Voters get to choose who will run Caerphilly County Borough Council on Thursday, May 4.
The choice is between Labour and Plaid Cymru with each party fielding 71 and 68 candidates respectively.
The Conservatives have 28 candidates, while UKIP is fielding 11 candidates.
To boost their chances at the polls, the party leaders of Labour and Plaid Cymru have both visited the area.
Labour’s First Minister Carwyn Jones spent an afternoon on Wednesday, April 26, knocking on the doors of voters in Caerphilly town’s Lansbury Park estate.
He told Caerphilly Observer: “Labour has an excellent record of delivery. People can see that and see what Caerphilly Council has done in terms of education, in terms of social services.
“All of our Labour councils have been able to continue to deliver services on the ground where in England we’ve seen services collapse. Social care is collapsing in England, no new schools being built in England, but we’ve seen the development of the Cwm Rhymni campus at the lower end of the valley here in Caerphilly.
“People can see that a Labour council makes a real difference.”
Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood visited Caerphilly town, Newbridge and Blackwood on Tuesday, April 25, to set out why people should vote for her party.
Speaking afterwards, Colin Mann, the Plaid Cymru group leader on Caerphilly County Borough Council, said the visit was a great boost to the local election campaign.
Cllr Mann said: “We visited some of the key targets for us in the local elections.
“People in these places, like many people across all wards in the county borough, understand the need to replace the stale Labour leadership of the local authority with something new and vibrant.”
Labour, which has been in power for the last five years, has highlighted low council tax increases, investment in libraries, boosts to the budgets of social services and education and the protection of council services all in the face of huge cuts made by the UK Government.
Plaid Cymru has promised more money for roads, tougher enforcement for fly-tipping and dog fouling offences, resistance to developers building on greenfield sites and employing traffic wardens.
A Labour group spokesperson said: “Plaid’s sums don’t add up – their ‘pledges’ are empty promises. Yet again we can see that Plaid Cymru are clueless. Caerphilly residents deserve responsible Council leadership.”
Plaid Cymru’s Cllr Mann said: “The last five years under Labour have been disastrous for people with mismanagement, rising council tax bills and a significant deterioration in services to the public.”
Both Labour and Plaid Cymru were involved in the Senior Officers pay scandal ( Cllr Mann conveniently chooses not to mention that when criticising Labour ).
So neither Labour or Plaid Cymru can offer any hope for residents.
I would have no confidence in either party in charge.
Could you explain how both parties were involved?
The Plaid Cymru group deputy leader was one of five councillors on the ‘secret committee’ that adopted the pay structure. This was declared to be ‘unlawful’ by the Welsh Audit Office. The public were deliberately not informed of this meeting.
This is, I believe, is what John Coffi alludes to.
Are you saying the committee adopted the structure or that each councilor voted for that?
I have no idea how the committee voted, it was secret remember, and as far as I know no minutes were taken. This question is better asked of the five Labour and Plaid councillors that took part. Sadly one of those present, Keith Reynolds, is no longer alive.
If that is the case then how can John Coffi say Plaid were involved in the pay scandal if nobody knows? Maybe he should answer the question.
I like Richard do not know how the individual members of the panel voted – what I am saying is it was not wholly made up of Labour Councillors and the fact that the meeting was deliberately not disclosed to the public ( which was confirmed by tne Wales Audit Office as illegal ) means that both Labour and Plaid were implicated.
Yes thats correct Richard
A Plaid Cymru councillor was present at the meeting which awarded the pay increases – the panel was not wholly made up of Labour Councillors)
(A fact that has been reported in these blogs on previous occasions )
Plaid and Labour…….two cheeks of the same back side, as somebody else once perfectly described them, and that’s about the truth of it really. If you’re a Caerphilly resident ( and a Welsh resident ) who wants change then vote for change not for the same $#!@ in a different colour.
Yes, Change is what is needed – but we all know the mentality of our voters.
It will be interesting to see the outcome of both the local election and general election – I am betting there will be marked differences,as generally in local elections people vote for the person and their decision is hardly ever based on what has ( or has not ) been achieved.
Yes, you are right. People regularly vote differently in a local election than in a general election. Local issues should dominate council elections, national issues should be the focus in a general election.
This time around the two types of election are close together on the calendar, this is unusual. Newspapers, TV and radio should not follow the temptation of basing their prediction of general election results on what happens in the council elections. They are chalk and cheese – as an example I think Conservatives will have poor council results in Wales but may do extremely well in the general election.
Yes, I think that’s what is likely to happen.
It will be interesting to see what the actual result will be in the general election – I wonder whether the Remoaners will see it as an opportunity to try and use tactical voting in an attempt to frustrate us leaving the EU ?
The general election will certainly be interesting, some parties are aligned one way or another, the Lib Dems and Welsh Nationalists are extreme supporters of the EU and want us to be run by unelected people in foreign countries. UKIP is on the other side of the argument wanting the UK to run its own affairs and take back control of our fishing grounds, borders and law making.
Labour and Tory parties are divided. Labour is led by a long standing EU sceptic and has a party membership who are also EU sceptic but a parliamentary party stuffed full of EU supporters who will stop at nothing to frustrate the referendum result. The Tory government is led by a woman who wanted to remain but now has to oversee our departure from the EU. Her party membership is made up of a mixture of leavers and remainers, as is the Tory parliamentary party.
This makes for the most facinating general election for decades. I am standing in the local elections but must say that the announcement of a general election over shadows our local politics.
Yes it’s certainly going to be the most interesting general election we will have had for some time.
I don’t usually stay up to see the results unfold – but this time I think it might be interesting to see how events unfold.
I think that one thing that has become clear regarding politics over the past year,not only in the UK but in many other countries,is that people are turning against ” more of the same”- all are craving for change.
Only time will tell whether any change is for the better.
Yes,I agree that the general election over shadows our local politics – but residents need to remember – this is your choice to have your say on how local services are run.
If you don’t vote it’ll be no good moaning in a few months time.
What you say, particularly your final sentence, is very true. I wish more people would take an interest I think there was only a 42% turnout last election in my ward and that’s actually better than many other wards.
I’m always surprised by the large number of people who just don’t bother to vote – do you think its down to laziness or apathy ? or a mixture of both ?
Lots of reasons why people don’t bother, apathy is often one, “They will do what they like anyway” and “They” certainly will unless people vote for a change.
Another reason young people don’t vote is the very poor standard of education in Wales. It is not lack of interest in their own future but an appalling lack of knowledge. I have spoken to 18-20 year olds who cannot tell the difference between the First and Second World wars, have never heard of Clement Attlee and think Britain was founder member of the EU.
If you know little of politics and history it is impossible to make an informed decision, which is what casting your vote is. It is getting worse for those who go to university with people the Students Union don’t like being denied a platform and ‘safe spaces.’ This explains why the turnout gets ever lower – people just don’t understand what it is that the various parties stand for.
Yes, it is true what you are saying and a reflection on our ever declining education system. However,we have had a few political shocks recently – hopefully this will continue with people turning out in record numbers !
I somehow doubt that we will see it though……
We just have to live in hope or give up. I am just an ordinary bloke from a humble background doing my best for the people of Caerffili. If voters like what I stand for I am very grateful for their vote. If they disagree then vote for someone else. But whatever happens please take an interest and vote for somebody – better people than me suffered and died to give you a vote. To be able to cast a ballot is a priviledge denied to many in the world – use it!
Well said Richard – and unlike the Brexit Remoaners – I will accept the democratic verdict of the majority !
Funny you should say that. I’ve just received your pamphlet through the door and fully intend to vote for you.
At the General election however, I’m torn between ukip and the torys. I want Teresa may to take us out of the EU so for the first time in my life I’m considering voting blue in a GE to give her the mandate she requires.
It’s a tough choice, I wish Sam Gould was well enough to stand this time around. He came second last election and would make a great MP, solidly behind the wishes of the electorate on leaving the EU.
I’m the same – never voted Tory but I definitely want out of the EU so Theresa May will get my vote.
Even though she has triggered Article 50 the likes of Merkel and Junckers are still trying their threatening and bullying tactics !
I think she is a strong leader and refuses to be initimidated.
I’m completely undecided about May. She’s a bit of an enigma.
It is said about the Prime Minister “Theresa May, or May not…” That is the difficulty I have with her. She says the right things but so far I see little action. Her predecessor, Cameron, went back on his promise, of course. He said he would start the process of leaving the EU the very next day if that is what the referendum demanded. He did not and this has caused problems.