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Labour challenged by Plaid over Blackwood supermarket

News | Richard Gurner | Published: 09:00, Tuesday May 15th, 2012.

The ruling Labour group on Caerphilly County Borough Council must deliver a Morrisons supermarket, according to former local authority leader Allan Pritchard.

The refusal of planning permission for a new Morrisons supermarket at Blackwood Retail Park was a key election issue.

Labour blamed Plaid Cymru over the decision citing that it had prevented up to 400 jobs being created in the area.

Plaid is now demanding that Labour keep their pre-election promises to overturn the planning decision at the Blackwood Retail Park and bring Morrisons supermarket to Blackwood by Christmas 2012, with the creation of between 250 and 400 new jobs.

Former council leader Allan Pritchard said: “This promise was one of the main planks of their campaign in and around the Blackwood area and became Labour’s number one priority in the propaganda they distributed before the election.

“Labour made several other promises to the electorate but Plaid in the Islwyn constituency is simply demanding that they deliver on this number one priority.

“Failure to deliver on their first priority will consign the rest of their promises to the dust bin. So don’t hold your breath on the rest of the promises they made whilst in opposition and throughout the election campaign. So come on you Labour, the ball is clearly in your court and it’s time to get off your soap boxes and deliver and on your promises.

“Our constituency group has already written the date in our diaries to do our Christmas shopping at Morrisons in Blackwood. I would suggest that everyone within the area might wish to enter the date in their diaries and if they find the doors locked then knock on the doors of those who made the promises to you.”

Labour has said it is pushing for jobs in Blackwood and is hoping to get the issue back before planners in the next few weeks.

5 thoughts on “Labour challenged by Plaid over Blackwood supermarket”

  1. lindsey says:
    Tuesday, May 15, 2012 at 20:18

    Talk about a bad loser, had Pritchard and his cronies not failed to deliver the jobs, maybe, just maybe Pritchard would not now be looking at the end of his political caree. No point in crying over split milk Plaid should have support the application back MARCH , in the mean time Alan can go Rogerstone to shop at Morrisons

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  2. Ashley says:
    Wednesday, May 16, 2012 at 02:27

    In all fairness I wouldn't want a supermarket. They destroy town centres and in a way reduce the number of jobs. If I could I'd ban supermarkets completely and rely on small shops in town centres. Perhaps it's because I recognise what companies like Tesco really want to do, that being controlling everything (see RoboCop, Wall-e for example). Those are films but the companies have EXACTLY the same moto's as the likes of Tesco and Wal-Mart.

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  3. Mark says:
    Thursday, May 17, 2012 at 00:43

    Lindsey, have you been brainwashed by the Labour Party, can you not write comments without sinking to the realms of arrogance, half truths and personal attacks on other parties. The reason Plaid lost control of the Council is because unlike Labour they ran a truthful and clean campaign and unfortunately for some reason the local electorate believed Labour's lies & spin.Its about time the Electoral Commission brought in a new rule stating that "any candidates who knowingly tell untruths on their election literature or during canvassing will be immediately disqualified", if this was introduced you would see a hell of a difference in the Election results as most Labour candidates would be disqualified.

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  4. frank says:
    Friday, July 27, 2012 at 14:20

    well mark,if what you say you would like to implement about truthfullnes in elections,plaid would not have one seat in local government,let alone be in a position to run a borough council,as most of their promises made when they took control of caerphilly disapeared like chaff in the wind.I believe it is you who have been brainwashed,not lindsey.Plaid seems to be the party of double standards,as alan pitchard,the then leader of cearphilly borough council stated that it would be unfair for councilors to accept a rise in expenses,while claiming an extra £16000 to take his allowance to £47000.Other cabinet members then followed suit,now tell me that isn't double standards.

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  5. Allan Pritchard says:
    Sunday, August 26, 2012 at 22:03

    Frank
    You must have read the Penmaen Labour candidates misleading propoganda put out prior to the election.
    Fact;
    I did not claim a penny in expenses whilst Leader of the council which I was totally entitled to do.
    The £16,000 that I was supposed to have awared myself was the existing extra responsibility allowance as set out by the Independent Remuneration Panel (Wales)that is paid to the Leader of council in exactly the same was that the former and present Leader of the Labour run council. So double standars really do appear to be used by Labour and their supporters.
    I can also inform you that I was the only Leader of any of the 22 authorities in Wales who did not receive considerable additional payments from other bodies such as the Police Authority, Local Health Board, Welsh Local Government Association, etc.
    So when you quoted my total payment of £47,000 you might also have included the £100,000 pluss that the Leader of RCT claimed and also the additional payments of the former Labour Leader of Caerphilly.
    I think the difference is that I can sleep at night with a clear conscience.

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