Rebel Labour councillors have called for a rethink on controversial plans to build a council-owned cinema in Bargoed.
According to Blackwood councillor Nigel Dix, Caerphilly County Borough Council is planning to take out a £4m loan, repayable over a 20 year period, to fund the cost of the building. National cinema chain Odeon has been lined up by the local authority to lease it.
However, Cllr Roy Saralis, who represents Penmaen, has tabled a motion for the council’s Regeneration and Scrutiny Committee to reconsider the plan.
It has received the backing of six other Labour councillors. These are Cllr Dix, Cllr Allan Rees and Cllr Patricia Cook of Blackwood, Cllr Jan Jones and Cllr Colin Durham of Ynysddu and Cllr Jean Summers of Penmaen.
Cllr Dix is already facing a party disciplinary over comments he made to Caerphilly Observer questioning the Bargoed cinema plan. Cllr Dix has also hit back at claims made by the Labour group that the issue had not previously faced dissent.
Cllr Gez Kirby, Labour group spokesman denied the group is split on the Bargoed cinema issue, or any other issue.
He added it would be premature to comment on the motion before it was tabled.
Cllr Gez Kirby, Labour group spokesmans is in complete denial that there is a healthy split in the labour ranks, in Caerphilly Council, at least on this issue.
Gez really has to get a grip of the methods he uses to determine if there is proper, democratic, and reasonably `splits` being expressed by elected councillors who`s only intention is to properly serve thier constituents.There clearly is on the Cinema issue.
Voters expect the `individuals` they elect through the ballot box to properly represent them, and not to simply become `voting` fodder for the ambitions of others, who feel, they are in exaulted roles within the Council stewardship, and, as a result feel they can cucumvent the democratic procceses by silencing anyone who properly opposses them in the Council Chamber.
The voters of Caerphilly will not appreciate a system which appears to want to `silence` the people they elect in thier own wards.
“Cllr Gez Kirby, Labour group spokesman denied the group is split on the Bargoed cinema issue, or any other issue.”
I can’t believe that in a group of 50 councillors there are no differences of opinion on policies and that every single councillor is content with the cabinet’s actions on senior officer pay awards, the Bargoed cinema proposal and in what areas budget cuts are to be made. This is to mention just three contentious issues. If I talk with four people on the main street of Caerffili I always get a difference of opinion on the issues of the day and in the Town Council, of 12 members, there are frequent differences of opinon which lead to, sometimes lively, debates.
If Cllr. Gez Kirby really believes that everyone on the Labour group is in agreement with all policies he needs to get out and talk with people more often. I don;t think he really does believe what he is saying but has adopted a ‘bunker mentality’ where alternative views are not properly aired within the Labour group. This has led to six councillors quite properly asking for a rethink on the cinema. This is healthy and good for democracy and I hope I see more of this until the cabinet realises that it has to listen to contrary views from within its own party.