Carmarthenshire - 'Zombie council' says Jonathan Edwards MP
Following the announcement on Wednesday that chief executive Mark James is remaining in post for the time being, Plaid Cymru MP Jonathan Edwards has hit out and warned that Carmarthenshire is at risk...
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Hengoed By-election - People First candidate
The Hengoed council by-election will be held on the 19th February. I don't usually endorse any candidates but I'm making an exception this time. As readers will be aware, Cllr Sian Caiach, who is...
View ArticleSidelining Scrutiny - Premature and Unconstitutional?
Further to my earlier blogpost, Next week's meeting - Scrutiny sidelined, it seems that the decision to to shove Scrutiny and Planning Committee reports en bloc 'for information only', something the...
View ArticleA leisure trust on its way....a follow-up post
Back in October the council tendered for a consultant 'to assist with the delivery of an alternative trust management arrangement for its Leisure Services'. This was a 14 month contract at unknown...
View ArticleThe common denominator
The news that the EU Commission has decided, after an informal assessment, not to investigate Carmarthenshire Council over illegal State Aid (unfair competition) funding to Scarlets Regional Ltd, will...
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Outsourcing - A message from Unison
Further to the news that Carmarthenshire Council is planning to outsource all leisure and cultural services, the Carmarthenshire branch of Unison held a protest outside County Hall yesterday. They will...
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February meeting - CCTV, hustings, and constitutional mischief
As usual, yesterday's meeting, in its entirety, can be viewed here so I will only refer to a couple of points.Due to Mr James' last minute alterations to the agenda for the avoidance of awkward...
View ArticleLocal Authority Performance - six red cards for Carmarthenshire
The latest stats for Local Authority Performance 2013 -14 have just been published by the Welsh Governmet and like the recent traffic light bandings for education; red, amber and green are used to...
View ArticleCouncil "Undemocratic and dangerous" says Cllr Sian Caiach
(Update below)Back in 2012 I referred to an Ombudsman's report which upheld a complaint against Carmarthenshire Council relating to the unlawful extended removal of an autistic young woman from her...
View ArticleThe Dylan Thomas wind turbine judgement
The Cardiff High Court judgement over the granting of planning permission for the 'Dylan Thomas wind turbine' was handed down today. Planning permission was quashed.Permission for the turbine, across...
View ArticleHengoed by-election result
The Carmarthenshire County Council Hengoed seat was held by Labour tonight with 335 votes. Penny Edwards was duly elected. Plaid came second, and UKIP third. The Conservative candidate came last with...
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No fly zone for the Rainbow flag
A few weeks ago Carmarthenshire Council entered the rankings of Stonewall UK's top 100 employers, at joint 94th. This recognition of good workplace equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans...
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The Carmarthenshire Herald
I see from Jacob Williams' blog, that a Carmarthenshire version of the Pembrokeshire Herald will be launched next month....and I have just received confirmation that the launch date will be the 6th...
View ArticleThe Budget meeting
The sound wasn't working for the first twenty minutes of today's council webcast but when it did kick in, the Chamber was in mid-tribute to Mr Dave Gilbert, Director of Regeneration and deputy chief...
View ArticleThe Budget - further comment
A few hours after Mark James's budget was approved on Tuesday, Labour Minister Leighton Andrews issued a statement, again referring to Council reserves as he had already done last year.Carmarthenshire,...
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Filming council meetings - Carmarthenshire style
In case it still isn't very apparent, the council, via the working group are aiming, they say, to be the 'most open council in Wales' and considering the 39 recommendations of the WLGA Governance...
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Historic child abuse allegations at Carmarthen special school - updated
Update 17.10;BBC Wales have obtained a Social Services Inspectorate report dated 1998 regarding the Cartref-Y-Gelli Children's Home. The home closed in 1998 but Carmarthenshire Council will not say...
View ArticleBending over backwards
Next Monday's Executive Board meeting has a couple of interesting items. The first concerns County Hall's evangelical friends at the Towy Community Church, or the Xcel bowling alley as it's more...
View ArticleReasonable and necessary priorities?
Last week, amongst the budget proposals, the council approved over £200,000 in cuts to services for children with special educational needs or disabilities.The budget was pushed through by officers and...
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The Carmarthenshire Herald - First Edition - updated
Pic source; Carmarthenshire HeraldToday's first edition of the Carmarthenshire Herald leads with the allegations of historic child abuse at Rhydygors Special School and Cartref-y-Gelli Children's home,...
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