In his regular blog for Caerphilly Observer, Caerphilly Council leader Lindsay Whittle gives his take on recent news.
LABOUR LET DOWN WALES – AGAIN
Labour’s failure to change a system that saw Wales send £1bn of council house rents to Westminster over a decade speaks volumes for their attitude towards Wales.
A former aide to former First Minister Rhodri Morgan described the policy as a “systematic steal of the rents paid by council tenants”.
This should have been spent on council housing in Wales but ended up in the Treasury coffers.
In 2000, the Labour Government reformed the system in England, stopping the transfer from rents to benefits – but not in Wales. This must now be reversed and the money that Welsh councils are owed should be paid back.
Labour has already let Wales down as a result of the unfairness of the Barnett formula. It knew Wales did not receive the funding it should have had but did nothing. Now there’s the council house rents issue. What’s next?
SAVINGS AT THE TOP
I’ve spoken previously about the major financial challenges facing the council and the fact this Plaid-led council is adopting a top down approach when it comes to looking for savings.
We’re on course to achieve savings of around £1m over the next few years as a result of a shake-up in the senior management restructure. The changes will improve efficiency and reduce costs.
Our determination remains to ensure that despite the difficult financial position for all local authorities we want to keep any impact on frontline services is kept to a minimum. I’d also like to thank our dedicated workforce for their support.
COMMUNITY CHAMPION AWARDS
I attended the South Wales Echo’s Community Champion Awards and I was delighted that Tracy Wallace from Blackwood picked up the Champion Friend award.
Tracy was nominated by childhood friend Linda Beddoes, who said thatTracy remained generous and caring in spite of recent health problems.
I understand Tracy has suffered from meningitis and two blood clots in the past year but now she is planning to get married next year. Congratulations Tracy, an award well deserved.
Lindsay Whittle
Plaid Cymru leader of Caerphilly County Borough Council
dus this guy read what he is wrighting Westminster dus not have £1bn to seand back to wales. Insted of wasting his breth calling for it, to try and hide theyer bad spending plans (like bilding new bildings costing millions when we have a bilding for the job not beaing used.) he should try cuting down a tree with a fish. it may be jest as pointlas but it will at leat have some entrtament value.
Dear Editor,I would like to respond to the comments from Geriant.Firstly it seems they did not spend much money on his education.Wales has always been under funded from the goverment in London this is a fact. Many of the new buildings he is referring to were started under the last Labour council.He must make the effort to get his facts right.Now its coming up to Xmas he should ask santa to send him a dictionary.
David Smith.
in reponce to david
the point i was macking is nuthing to with money we should have but that we espeshaly in our curent eco climit whont get it so going on about it is a wast of time
and as for the bilding i was refering to the wast procesing bilding that was obtained under the labour council and is curently unused but plide are trying to bild antherone for the job.
and your comint "should ask santa to send him a dictionary." i am dislecksic and am most ofendid by this statment