In a new blog for Caerphilly Observer, Caerphilly AM Jeff Cuthbert outlines his concerns over Plaid Cymru’s claims of a council “sandwich tax” and his reasons on why the UK should remain in the EU.
Plaid’s Scare Stories
I read with disbelief the recent accusation from Plaid Cymru that the Labour-run council were somehow going to make parents pay for sending their children to school with sandwiches.
This of course has been rebutted by the council leadership and the chief executive who I know are worried that grossly misleading stories like this one can cause panic for parents up and down the borough. I understand of course that the Assembly election is near but it isn’t right for opposition politicians to try to score cheap political points off the backs of worried parents and pupils in the pursuit of votes.
This Plaid attack is the first in probably a long line of misrepresentations that will be put out by the Nationalists before the election. It was indeed the Plaid candidate for the Assembly election who made the comments and not their shadow education member.
EU Referendum
The EU referendum is being held on June 23. The referendum will be the first of its kind since 1975 and I’m in no doubt that a vote to stay in Europe, is in Wales’ interests. As a former Welsh Government Minister I’ve seen the positive influence of EU money on this constituency.
The Welsh Government’s flagship Jobs Growth Wales Programme, which is 50% EU funded, has created 1,411 job opportunities here in Caerphilly County Borough for 16 – 24 year olds. Our enhanced Apprenticeship programme is 50% funded by EU money also.
Major regeneration schemes across Wales have been delivered with EU money such as the infrastructure improvements and developments in the north of my constituency in Bargoed.
The EU isn’t perfect but for these reasons, it’s in Wales’ interests to stay in. Critics of the EU claim that money “saved” from our membership will replace the EU’s contribution. But there is no evidence to support this claim and I suspect any such money “saved” will be needed to pay benefit to the many men and women that will lose their jobs if we pull out of the single market.
Labour have plans to charge schools over £2,000 to “clear up” after children who take sandwiches.
The school will have to lose over £2,000 off their budget if they don`t charge the sandwich tax.
Again ill thought plan by the Labour Council as was the support given to the Local Development Plan which will see houses built half way up Caerphilly Mountain resulting in green field sites being lost for future generations. This will also cause traffic hold ups and the resulting pollution.
Please stop blaming others Mr Cuthbertson for Labour`s failures
AGAIN; you are incorrect in continueing spouting the nonsence that there is some sort of TAX paid on the labour proposals. get over it for goodness sake, it has not, is not and will not happen,You appear NOT to able to listen to other peoples comments, much like your political leader on the CCBC Mr Whittle.
You can call it a sandwhich charge if you want but the facts that that schools will have to pay an average of more than £2,000 each. BTW Lindsay Whittle has not been the Plaid leader on Caerphilly council since 2011.
Of Course, you are correct, Mr Whittle has not led The Nationalist on the Council for some years, in fact since he was appointed ( not elected) to the Assembly.
He could, though, I presume, regain the position of leader if he failes to win the Caerphilly Seat in the first pass the post election on May? It seems he wont be `appointed` from the South East Wales regional list because he does not appear on that list, and, The Welsh Nationalist have made great play on who leads that list and who is second and third on it, and Mr Whittle does not appear anywhere near it, perhaps, if he is on that list, (as a belt and bracers approach to Welsh Democracy,) you and your party leaders should clarify the position so that we all know who we are selecting for appointment when we are asked to vote for your PARTY on the Regional list vote.
Lindsay did not seek a place on the regional list. Also all those elected on the regional lists are elected – not appointed – and there are politicians from the four current parties in the Assembly that were elected on one of the regional lists. There is a mixture of first past the post and PR system in the Assembly as there is in Scotland, which also operates PR for council elections. Top of the Plaid list in the south-east is Steffan Lewis from Blackwood, one of the most talented young politicians in Wales. Remember the name.
That`s it change the subject off Labour`s sandwich tax
Duh!!
It`s a charge from Council to schools, do the schools pass on the charge or not?
embarrassing isn`t it ….
Find me a `Head` who agrees with you, if you can?
Find you`re own head but I should imagine, having worked with schools, all schools will be either against the charge for parents or a drop in their budget of over £2,000
Caerphilly Council, under Labour, are investing more money in education than ever before, name a head of school who supports your `assumption` that schools intend to charge parents for providing sandwiches for thier kids to take to school. And be careful when responding that you read my comment properly, that you understand it, and you think about the answer, clearly, Mr Whittle, one of the Candidates in the current Assembly Election has not done so before inventing an `off the wall` situation which does not exist, perhaps age and lack of dexterity and understanding has something to do with it, and you appear to have `caught it`, do you notice the total lack of comments on this or any other site supporting this Candidate and his idea of a Sandwhich Tax.?
The Labour controlled council are forcing a charge of over £2,000 on our schools for clearing up at lunchtime.
If it wasn`t for Mr Whittle bringing this to the publics attention the sandwich tax would be there and Labour would not be backtracking as fast as they are..
Sandwich Tax & LDP
such an embarrassment to you ….
Welsh Nationalist putting up the Death Tax in the Borough, investing millions of pounds in failing Iclandic Banks, putting up the cost of MEALS ON WHEELS TO DISABLED AND OLD PEOPLE, create a finacial surplus and using that money to susidise cheaper meals in thier own council offices dinning rooms,closing rural schools in the borough, etc etc etc Again I will tell you, you appear not to comprehend first time around, that I am NOT in favour of the current published LDP, I AM in favour of Hefin Davids proposals of a REGIONAL LDP, and, there is no such thing as a sandwich Tax. get over it for goodness sake,
Your party, The Welsh Nationalists, fail in power and fail even more dramatically in opposition, failing to understand and correctly interpret Labour Party Policies, and, I notice today your members in the Welsh Assembly have thrown thier toys out of the pram in respect to the e-cigs ban in certain places, I know your friend Mr Whittle, who is leaving the Assembly, actually supports LABOUR in respect to this move, but of course he is TOLD what to do and how to vote by others.
Wow, talk about gutter politics, keep going Labour boy you`ll soon be in the sewers ….
Fact: Labour Group on CCBC are pushing a charge of over £2,000 on schools.
Fact: The Labour Group on CCBC are supporting the LDP and inflicting mass building on Caerphilly Mountain spoiling the area for generations to come.
Such an embarrassment ……..
Gutter Politics? the truth hurts, does it?.
Mr Cuthbert seeks to mislead readers. The facts are that the Labour council will charge schools an average of more than £2,000 to cover the costs of laying out tables and clearing up after children have finished eating their sandwiches. They are taking money out of schools and putting it into the councils pockets.
You can call it a sandwich charge, levy, fee or even a tax. Schools have a choice of whether to fund it themselves, use their own staff to carry out the work, stop children bringing sandwiches or I guess as a last resort passing it onto parents. So Mr Cuthbert can you tell readers whether or not you support this £2,000 charge, tax, whatever you want to call it?
The Welsh Nationalist Council ( When they had control) increased charges all over the place,, including a Death Tax, ( which no one could avoid paying) now thats a TAX, .
They also increased the meals on wheels charges on disabled elderly and housebound residents, ` a mashed potato and gravy tax`, and had the cheek to do so in order to use the surplus to subsidise the cost of their own use of the Council offices dinning rooms, now thats a TAX.
Sandwich TAX ? get over it.
Bedroom Tax, Sandwich Tax maybe not the Council`s official name but an extra payment either by the schools out of their budget or by the parents if the schools pass the charge on.
Interesting how Caerphilly Labour are backtracking on this and even delaying the tax til after the election – cynical or what
With the sandwich tax and the LDP it must be very embarrassing for you Labour supporters at the moment
So we will ‘lose jobs’ if we don’t remain in th EU. Well we are in the EU at the moment and I don’t see that that benefits the Welsh steel workers who are currently losing their jobs. A reality check is needed here, in 1973 when we joined, the then, common market Wales had a massive steel industry. We also had a South and North Wales coalfield which employed more than 40,000 people directly and employed at least that number supplying and supporting them.
All this has gone and the remaining industrial jobs are set to go too, as far as the EU is concerned Wales can get by on low skill, low wage jobs and can be jolly well grateful that the comissioners spend some of the money that Britain pays in for a few projects to alleviate the poverty that results.
I am not taken in by this nonsense – when a right wing Labour party machine allies with the Tories. Liberal Democrats and the Welsh Nationalists to try and keep us in this corrupt organisation we should all smell a rat. It is worth remembering that some of the greatest political intellects over half a century of argument such as, Gaitskill, Benn, Powell, Foot and yes, even Boris, have all warned us of the danger posed by membership of an organisation which cannot produce a balance sheet that any auditor will pass fit and which is also anti worker and anti democratic to its core.
Wales get more out of EU than it puts in including jobs at St Athan for Aston Martin
Nothing to do with the EU – everything to do with the 3,500 skilled workers that lost their jobs when DARA closed in St. Athan. Aston Martin has a skilled workforce waiting.
Thank you Mr Williams but Aston Martin stated that being in the EU helped with their decision
Absolute rubbish, Aston Martin cars will sell throughout the world even if they are made in inner mongolia. as will BMW Rolls Royce and Land Rover, nothing at all to do with EU influences
Keep up Labour boy:
Aston Martin were looking for a site worldwide and one factor in coming to Wales was that the UK were in the EU: Fact
CORRECT; my comment was that it does`nt matter where they manufacture Aston Martin cars, they will sell all they can make, all over the world, surly you understood that?
You appear to suggest unless we were in the EU a British Company would move out? absolute rubbish of course,
However I will conceed one point; AND AS YOU SAY, LOUD AND CLEARLY; IT WAS THE LABOUR WELSH ASSEMBLY ADMINISTRATION WHICH BROUGHT THIS INVESTMENT TO WALES, WALES. This firm, like many others which Labour have attracted to our wonderful Country, realise that under a Labour Administration WALES is the place to invest for the future.
You seem a little confused: It was the Welsh Government and the Welsh civil servants that brought this to Wales.
Confused? me?. you actually make my point for me, The Welsh Government, yes; a LABOUR controlled Welsh Govenerment, fact.
The Welsh Civil Servents work under the LABOUR Government, in power, and its relevent LABOUR Ministers, as you should know, It is a LABOUR inspired Policy which attracts such welcome inward investment.
Unlike Labour it`s a WELSh government set up to benefit the people of WALES
Established by a LABOUR UK Government, you have such a short memory don`t you remember?
Completely incorrect, even the remain camp dont claim that, it is just incorrect.
Mr Cuthbert, I have voted Labour all my adult life, my children have gone through Caerphilly schools and now my grandchildren are following them.
When this first came to light both Mr Reynolds and CCBC made statements about the charge, so there is obviously a charge.
Please can you make a clear statement about this charge that is going to be brought in.
Is the figure the schools will have to pay around £2,000?
What is the charge for?
Can the schools pass on the charge to parents?
Thank you
Time to stop voting Labour Heather. I stopped at the 2010 election. Events such as the LDP and the council senior officer’s pay rise have proved I made the correct decision.
Thank you Councillor.
I`m surprised Mr Cuthbert puts a blog on here but doesn`t answer questions.
All he has done is blame others. There are also other Labour members on here ( maybe Mr Cuthbert?) who blame others instead of making a clear statement, I get the feeling on May 5th our votes will be going elsewhere for the first time in our lives and all we want to know is:
Is the figure the schools will have to pay around £2,000?
What is the charge for?
Can the schools pass on the charge to parents?
Thank you
Surly, if you want the truth, and you want political debate you would be content to read the views of other people who do not agree with you? you cerainly would not want to gag them from expressing a view, would you?
I am sure you already know the answer to the questions you pose, you will also know that head teachers have responsibility to balance the books, and, if you can find ANY head of school who is even considering imposing a charge on parents for allowing children to bring sandwiches into school, i`ll show you a professional educationalist who is willing to put their politics above their vocation
I am certain you will NOT find such an animal amongst the fine, professional, dedicated individuals who head our Counties Education system.
I guess the sad fact is that the labour controlled CCBC are imposing a charge on schools and that is sad.
Which ever way you look at it this charge will be of detriment to the children and they deserve better.
For the sake of our childrens future we will never vote Labour again.
The attitude on here stinks Mr Cuthbert blames others for Labour`s mistakes and that`s unforgivable
School Charge and LDP we are looking forward to the Labour canvass
In making your decision not to vote Labour ever again because of the way they are handling education finance in the Borough makes no sense at all; CAERPHILLY LABOUR ARE INVESTING MORE MONEY IN SCHOOLS THAN EVER BEFORE – -FACT. In fact, all Labour supporters and those who support more investment in our childrens education in the Borough WILL VOTE LABOUR.
Your position does not make sense, or, you never vote labour anyway, or, you dont know the facts, or, you are prepared to abondone further investment in our schools, which labour are making, or, you simply dont know what you are talking about, thank god Labour Councillors and supporter do know the direction they want to take in respect to the education of our kids and are prepared to invest more and more money in it.
You are losing your own support because of yours & Cuthberts bad attitude and bad decisions made by labour
Rubbish
I some how don`t think you will get a knock on your door, by labour, if you live in Caerphilly .. please don`t hold your breath
Lisa
Proud to be a Welsh nationalist and support Wales unlike the English parties
Because of Mr Cuthberts attitude in blaming others but not making the issue clear I will now, for the first time in my adult life, NOT be voting Labour on May 5th
I think that is the correct decision Heather. I will not pry by asking who you may vote for, the act of casting a ballot is itself praiseworthy. I will vote UKIP as it is very important, in my opinion, that we leave the EU. Apart from anything else the way the unelected EU commissioners treat the poor people of Greece is enough for me.
As the explosions in Brussels show we must be strong together and strengthen intelligence between countries
The problem is caused by EU countries dropping bombs on others in a futile war and then being totally unable to cope with the resulting flow of economic migrants escaping to what they hope will be a better life.
Remaining in the EU will make the situation worse. Cooperation between sovereign states is the way forward along with stopping meddling in Middle Eastern countries.
All if`s and buts,, but, it will be down to the head of each school to balance their books, Ask the head of any school if you are worried about what Mr Whittle says, BECAUSE LABOUR HAVE ALREADY SAID THEY ARE NOT IMPOSING CHARGES ON PARENTS End Of Find me a School Head who is going to make a charge on parents, I dont think you can
This is a non story twisted by a `has been` political party to try to make political capital in order to try to attract the odd vote or two.Wont do `em any good though. People see through the synicism of it.
So the schools ARE going to be charged over £2,000 and will have to come out of their budget. No Head will be happy with that.
Thanks for the conformation
I`m surprised Mr Cuthbert puts a blog on here but doesn`t answer questions.
All he has done is blame others. There are also other Labour members on here ( maybe Mr Cuthbert?) who blame others instead of making a clear statement, I get the feeling on May 5th our votes will be going elsewhere for the first time in our lives and all we want to know is:
Is the figure the schools will have to pay around £2,000?
What is the charge for?
Can the schools pass on the charge to parents?
Thank you