Rising to the occasion
The Chief Executive of the WLGA, Steve Thomas, is - or perhaps I should say was - a fan of Bjork, or so I'm told anyway. You can see why the man in charge of Welsh local authorities might have gone off Iceland's finest, which means she may not be blasting from the car stereo as he heads to the Treasury this morning.
Travelling to London too is Brian Gibbons, the Minister responsible for Local Government: both men on a mission to find out from the UK government how likely it is that Welsh councils, universities, police authorities get back the money they invested in Icelandic banks.
There are suggestions this morning they could get back around a third: which means Welsh local authorities would have lost £40million for good.
Compensation, says Finance Minister Andrew Davies, is 'not an option'.
He's already told public bodies that his door is open to anyone in real crisis and no-one has come calling. If they do there'll be 'advice and assistance' aplenty but no compensation - a case, they might argue, of running the gamut of support from A to, well A. A case of making sure Icelandic banks don't run away from their responsibilities says the Minister and of underlining that well-run authorities should be able to take that sort of knock.
Cold comfort for those who could lose out but at least there is clarity. And clarity, knowing where you stand, knowing how bad things are so you can see the way ahead clearly, is what Wales' business sector hope they'll get in spades at tomorrow's All Wales Economic Summit. A big name for a big meeting and there's acceptance all round that something concrete, something substantial must come out of it.
The agenda has already convinced some that it won't.
For the record here it is in full:
ECONOMIC SUMMIT/BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP COUNCIL: 16 October 2008 - Conference Rooms C & D, Crickhowell House, Cardiff Bay
AGENDA
9.00 am -10.45 am
Economic Summit:
1. Presentation by Principality Building Society
2. Presentation by Atradius
3. Credit Crunch: Impact in Wales
10.45 am - 11.00 am Coffee
11.00 am - 12.00 am
4. Planning in Wales BPC 24.01.1
(Business Wales paper)
5. Vulnerable Workers BPC 24.02.1
(Wales TUC paper)
6. VAT on housing refurbishments BPC 24.03.1
(Business Wales paper)
7. Minutes of meeting held on 7 May 2008 BPC 24.04.1
8. Matters arising and updates from previous meetings BPC 24.05.1
9. AOB
Papers to note - Wales Employment and Skills Board BPC 24.06.1
Flexible Support for Business BPC 24.07.1
Add to the pot rising unemployment figures, up 10,000 in Wales to 85,000, a rise of 5.9%. Add that lost £40m and hope that they rise to the occasion.
I'm Betsan Powys, BBC Wales' political editor. I'll be blogging the inside track on 
© MMIX~RS~q~RS~~RS~z~RS~33~RS~)
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Is the fact that Dylan Jones-Evans doesn't approve of WAG policy news in any shape or form? Breaking news - it rains a bit in Wales...
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What a load of nonsense, just bluff and bluster from people who misguidedly think they can change things.
While that lot are chattering away, Mrs. Sembly and I will be pushing our (newest) granddaughter around Roath Park Lake.
We'll get more sense from the ducks !
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Noah_sembly, having watched the "First Ministers Question Time", I might follow you around the lake with lunatic terrier.
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#3 and #4
Both of you seem captivated by the Assembly, watching FMQs. I agree, it would send anyone to sleep... Rhodri, that is.
Best vote 'Yes' in the referendum, if you want more excitement.
Hopefully Mr & Mrs Sembly's (newest) granddaughter will eventually be living in a prosperous independent Wales and, possibly, have taken up a career in Welsh politics, maybe rising to be one of Wales' future Presidents or Prime Ministers, having inherited her grandfather's deep interest in the Welsh political scene.
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Thanks wee Wales for making me smile in these gloomy times!
Live long and prosper!
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I ALWAYS "Shop at Iceland"...
Excellent value ...24 pieces of frozen chicken legs, wings and thighs (independent ones) for £0.99...even cheaper to the WLGA bulk buy...
Jamie Oliver could feed the Welsh Assembly Government for weeks on this economy stuff and still have left-overs for soup and curry for the civil servants BIG Christmas party . ..although...
Lord Daffy Tele-Thomas LOVES his Roast Swan...(not available at Iceland... yet)
(Its cos he's very (WELSH) royal)
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Following these worthy debate(s), and the topics are sometimes worthy and important, what happens?
These overpaid non-entities have no law making power to make major changes. They have no tax rasing powers to pay for things - this also leads to a lack of responsibility in expenditure, afteral it does not have to be accounted for to the people it comanes from.
They can alter the internal workings of a department so it has a WAG logo.
One other thing they can do is withhold European convergence money from communities to give it to themselves & councils - jobs for the boys!
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Maybe this extremely important committee can tell me why there are so many swans at Roath Park Lake.
Never seen so many...hundreds there were.....AND there were some people in tents fishing.
I thought Rhodri had stopped all that!!!!
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4. At 7:55pm on 15 Oct 2008, brynt41 wrote:
Hopefully Mr & Mrs Sembly's (newest) granddaughter will eventually be living in a prosperous independent Wales and, possibly, have taken up a career in Welsh politics, maybe rising to be one of Wales' future Presidents or Prime Ministers, having inherited her grandfather's deep interest in the Welsh political scene.
Alas our Brynt41.T
To Mrs. Sembly's dismay, our granddaughter and her mam and dad (our son) are, as we speak, deliberating whether or not to emigrate to Australia.
The blame for this cannot be laid wholly at the door of the Welsh assembly....(though they certainly didn't help)but one Gordon Brown has a lot to answer for.
One is a teacher the other an IT whatsit. Both have degrees, and no criminal record, so the entry points are no problem. As can be read at the end of the above "Rising to the occasion" blog, there is no future here either in Wales or the UK.
The talent is streaming out, but I bet that damn Clever Dick committeee won't be discussing that!!!!!!
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Noah...not sure about Roath Park's Swans (tres posh), but when I lived in Cardiff (1980-90s) , Roath Park lake had a small flock of Spanish Ruddy Ducks (aggressive ultra hetro) who frequently "tried it on" with our refined Welsh ones...(ducks)...without asking...
I tried to interest Plaid and the Indy Party of Wales in this but drew a blank...Maybe UKIP?
Eluned (MEP ~ Brussels Bistro) ..."the huge task of representing the whole of Wales" (sic)
ER...Doesn't Dame Glenys do at least 50%? Or is she also too busy counting Neil's (many) public sector pension(s) ?
"It's Euro madness gawn Mad"...like the Ducks.
HEY...saw on last night's NEWS O Cymru that Rhodri has bought a new suit and shirt (M&S) to restore Welsh Businezz confidence!
Does a one legged etc. .
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Welsh Labour MPs are now showing their true colours. They are determined to scupper the provisions of the Government of Wales Act, and to castrate the Assembly's law-making abilities.
The Assembly is democratically elected, and is arguably more democratic than a committe of MPs at Westminster, elected by the first past the post system, which disregards the votes of large numbers of people.
We have Alun Michael, who was parachuted by Blair to lead the first Labour Assembly government, but found he had no mandate there, even among his own party, now speaking out against his own government's enacted legislation.
The Welsh Labour MPs are against the Assembly having legislative powers, even the pathetically weak ones allowed under the Act. Its noticeable that MPs from other parties are not objecting. These people would do their own country down because of their own selfish interests. Hopefully the people of Wales will wake up at the next election, and not only kick out the blunderer of No 10, but these political pygmies as well.
They have served Wales badly for decades.
It would not surprise me if they are also behind the delay in the elevation of the three Plaid nominees for seats in the Lords, who have been waiting for a year. Plaid changed its rules to allow nominations, because the (unelected) Lords have a veto on any application for legislative competence made by the Assembly and the party has no representatives there. Yet, Mandelson was made a member within days. Scandalous.
This clearly indicates the measure of contempt with which Wales and its people are treated by Labour at Westminster. Its not as if Blair and Brown have done a wonderful job of running the UK We've had two illegal and immoral wars, and nearly all the UK banks have come close to bankruptcy -- and its not over yet.
The Government of Wales Act... Hain's brainchild... can now be seen for what it really is, an effort to kick legislative powers into the long grass. Labour thought that they would create a tame dog in 1997, but they are waking up to the fact that it may rise to bite them.
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Brynt41
Why are you so serious Bryn? Not a touch of wit or humour to be seen. Though I did notice the words "scupper" and "castrate" in only your second sentence, which did grab my interest for a second or two.
Then however, you delivered the same tired old offering. Condemning all that is not Plaid Cymru, while praising all that is.
Do you not realise that such one-sided, emphatic, pronouncements frighten the hell out of the average voter. Have not your Plaid propaganda masters ever told you to tone it down a bit?
Try saying something mildly derogatory about your beloved party. I promise you will have more success in the vote winning game. Nobody loves to be continually told how wonderfully perfect (or indeed perfectly wonderful) a political party is.
Pollsters will tell you that there is quite a large percentage of voters who don't decide their choice until the stubby little pencil is hovering over the list of candidates. They will then vote for the party who they hate the least....with your perpetual harping on about the wonders of Plaid Cymru, I suspect that stubby little pencil will make it's mark on some other less strident seller of dreams.
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#12 Noah
You obviously haven't read all my posts. As for criticism of Plaid, there's aplenty!. Read them, and eat your words, my friend. (Also, its not my party)
For example,
"I don't hear any complaints from the Plaid leadership either. I fear its because IWJ doesn't want to rock the coalition boat, as he realises that he has blundered. His decision to support Labour was based on the agreement that they would support a 'Yes' vote in the referendum. He must now know that they will not so do. He was naive to ever think they would. He will nevertheless claim that Plaid has helped provide 'stable government'. That doesn't really cut the ice. Wales needs better government, not stable-handicapped government. Salmond had more sense, either be the senior partner in government, or go it alone."
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Brynt41 in "Plaid is not my party" shock!
(Sorry, old habits. . . .)
This is sensational stuff. Mild criticism of the sainted (yet strangely squeaky voiced) Ieuan.
I am mystified, you are obviously besotted with the idea of devolution, or even shock horror (must be whispered) independence!
But who other than Plaid Cymru is really keen on the idea...which other party has won your affection?
Labour....I don't think so, too heavily criticised..................
The Tories......Don't be silly...............
The Lib-Dems.....now there's a possibility!
Just a minute!!!!! is that a large portrait of the aging (yet strangely rugged) Vince I see over your mantlepiece Bryn ?
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I find it strange how Noah-sembly finds every one 'yet strangely' something or other we can't all be perfect like him how boring the world would be.
He has that (yet strangely idea) that he is right and everyone else who thinks differently to him is wrong.
I have to tell him and others, we are all right and we are all wrong.
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#14 Noah wrote
"(Sorry, old habits. . . .)"
Formerly in journalism, eh? A profession, if it can be called that, which ranks with estate agents, lawyers and politicians in public esteem. (Perhaps cub reporter for the Llanishen (bi-monthly) Gazette?)
And, there's no pic of Vince(ent) Kane on my mantelpiece, altho I've happy memories of listening to his deep mellifluous tones on the radio, for many years.
I'm a republican, and Plaid is not constituted as such. A republican, not because I'm Welsh, but as a matter of principle.
You're right, the other parties have nothing to offer Wales, but more misery. That leaves Plaid, with all its faults, as a way forward. So it gets my qualified support, but also criticism when I think it deserves it.
Your approach, otoh, offers no future, but back to the past which is very depressing. Its akin to UKIP's view, which is why I suggested you might be a supporter. Its easy to be critical of something new, and of change. But things can't stay the same. There's been a distinct growth in national sentiment in these islands, as apart from political nationalism, although it has spilled over into the political arena. Its not new, but is resurfacing.
I think that it'll be pressure within England, more so, than in Wales, which will drive devolution forward. The West Lothian question has to be addressed sooner or later. That will mean an English parliament with real power to legislate. The English won't tolerate a weak assembly, on the lines of that in Cardiff. Inevitably we will have a federal system, even if the Scots remain part of the UK. Time marches on!
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#14
As for the LibDems.. no chance!
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It is true that he is raising to the occasion....
~Dennis Junior~
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