Tuesday's Budget meeting
On Tuesday (26th) the council Chamber will yet again echo with the unique sounds and deviations of democracy, in the style we've grown accustomed to here in Carmarthenshire, as the annual budget debate...
View ArticleReminder to Councillors
Inserted into the Councillors' documents for council meetings is a short note reminding them how to behave. One can only wonder what fate would befall any faithless atheist councillor who decided to...
View ArticleCouncil to webcast meetings (Updated with today's meeting)
According to early reports, the Council issued a press release at 5pm yesterday (Monday) with the announcement (finally, after two years) that they will be webcasting full council meetings "live and...
View ArticleAudit Office called as MP and AM question council finances
At the end of January, local Plaid Cymru politicians, Jonathan Edwards MP and Rhodri Glyn Thomas AM made some enquiries with the council over the apparent 'advance' payment of fees of £20,000 from the...
View ArticlePlaid complaint - up for debate?
The agenda for Wednesday's Council meeting (6th March), which will set the council tax, also includes a recommendation to approve the Council's Pay Policy, a document now required under the Localism...
View ArticleMarch council meeting - senior pay and horsemeat
Back into the parallel universe of Carmarthenshire County Council again this morning to observe a meeting of full council.With the parish notices over with, the Chamber was treated to a report from the...
View ArticleYouth clubs facing the axe...and other news
As the council scratches around to save pennies yet another Task and Finish Group is to be set up. This time the target has switched from the frail and elderly and their day clubs, and it is now...
View ArticleWales Audit Office - Faith restored?
The recent Wales Audit Office report into the goings on at Caerphilly council (WAO pdf report here, and BBC article here) made me wonder whether the WAO are actually able and determined enough to act...
View ArticleExecutive Board to recommend webcasting pilot
The agenda for next Monday's Executive Board meeting has been published and includes, finally, the proposal to webcast full council meetings for a 12 month pilot. The cost will be met by a recent Welsh...
View ArticleJudgement on Libel Action - a brief statement
I am struggling to find the words to describe how I feel but further to the judgement handed down today I would like to make the following brief statement;I am absolutely devastated by this judgement...
View ArticleThe Leader's amendment and an exercise in spin!
As the twists and turns of the filming' debate go on and on and on, a rather odd statement on the website of Carmarthenshire Labour was drawn to my attention, 'Labour Group Supports Live Broadcast of...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Council email reveals truth behind blacklisting of South Wales Guardian
Last week the South Wales Guardian used its front page to expose the Council's attempt to financially cripple the independent weekly paper for publishing a couple of articles mildly critical of County...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Carmarthenshire Council win Rotten Boroughs' 'PR Plonkers of the Year Award...
I'm sure County Hall will, as we speak, be celebrating their success as winners of Private Eye's Rotten Boroughs' 'PR Plonkers of the Year' Awards for 2012. Along with a special mention in the...
View ArticleKeeping you in the dark
As I have mentioned, next year's assorted budget proposals are currently under 'consultation' by the various scrutiny committees and, as the sanitised Minutes gradually emerge, it is clear that any...
View ArticleCarmarthenshire; Are Plaid going to walk the walk?
Today's South Wales Guardian features an article from Cllr Peter Hughes Griffiths the leader of the 28-strong Plaid Cymru group on Carmarthenshire Council, (not yet online);"Plaid Cymru is calling on...
View ArticleState Aid and the Stadium
The Western mail reports today that Carmarthenshire Council could possibly be in breach of EU State Aid rules in their controversial funding of the Scarlets and the stadium, Scarlets Regional Ltd.Cllr...
View ArticlePam and press freedom
Further to this post, Chief Executive censors debate on press freedom', that well known exponent of transparency, leader of the Independent Party, Cllr Pam Palmer has rushed to the defence of the Chief...
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February council meeting
I managed to spare a couple of hours this morning to go to County Hall for the first of this month's meetings of full council. The next one is the budget meeting on the 26th February. The side fire...
View ArticleAudit Office called as MP and AM question council finances
At the end of January, local Plaid Cymru politicians, Jonathan Edwards MP and Rhodri Glyn Thomas AM made some enquiries with the council over the apparent 'advance' payment of fees of £20,000 from the...
View ArticleMarch council meeting - senior pay and horsemeat
Back into the parallel universe of Carmarthenshire County Council again this morning to observe a meeting of full council.With the parish notices over with, the Chamber was treated to a report from the...
View Article