Finance Settlement

So NPT is just getting a 2.1% increase in the budget settlement - way behind the rate of inflation. Fab. Well done guys. Well done in particular to Brian Gibbons, AM for Aberavon of course.

What does this mean? Well savings of course, aka "cut backs", "job losses", "reduced services" etc etc - all those things that politicians will NOT say when there's an election in the offing, if ever.

Derek Vaughan, Leader of NPT, has already blamed the "Plaid led Assembly" for this (blimey his maths is bad) so now despite Labour ministers making all of the key decisions (exlcuding the future of the Wales MC and rural issues which have been made by Plaid AMs) this is Plaid's fault. Apparently. Next they'll blame it on 18years of Tory rule, that ended a decade ago.

Salaries are a major cost to all Local Authorities. May I be the first to suggest that first of all County Councillors are not awarded a pay increase this year and encouraged to contribute 10% of their salaries back to the council tax payer (£1,200 in my case - £4,800 for the leader) and that others are encouraged to do likewise - for the sake of the community!

Most County Councillors are receiving pensions in addition to their allowances, and those who don't are working. I propose we make this minimal contribution and show unanimty in this case!

Election on the way

Today's Western Mail carries a letter from the Parliamentrary Spokesperson from the Liberal Party in Wales, whoever the hell they are.

He makes great effort to complement the Cleaner or Caretaker of the public toilets in Barry. Is there an election afoot or did the WM hang onto this letter so long that it makes it pointless?!?

New Leader for Lib Dems

Isn't that a bit like appointing a new captain for a ghost ship without a rudder?

Plaid and Airbrushing

Naughty naughty isn't it - I mean airbrushing Rhodders out of the send-off photo of the Welsh squad on the Plaid website, as advertised recently.

As the king of tussled hair pointed out on Radio Wales lunch time - he doesn't care and finds it funny.

Had they replaced him with Huw Lewis it might have been funnier still...

Too cold for the Lib Dems

Is it me or... the back page of the Western Mail today shows a send off of our Welsh rugby hopefulls with Rhodders and Ieuan WJ holding a flag behind Alfie, coupled with Jonathon Morgan and what looks like David Melding...

My word the Lib Dems really are out in the cold.

Peter Black, Lib Dem Leader

Peter's been hinting for some time that he isn't happy with Mike's rule. It's a fair comment but I do wonder about him doing this so publicly. He has an interesting article in the Western Mail today. He says "we have spent too long mistaking our activities in the Assembly for campaigning." I suspect this is true of all parties. Those of us interested in the Assembly hang on every hallowed word while those who are not - well are not.

I know when I'm out thumping the streets people still blame the Assembly for everything - even when it's a community / town, County or Westminster issue. At the same time AMs don't help matters when they write letters, commit to support causes or get involved in issues which are County Council issues or relavent to the Westminster Government only. My local AM is excellent at doing this. She is constantly associating herself with vote winning campaigns that she has no say on.

It's no wonder then that so many of her constituents blame the Assembly for not only matters it has powers over, but those that it does not.

It's good to see though at least some AMs have the balls to raise their heads above the parapet. Even if it is being sniped at.

Tories not so full of shit

Interesting to read on Alun Cairns' blog that he was emptying his parents' chemical toilet at the Steddfod this week. The things us mere mortals are expected to do! I shovel my dog's faeces on a daily basis. It's such a joyless task but it does keep your grubby feet on the ground.

Who said life is shit?

Huw