In his regular blog for Caerphilly Observer South Wales East AM Lindsay Whittle gives his take on recent news.
Sandwich Tax
I’ve upset the ruling Labour Party on Caerphilly council by revealing plans to introduce a sandwich tax.
At last month’s budget meeting, which I was unable to attend, the Labour group pushed through the charge which will be levied on our schools.
They have postponed the introduction from April, which would have been just before May’s Assembly election, to September at the start of the new school term.
Naturally, there has been uproar from parents not just in Caerphilly County Borough but from much further afield and an online petition has been started.
I can promise Observer readers that I will not let this matter lie because it is totally wrong to impose a charge of around £2,000 on our primary schools. I honestly can’t think what Labour Cabinet member for Education was doing supporting this charge which takes money out of schools. She is supposed to be the guardian of schools.
Sure, Caerphilly schools are receiving more money from the council from next month but this is only because the financial settlement for the authority was much better than expected.
And what happens if our hard-pressed schools can’t afford to meet the sandwich tax? What are the options? Headteachers could find volunteers to lay out tables and clear up after pupils have eaten, they could decide not to allow sandwiches to be brought into school or parents could be charged.
None of these options is acceptable to me. I don’t believe money should be taken out of schools and put into the coffers of the council. As far as I’m concerned the authority should meet the charges and I will continue campaigning for the tax to be scrapped.
A sandwich tax is not acceptable, now, in September or any time in the future.
Spring Conference
With the election just a couple of months away, I spoke at the party’s spring conference which took place last Friday and Saturday.
Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood has made it clear that the future of the NHS will be the focus of the party’s campaign.
I highlighted local issues such as the Local Development Plan, which the Labour group wants to introduce. It could see more than 2,000 homes being built in the Caerphilly Basin, which is unacceptable. It will put pressure on roads, schools and other services such as doctor’s surgeries. I will fight these proposed green field developments. Brown field sites must be the first choice.
Why is it only Mr Whittle who does`nt understand the statements issued by the Cabinet Member for Education, all this `flaffing Puffing and huffing` from an Assemby Member, who, we would like to understands knows the difference between `Micro` and `Macro` Welsh Politics, and it is a serious issue when he continues to peddle the lie about this matter, as an Assembly Member, this blog is entitled “South Wales East AM Lindsay Whittle’s blog”: So I presume he is raising this issue as an Assembly Member, in fact I dont presume it, he is doing so.
That being the case, This Welsh Assembly member should raise the issue in the Assembly Chamber, if he continues to still believe it, even after he has been told by those in power in Caerphilly, i.e. The Labour Party, that he talking nonsence.
And I for one am not interested to know what he and his colleagues got up to in their get together recently, I certainly dont think this media should be used for electioneering by him, in support of the forethcoming election for Assembly Seats HE IS A DECALARED CANDIDATE IB THAT ELECTION; HE SAID, “.With the election just a couple of months away, I spoke at the party’s spring conference which took place last Friday and Saturday.Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood has made it clear that the future of the NHS will be the focus of the party’s campaign”.
ALL CANDIDATES IN THAT ELECTION SHOULD HAVE THE SAME FACILITY AFFORDED TO THEM BY THE EDITOR. OR THIS MANS PLATFORM FOR USING THIS MEDIA SHOULD BE WITHDRAWN UNTIL AFTER THE ELECTION, AND ONLY REINSTATED IF HE IS ELECTED.
I suppose it all depend on the political prejudice of the paper. I don’t suppose Sam Gould is allowed a blog on here despite the fact that many more Caerffili people vote for him than Plaid Cymru.
lol .. what position does Mr Gould hold???
In an election all CANDIDATES are equal, no one candidate can be advantaged over others, in the election Mr Whittle holds NO position except that of a CANDIDATE equal to ALL other Candidates in the election,so, whatever position Sam Gould holds or not he is EQUAL to Mr Whittle in the Election. And of course he will poll many many more votes and support than Mr Whittle when it comes to election day. certainly keeping plaid in , at best, third place.
correct and as the election gets closer both Mr Whittle`s and Cuthbert`s blogs should stop.
You agree then? that Labour and UKIP will keep your man in THIRD place. in the forthcoming election, i.e. that is, the one which Hefin David, Labour Party will WIN
You think David will get in after the Labour Group have stabbed the people of Caerphilly County in the back?
Such an embarrassment
Bet on it, it is a cert, of course everyone else except you knows that Hefin David, the LABOuR candidate in the election, voted, AGAINST accepting the current LDP, putting forward an alternative Regional proposal for the progress of LDP`s. When elected of course he will probably support and work towards the Welsh Assembly developing such a Regional Policy for LDP`s.
So, yes I do think Hefin David will be elected by the people of Caerphilly, unlike you, who all know he was, and is opposed to the current LDP. and not only that, he proposes a complete change in the way future LDP`s are developed. He may, as an Assembly Member be able to bring that change about.
You and the Labour Group are taking the people of Caerphilly County as fools and shame on you all. You need to lift your politics out of the gutter and come into the real world.
There are a lot of people in Caerphilly ready and waiting to question you and your party on the LDP and sandwich tax so when are you going to start knocking doors?
Then maybe David can explain “his” plans and why, if they are so great, the Labour group didn`t support them….
To tell David not to support the LDP is the oldest trick in the book but as a member of the Labour Group must now try to defend the indefensible.
Labour – Oh so embarrassing
I understand Hefin David, the next Assembly Member for Caerphilly, is taking great pleasure in explaining his counter proposals against the LDP ( still under public consultation therefore not yet passed) to the people of Caerphilly County Constituency. Knocking doors almost every day of the week,
Unlike your Candidate in this election, Mr Whittle, who was told which way to vote on the Assembly Health Bill this week, ( even though he agrees with it almost lock stock and barrel,) Councillor Hefin David, as was proven by his recent vote AGAINST his groups support for the proposed LDP WILL NOT BUCKLE UNDER POLITICAL PRESSURE, he will follow his professional instincts and knowledge, and even come up with an alternative to that which is proposed.
And I dont understand your reference to a Sandwich Tax?.
Well there are a lot of people in Caerphilly awaiting an explanation of why the Labour Group have supported such plans for Caerphilly. Guess what, know one has had their door knocked by Labour yet.
Sandwich Tax: they will also need to explain why they are putting a charge of over £2,000 on schools and thanks to Plaid Cymru the charge WILL NOT be passed on so the schools will lose over £2,000 from their already over stretched budget
The Labour Candidate WAS told to vote against the LDP ( The oldest trick in the book) whilst Labour voted FOR the LDP – nothing at all to be proud of
WRONG again on all three points;
Labour, and Hefin David, the Labour Party Candidate in the Assembly elections, and hundreds of his activist supporters are out on the streets on a daily basis, Fact;
And your acceptance that Mr Whittle`s, The Welsh Nationalists, claim of a “Sandwich Tax on Parents of Children taking sandwiches into schools” WAS WRONG INCORRECT AND AN ELLUSION, is itself a revelation, NOW you understand!!!!!. Yo.u have clearly failed to find that elusive animal, a head of school, aWelsh Nationalist Head of School, who agrees with Mr Whittle that they will impose a charge on parents? and in so doing play politcal party Politics with our Childrens Education, I told you you would NOT find such a person amongst the professional teaching classes, despite your Welsh Nationalist School Governor Colleagues desperatly trying to encoHead of School to do so.
LDP issues, and Hefin Davids Position is so well documented now I am surprised you dont comprehend it. It must be a mind block issue.
and you think that you are the only one on here that is right – WRONG AGAIN
Well there are a lot of people in Caerphilly awaiting an explanation of
why the Labour Group have supported such plans for Caerphilly. Guess
what, no one has had their door knocked by Labour yet. So when is your circus coming to Caerphilly?
You are posting a lot of Krap lately, you need to come out of your fantasy world and into the real world.
FACT: Labour are proposing to charge schhols over £2,000
FACT: Due to the intervention of LYNDSEY WHITTLE & PLAID CYMRU schools will not pass on the sandwich tax to parents but will have to lose over £2,000 off their budgets.
FACT: The labour group on CCBC have voted to support the LDP against the people but supporting the developers.
FACT: you and labour are a disgrace
Caerphilly are awaiting your circus and clowns
L.O.L. Bless.
If you don`t want to know what Mr Whittle gets up to then don`t read his excellent blog.
I read this blog because I want to know what views and attitudes are held by one of the Assembly Members ( not elected) off the Regional list of `names`. who is supposed to represent me.
His blog refers to Assembly Election issues in respect to his party, (The once loud and proud Welsh Nationalists) who, will lose seats in this election, I also notice that Mr Whittle `appears` from all Plaid Cymru publications and statements, to be standing as a first pass the post Candidate,? but no longer as a name on the Regional Lists, does this mean he will no longer be an Assembly Member after the election? could this therefore be his last `blog`? on this media.
Steady, you mentioned Plaid Cymru , your masters in England probably will not like that lol
Mr Whittle, thanks for bringing to our attention the Labour plans for the sandwich tax which they are trying to keep quiet. Also thank you for your support AGAINST the LDP which will ruin Caerphilly, shame on the Labour Group on Caerphilly Council
NO SUCH THING AS A SANDWICH TAX, and thank you Labours Hefin David for voting against the LDP.
And, unlike The Welsh Nationalists Council opposition party, , thank you Hefin David for proposing a perfectly reasonable and acceptable alternative proposal to the CCBC LDP
There is a charge proposed by Labour and David was told not to support the LDP which should have been sent back to the planners.
Stop trying to make out the people of Caerphilly County are idiots
Not the people of Caerphilly,, Lisa, they voted Labour into power, they are Not the idiots you think they are. In fact, they booted your lot out, almost lock stock and barrel, the people of Caerphilly are clever, thinking, and politicaly astute lot, thats why they got rid of the Welsh Nationalists
History – come back to the present and stop twisting the truth
The people of Caerphilly County are certainly NOT the idiots Caerphilly Labour think they are
They are not idiots, they did two very sensible things in the last Local Elections, first, they voted your party out of power, almost lock stock and barrel, and second; they voted INTO power a very progressive and engaging Labour administration, how could anyone take them for idiots? your arguments are falling apart.
and the Labour Group has tucked them up with the sandwich tax and LDP.
I can understand how very embarrassing it is for you and fair play you are trying to defend the indefensible
For the record; I have NOT defended the published LDP I have however supported the proposition put forward by Hefin David LABOUR COUNCILLOR AND LABOUR CANDIDATE IN THE ELECTION MR WHITTLE MENTIONS IN HIS BLOG, And, if you hav`nt heard, it is to evolve a REGIONAL DLP.
Secondly; I dont know what Sandwhich Tax you are talking about, and neither do you it appears, because you have got so much wrong.
Embarrassed? me? why?, in fact if you hav`nt noticed, again, I am absolutely confident and delighted to support almost all the Caerphilly Council LABOUR administration have done and are doing in the name of all its citizens..