Bloggers rage - "Poor Martin"

Dear me it seems that to blog we now require perfect spilling (!!) of every word, and to spend our waking time checking postings. Little did I realise that giving a little of my time to offloading random thoughts, stories, pictures and ideas would cause such upset. I don't force anyone to read this - indeed I am sure there are more constructive uses of time.

However after previous rounds of 'nat' attacks on the blog I do generally moderate and that can cuase some delay in posting comments. For example yesterday I was largley away from a pc after the posting on Cymdeithas Cledwyn, and I have only just caught up with a couple of comments-which are now posted.

I am more than happy to take the personal criticism and insults - perhaps it makes someone out there feel better. In contrast to the frustration expressed by Ordivicus, I think blogmenai has posted some valid comments about creating reasons to vote 'for' something, rather than just being anti-Tory.

Perhaps in truth a few of my nationalist friends just get upset at a Labour voice posing questions, poking the local establishment and who just won't go away (like a bad rash).

Ymgyrchu yn Y Fro - Campaigning in the heartland

I will join Eluned Morgan MEP in Caernarfon this morning for the launch of a report by Cymdeithas Cledwyn on Labour's campaign and electoral work in the Welsh language heartlands of West and Norh WestWales. This is one of the reviews that arose from the last Assembly results and makes for interesting reading.

Diddorol fydd ymuno ac Eluned Morgan ASE yng Nhaernarfon wrth lawnsio adroddiad Cymdeithas Cledwyn ar ymgyrchoedd Llafur yn Gorllewin a Gogledd Orllewin Cymru. Dyma adroddiad diddorol ac un arolygiad gan Llafur ar ol canlyniadau etholiadau Y Cynulliad yn 2007.

Red-Blue upsets them all

It seems my simple message that following the next Westminster election the people of Arfon will have a red or blue government has got under the collar of a few more people. Ordovicius -link on right hand side if you want- carries this lovely paragrpah in his recent posting about Gwilym Euros of Llais Gwynedd (yes, I'm just catchinhg up!)

"Gwilym, not wanting to exert himself too much with standards, has obviously decided to emulate Martin Eaglestone's purile style of blogging, which does note bode well for his chances of being reelected in 2012, as Martin himself has yet to discover any sane reason why anybody should vote for him".

Very entertaining - although the personalised attack on Gwilym Euros seems a little OTT. People in Plaid Cymru really must come to accept election defeats a little more gracefully. Winning and loosing elections is one price of democracy. However :

New hospital in Tremadog
Multi million pound investment in regenerating Caernarfon
Investment in new facilities in Ysbyty Gwynedd
Communities First work in Caernarfon, Bangor and Dyffryn Nantlle
New multi million facilities at Bangor University
Rail investment
New court buildings
Plas Pawb intgrated children's centre
Ty Cegin healthy living centre
DWP offices in Parc Menai

etc etc etc - the list of acheivements could get boring.

It seems a better option to me that letting in the Tories - and yes I beleive that wasting a vote on Plaid does not make much sense for Wales, and in protecting our evolving Assembly (oops here I go again !)

Squeeze on local government ?

I have often wondered how long it can be before local government feels the squueze of an Assembly Government making promises that it does not directly control. The latest report on delivering more affordable homes is another example of a WAG promise that partly (largely?) depends on the vageries/variations of local authorities.

Can the One Wales government afford to have a flagship policy that is does not more directly control ?

Will the idea that the Minister take more direct control of performance lead to changes in the existing relationships of central and local ?

Will people really care provided the homes are delivered ?

Of course it can always be convenient to have systems which mean a lack of delivery is linked to some complexity between differing layers of government responsibility. But a promise of 6500 homes won't be forgotten and with the downturn in the housing market it is looking more challenging, unless someone signs some big cheques for direct delivery of these homes.

There is also a need to get shifting. It takes time to build homes - ask a planner - so its time to get the skates on.

Upsetting blog meani

Having taken a break I am only just catching up with the recent blog postings of others. It seems that my recent arguments in the local weekly press about the next Westminster election clearly now being a clear red-blue choice has upset the prolific blogmenai. Roughly and abruptly translated "The problem with Martin Eaglestone" is that by making this choice very clear it is negative campaigning, and giving people a reason why they should vote Labour.

Fair argument menai, but while Plaid may be quite happy to consider deals with the Tories, and we know that the Party of Wales in Arfon voted to support the 'Rainbow' in the Assembly, some of us are still motivated by the desire to keep the Tories out.

Voting Labour in Arfon in the next Westminster election is one simple way to acheive that outcome and protect Arfon from the Tories.

Now I need to speak to Gordon about riding out the storm and providing the good reasons why Arfon needs Labour - but those investments and new opportunities were listed in the press if ignored by menai in his posting.

Passenger overboard !

Dafydd Iwan has had a bad political year and might have hoped comrades in the Party of Wales would give him some comfort and activities to occupy his spare time and energy. Well not so it seems, and Elfyn Llwyd has decided there is no better time to kick a man then when he is falling.

Some of the opening comments in this Presidential campaign point to potential fireworks ahead.

Of course Elfyn will also be open to public questioning and perhaps we can usefully probe a few issues on what he new knew about the goings on in Cymad, what and when he knew, as he tries to become a national political figure leading his troops on the path from "navel gazing" to a brighter future.

Right time to frame some legally correct questions for Mr Llwyd........

"It is a funny issue, planning"

So lets start with an article in the Guardian that caught my eye and the debate over reforms to the system of town and country planning, which is where I earn my daily crust.

The Westminster government have some worthy aspirations to reform the planning system which can make it more fit for purpose in a fast changing world. Yet it is not proving straightforward and it will be interesting to see how our Welsh Assembly Government take forward some of these issues in Wales.

The RTPI (planners professional body) today put out the following release about changes to the Bill.

Whether in your local community or on the national stage planning can kick up a debate.

Had a break!

I suppose we all need a break to deal with life sometimes so I think the longest break in postings since I started blogging is now over.

From "Y Doc" to Afffordable Homes

Well the Victoria Dock development has not yet delivered any affordable homes, although some form of off site provision is mentioned whenever questions are asked of gwynedd Council. This is of interest as the Joseph Rowntree foundation today published reserach on affordable homes in rural Wales. As someone engaged in town planning to earn my daily crust I found much of the report familiar, and am not really persuaded by those of the recommendations that lead us to yet more research and evidence gathering.

Property prices are beyond incomes, the existing property owners benefit and the social concience it seems is not yet big enough to show enough care for those unable to enter the market. The billions might impact on tax rates - a windfalll tax for affordable homes ? (noting that as government prepares for a development levy the market takes a nasty turn).

The focus is best placed on proactive steps to increase supply, and building a concensus for more capital to build more homes. The recommendation which caught my eye however was the need for a "seismic upward shift in affordable housing provision" which takes us to the whole debate about the adequacy of house building rates in recent years and is a challenge to the prevailing culture of recent years whic has at times been anti-development.

More Victoria "Doc" Fictoria photos

The photos of Y Doc caused some interest and I have therefore posted a couple more shots taken in Sunday's glorious weather.

Anyway more marketing stuff here from Watkin Jones web site.

Dinner at the "Doc"

A nice lunchtime having Sunday dinner with members of Arfon CLP. A new monthly 'Sunday lunch club' with a once a month social get together. Better than that politics thing!

Anyway this month's venue was the much debated Doc Victoria Dock - the "new" face of Caernarfon. With shops, hotels and restaurant now open it is becoming more lively, although still stimulates much debate over scale and design of the development- even in the lunch club!

So here are a couple of pictures. Some members popped off for a nose at the 'show homes' which come in at the local price of around 750k and 620k . The smaller apartments are around 220kk. Good luck to anyone who has the cash to enjoy the waterside luxury.

Dafydd's clarifications - more please

For those who don't read Y Cymro then the reference to Dafydd Iwan's letter in the press would not have made much sense. So courtesy of Plaid Cymru Bontnewydd (Plaid's unofficial web site it seems) and a linked translation from Sanddef here is the clarification to election rumours.

So Dafydd can we be clear :

1. Do you still hold shares in the company Arianrhod, where you were a former director ?

2. Does that company own several properties on Castle Square Caernarfon ?

3. Will those properties generally benefit from the Assembly/Gwynedd Council improvement works on their doorstep?

4. What is the nature of your brother's (Arfon's AM) shreholding interest in the company?

5. Since what does has he held shares in this company ?

6. Was it before January 2008 ?

7. Did he, or you, hold shares when the publicly funded improvements were being discussed ?

8. Which other Plaid Cymru AMs have shareholding interest in Arianrhod ?

Just asking as you seem in the mood for public statements to provide post election clarifications. Don't want any ticking timebombs left unanswered.

Clarification will reassure all those people who tell me the "facts" and "questions" I have published are of legitimate public interest.

Frank views

It seems various people continue to flag up former Councillior Iwan's recent letters to the papers . A Llais Gwynedd candidate blogs a few notes of doubt.

For my part I am as interested in the January declaration by Mr Alun Ffred Jones about holding shares in Arianrhod. Must send off that e-mail seeking clarification.

Wet Wednesday - its the Urdd

So the worst weather of the week so it must be the day I've booked to visit the Urdd Eisteddfod. Conveniently camped just down the A55 so, apaprt from peak traffic times, it should be a visit in which more time is spent on the Maes than travelling in the car. How nice.

How to secure local tourism

The Bank Holiday seemed reasonably busy although we have to await reports of whether the tills were ringing. The local area has a number of great attractions and although Snowdon etc grab the headlines there are great family attractions like the Greenwood centre delivering a high quality product.

The recent review of tourism hits many of the right notes in stressing that unique cultural products need to be showcased. But in a European and global market there are forces working to ensure our experience is of a more homogeneous product. It now takes more effort to find a local workforce in many major hospitality/leisure operations. So training, enterprise and reward will be important in developing the future of this great industry that may strengthen again as fuel prices bite.

The solution is too govern well

I have read the endless commentary since Thursday's election result, reflected on the tone of some the debates at the Wales TUC, and listened to the Sunday morning analysis. I reach the simple conclusion that with the election still being on the far horizon the best solution for Labour in Westminster (or anywhere else) is to govern well. Effective and progressive decision making in government that moves us closer to our aims on social justice and child poverty will be the best response to the stormy political weather.

People elect a political party to run democratic systems and tackle the wicked conflicting issues. Unlike opposition it is not easy and we have to brave enough to renew and change course where necessary. No, I don't have a long list of such issues but cheesing off those who empathise with Labour by, for example tight restrictions on public sector pay, does not help.

I see no merit whatsoever in the 'change' the leader strand of debate. Yes Labour should use the range of skills available to us. Johnson is a good communicator and I feel Harriet performs well in spite of a hostile media. Others should step up to the mark so it is clear Gordon leads a talented team of people, while he applies his natural talent to assisting the Chancellor with the big economic challenges facing the world economy.

Westminster - Red or Blue

At the end of the Wales TUC I contributed to "Taro Post" Radio Cymru's lunchtime debate - not surprisingly the topic was Crewe and Nantwich. It amused me that during discussion on such a day we managed to get Eleanor Burnham talking about Nick Clegg's leadership of the Lib Dems, but on the substantive issue my view has crystallised in to a very simple choice.

At the next Westminster election, whenever it arrives, there will be simple choice of Westminster government : Red or Blue.

Forget the negative talk of there being no difference (I won't produce a boring list), no moaning about a Government's alleged wrong decisions,, but a straight choice as to broadly which way the country will face : Red or Blue.

Dispel any thought that a protest vote for some orange or green brand somehow allows someone to feel better, but naked political choice. This is a message I started delivering to the local papers three weeks ago and it is a message I will not bore in driving home in the time ahead.

I make no apology for that, and must hope that the international financial climate, and UK political fortunes, turn to provide a more favourable wind by election time. But the choice will be stark and in my view there will be no home for a progressive vote apart from Labour to keep Cameron out of Downing Street.

Wales TUC

The Wales TUC meets in Llandudno from Wednesday morning till Friday this week. I will be in attendance at various times, and find many of the debates/fringe meetings instrumental in identifying key issues of concern. The debate over public sector pay, migrant workers and the conference contributions by elected representatives are important. It is always useful to sit in on some legal briefings by the leading employment law firms given the increasing litigation climate in our society.

Of course as with all conference activity many eyes will be on the fringe and who is speaking to who! This becomes more interesting amongst those of the trade unions affiliated to Labour with Rhodri's successor becoming an ever closer event. Friday morning may prove interesting given the by-election of the previous day.

So a time to meet comrades from across Wales, consider the trade union challenges of the coming years and, no doubt, enjoy a drink or two. Unions may not be the force they were and the movement faces its own major challenges to recruit and organise in a less collective society, but still a worthwhile event.

Best wishes to Karen

My best wishes go to Karen Sinclair AM folowing this announcement today.

Best wishes Andrew

I have just returned from a jog as I start preparing for the Gwyl Y Felin 10k. On checking the news I catch up with the story about Minister Andrew Davies. Andrew is Labour to the core and I wish him well in the coming days and weeks.

It seems we all need to take more notice of our own Government's health messages.

I look forward to seeing Andrew back at work and campaigning.