never cease to astound me.
The same goes for DEFRA where during the xmas holidays the office lights stayed on 24 hrs throughout.