Anthony Taylor

Mynydd Brombil Windfarm Consultation

2011-11-06T05:32:00.000-08:00

You may have seen some press coverage recently about the proposed Mynydd Brombil Windfarm in Margam.

REG Windpower, the company behind the plans, are holding Community Consultation days next weekend so that residents can look at the proposals in more detail.

They will be in Taibach Community Education Centre, Margam Road on Friday, 11th November between 2pm and 8pm then in Taibach Community Centre, Duke Street, the following day from 9am – 1pm.

Further information can be found here.

Aberavon Labour raises £500 for Swansea Valley Miners Fund

2011-10-26T13:26:00.000-07:00

Kind hearted Labour Party members in the Aberavon Constituency have gathered together to raise money in aid of the families of the four miners tragically killed in the recent Gleision Colliery tragedy.

A total of £500 was donated to the Swansea Valley Miners Fund by those attending the party’s annual dinner held at the Towers Hotel in Jersey Marine on Friday, 07 October 2011.

A cheque for that amount was formally presented to Wayne Thomas, Secretary of the South Wales branch of the National Union of Mineworkers and a patron of the appeal, who gave an update on progress with the fund at the party’s recent General Management Committee meeting last week.

Like everyone else, our members have been touched by the impact that the terrible incident has had on the local community and on the families of the miners who have lost loved ones.

It is difficult to imagine what the families have had to go through and the sadness and grief that they have had to deal with.

Whilst the gap that the men have left can never be truly filled, the fund will play an important role in supporting their families as they look towards the future. We hope that our contribution will go a small way to helping the fund to fulfil its role.

Councillors signal support for Morfa Beach access campaign

2011-08-31T11:03:00.000-07:00

Proposals currently being considered to prevent access to a footpath leading towards Morfa Beach in Margam have been criticised by two leading Labour Neath Port Talbot councillors.

Taibach Ward representatives John Rogers and Anthony Taylor have both pledged to support residents in campaigning to keep the existing footpath from Longlands Lane which Tata Steel have applied to close. The councillors also believe that that beach should remain open for use by local people.

Cllr JOHN ROGERS said:

“Morfa Beach has been popular with local residents, walkers and cyclists for decades. The path in question has been used regularly as a convenient way of getting there for as long as I can remember.”

“Not many people from outside the area know about the beach and its fantastic wildlife and landscape make it unique.”

“We need to be protecting and preserving our natural heritage and opening up as much of it as possible for use by current and future generations, not making it more difficult to access.”

Cllr ANTHONY TAYLOR added:

“It is important that local people continue to have straightforward public access to the beach so that it can be easily reached.”

“Concerns have been raised by Tata about taking away the path because of problems of unlawful access onto their site and for health and safety reasons. As far as I am aware these have not been significant problems in the past and I fail to see why they are a problem now.”

“We will both be formally opposing the proposals to close off this access and fully support local residents who are campaigning against them. I very much hope that Tata will listen to our concerns and that they are willing and able to work with the local community on this issue and not against it.”

The two councillors will raise residents’ concerns directly with senior management of Tata at the next quarterly meeting of the Tata – Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council Joint Consultative Group, to be held on 12 September 2011 the week before the consultation deadline on the plans is reached.

Charity Dinner - Fri, 07 October 2011

2011-08-21T11:52:00.000-07:00

Members of the Aberavon Constituency Labour Party will be gathering together on Friday, 07 October 2011 to raise funds for a charity project that provides help and assistance to local disabled children and their carers.

Campaigners have chosen the Action for Children Pre-School Project based at the Children’s Centre in Neath Port Talbot Hospital, Baglan Moors, as the nominated charity for their annual dinner, which this year takes place in the Towers Hotel, Swansea Bay.

The event will play host to Llanelli Labour MP, Nia Griffith as guest speaker. Ms Griffiths is Shadow Minister for Business, Innovation and Skills as well as Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Steel Industry Group.

As a party with hundreds of members in the constituency, we are glad to be able to put something back into our local communities in this way. The Pre-School project provides vital support for disabled children and their parents right across our area and it is pleasing that we can help them in this way.

Our annual dinner is always a great night out and I would encourage everyone – party supporters, local businesses and interested individuals to buy a ticket and come along. Not only will you have an entertaining night but you will also be raising funds for a local good cause at the same time.

Tickets for the event, priced at £15 each or £120 for a table of eight, are now available. Please contact me for further information. The price includes a three-course meal and entertainment. A fundraising raffle will also be held on the night.

AM's Advice Surgery - Friday, 19 August 2011

2011-08-14T12:29:00.000-07:00

Yesterday morning, despite facing up to regular rain showers, Labour Party members were out and about in the Margam part of my ward delivering newsletters to keep residents up to date with the latest goings on in the Council and in the community.

We were joined by our local Assembly Member, David Rees, (pictured above) who will be back in the area this Friday (19th August 2011) holding an advice surgery in Taibach Community Centre between 4pm and 4.45pm.

If you need his assistance then please do not hesitate to pop along and see him. Alternatively, if the time and date are inconvenient then you can ring his office on 01639 870779 or email him: david.rees@wales.gov.uk.

The beginning of the end for Port Talbot Police Station?

2011-08-11T13:17:00.000-07:00

From now on, there will be 2 Police Community Support Officers (PCSO’s) available in the foyer area of Port Talbot Civic Centre for local residents with crime and disorder concerns to speak with face-to-face.

They will be there on a Monday, Tuesday and Friday between the hours of 11am and 1pm to discuss any problems.

Whilst their presence is to be welcomed in the general sense, there seems to be a school of thought that this will, in the longer term, be the replacement service for the people of Port Talbot once the front-desk at the police station closes towards the end of the year.

If that is the case, then it is simply not good enough to do away with a full time, fully staffed and fully equipped access to the police station and pretend that two community officers sitting behind a desk for only six hours a week is a suitable substitute.

Many functions, previously based at Port Talbot Police Station have now been moved to Neath or Swansea and, sadly, we are gradually seeing its closure by stealth. With £47 million of savage Tory-Lib Dem cuts to deal with, budgeting is not an easy process for those in charge of South Wales Police. However, what we don’t want to happen is to see the downgrading of frontline policing in Port Talbot and the excellent work done by the community policing team, in particular, virtually disappearing overnight.

Next PACT meeting

2011-07-25T11:25:00.001-07:00

The next Taibach Ward meeting will be held on Tuesday, 2 August 2011 at 6.30pm in Taibach Community Centre.

This is a great opportunity for residents to let local councillors and police officers know of any crime and disorder issues in the area that they would like addressed.

The two priorities for resolution from the last meeting are off-road motorcycling and parking issues at the junction of Margam Rd and Groeswen Lane.

Schools out for summer (almost)

2011-07-16T11:12:00.000-07:00

It’s that time of year again when the school holidays begin and parents have the challenge of keeping their children amused until September.

The Council’s Summer Playschemes begin on 1st August, running until 26th August, and are an ideal way for children to be entertained during the week. Our local scheme will be based in the Talbot Memorial Park. Sessions are on Monday, Wednesday and Friday afternoons and Tuesday and Thursday mornings.

Morning activities start at 10am and finish at 12noon while the afternoon sessions go from 1.15pm – 3.15pm.

The scheme is open to over 5s although under 5s are also welcome if accompanied by an adult.

All sessions are completely free of charge. For more information click here or contact the NPT Play Team on 01639 873004.

Taibach councillors slam Port Talbot Police Station closure plans

2011-06-15T05:57:00.000-07:00

Two leading Port Talbot councillors have criticised plans being drawn up by South Wales Police to close Port Talbot Police Station to the public.

Taibach Labour councillors, Anthony Taylor and John Rogers, have called on police chiefs to think again after news of the proposals emerged that will leave the town without a publicly accessible station.

Cllr ANTHONY TAYLOR said:

“It is outrageous to think that Port Talbot, a town of 60,000 people will be left without access to a front-desk police station.”

“We must do everything thing we can to make sure that people feel safe and secure in their own communities. Closing the station to the public will not be a positive move.”

“There has been a great deal of concern locally about the future of the station for a while and I am sure local people will be up in arms about the decision.”

Cllr JOHN ROGERS added:

“The people of Port Talbot will be getting a second class service if the closure goes ahead.”

“Those living in Neath and Swansea will still be able to go into their police stations to report crimes in person but those in Port Talbot won’t. Quite frankly, it beggars belief.”

“As elected representatives, we will be doing everything we can to get this decision reversed.”

The councillors also said that news had come out of the blue for residents.

Cllr ANTHONY TAYLOR commented:

“The way this has been handled has been decidedly amateurish. It seems that it was accidentally confirmed by a senior police officer whilst he was attending a community council meeting in Pontardawe.”

“There is a danger here that people in Port Talbot will see it as disrespectful that no effort had been made to inform them properly of this proposal and that they have not been properly consulted.”

“These are the very people who have been working extremely closely with community police officers at local PACT meetings and the like and yet had absolutely no idea that this was on the horizon.”

Highways schemes announced for Taibach, Margam & Goytre

2011-05-07T11:33:00.000-07:00

It is that time of year again when Neath Port Talbot councillors eagerly await news of whether or not certain highways and environmental projects within their wards have been successfully awarded funding.

Every autumn, we converge on council officers to submit a list of what we consider to be priority work needed to be done in our own areas. Each councillor’s list is then assessed, measured against the financial settlement for departments and, hey presto, the grandly titled “Environment Planned Works Programme” is produced for the financial year ahead.

For 2011-12, the following work is due to be carried out in the Taibach Ward:

Extra parking bays in Dyffryn Road
Lighting feasibility study for the road approaching Glenhafod Park, Goytre
Red Carpet Surfacing – Eastern Primary
Footway and carriageway resurfacing in St Albans Terrace

Discussions will now begin between councillors and officers on how to best invest the funding available under the separate Urban Streets Initiative – a scheme which is designed to improve the look of those side streets that lead off the main roads around the County Borough. As soon as I know the outcome of these meetings, I will let you all know.

Port Talbot Memorial Park residents group begins to take shape

2011-05-06T08:03:00.000-07:00

A campaign group set up by users of a popular Memorial Park in Port Talbot has called for improvements to be made to facilities there and for help so that local people can play an active role in its future.

The “Friends of the Talbot Memorial Park” met recently with over 20 people attending including myself and Cllr John Rogers, as representatives of the adjacent ward of Taibach.

Issues raised by residents included the need for more information on park opening hours, litter left around the playing fields after sports fixtures and repairs to damaged fencing.

The Talbot Memorial Park is well loved locally and a real jewel in the crown right here on our doorsteps. Although the Friends Group is very much in its initial stages, it has been refreshing to see so many volunteers coming forward to lend a helping hand. We are now looking to give the park some tender loving care and to develop its existing facilities as well as making it even more well used by the surrounding communities.

A letter has now been sent to Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council, on behalf of the group, listing the concerns of park users asking for action to be taken to address them.

Discussions so far have been very productive. As well as the routine day-to-day issues highlighted by members, we are also keen to take a longer-term perspective on the future of the park and on what local people would like to see there.

There is great potential for the tennis courts area and the bandstand to be brought back into active use. We would also like to see neighbouring schools be encouraged to play a role in making the park a more attractive place for families and to go.

Redevelopment plans now on show for PT Parkway Station

2011-03-23T09:15:00.000-07:00

For those of you who have followed the long-running campaign to redevelop Port Talbot Parkway Station, further information on the public consultation on the improvement proposals can be found here.

This is an ideal opportunity for regular train users to come forward with any suggestions and ideas and I would encourage people to make their submissions before the deadline of 5th April 2011.

Talbot Memorial Park group

2011-03-22T06:08:00.000-07:00

This Saturday (26th March 2011) there will be a short meeting taking place in the Bandstand at the Talbot Memorial Park at 11am to kickstart the formation of a "Friends of the Park" group.

The gathering has been called by a couple of park users, based in my ward, who are keen to look after the facilities currently on offer there and to find new ways of improving the park even more, either by voluntary work or by accessing grants etc.

The park is a fantastic asset to the local area and if you are able to become a member of the group or would like further information then please take the time to come along to the meeting.

Port Talbot Parkway improvements and rail electrification

2011-03-17T13:09:00.000-07:00

This morning I attended a meeting of the Council’s Economic & Community Regeneration Scrutiny Committee which covered a wide range of topics including sickness absence management, the Local Development Plan, regeneration of the Upper Neath Valley and EU Convergence projects in the County Borough.

Despite a number of the items covering important projects impacting on areas represented by Plaid Cymru councillors (including their Economic Development spokesperson and prospective Assembly Election candidate for Neath), not a single one of their members on the committee attended.

Nonetheless, debate and discussion on the issues before us was constructive and informative on how the difficult economic challenges that we are facing in Neath Port Talbot are being tackled.

It would take too long to give a blow-by-blow account of proceedings here but the agenda and reports are available on the NPTCBC website.

Of particular interest was an update on the modernisation of Port Talbot Parkway Station.

As a regular user of the station, I am only too well aware of the problems there – mainly poor access for disabled people and disappointing level of facilities and their general condition. The state of the station is unacceptable at the moment and following a long running campaign led by the Labour Party in the Aberavon Constituency, I am pleased to see that plans are moving forward.

During the meeting I spoke to welcome the public consultation that will start next week to give local people a chance to help shape the proposals before they are submitted to the Welsh Assembly Government’s Wales Station Improvement Programme. The project will also play a vital part in the regeneration in that area of the town centre and I very much hope that the bid being put together will be successful.

I also raised the possibility of using various alternative sources of funding, including that available from the EU, to complete the electrification of the rail line to Swansea following the disappointing decision of the UK Coalition Government to end the scheme at Cardiff. If the economic benefits of electrification are to come to Wales then they must be spread to those part of the country that are most deprived and, as shown by their inclusion in the boundaries used for EU Convergence assessment, those include Bridgend, Neath Port Talbot and Swansea, as well as West Wales. I am pleased to have secured a pledge from officers that the possibility of combining with neighbouring authorities, WAG and other agencies to investigate this further will be looked at for the EU funding round post-2013 very closely.

Business as usual

2011-03-07T11:05:00.000-08:00

Back to normality after a resounding 73% YES vote was achieved in Neath Port Talbot.

It was a undoubtedly a privilege to have been able to lead the campaign in Aberavon which stretched across the party political divide and saw a clear and decisive verdict reached not only in our local area but in Wales as a whole.

There were too many people involved to begin thanking each one individually here but everyone who took part made a huge difference and contributed to a historic outcome when the results were announced on Friday.

No time to rest though with the Assembly elections at the start of May. Already today, I have seen deliberately misleading statements about local issues from other political parties so I suppose the gloves are off as we approach May 5th.

Cllr John Warman defects from the Lib Dems to Labour

2011-01-05T12:44:00.000-08:00

This morning brought the news that Cimla Councillor, John Warman, has defected from the Lib Dems to Labour.

I have a great deal of respect for John. He is someone who clearly works hard for his constituents and he will bring a wealth of experience to the Labour Group. I am sure that this has not been an easy decision for him to make but anyone who has heard him speak passionately in the Council Chamber about the Tories and the UK Coalition Government will not be entirely surprised at the move.

‘YES FOR WALES’ LAUNCHES CAMPAIGN IN ABERAVON

2011-01-02T13:33:00.000-08:00

Campaigners from Aberavon who want more powers for the National Assembly will launch a call for laws that only affect Wales to be made in Wales on Tuesday, 11 January 2011

Politicians and community activists will stand side by side in Taibach Community Centre to launch the Aberavon ‘Yes for Wales’ campaign and former First Minister, Rhodri Morgan AM, will be on hand to officially begin proceedings at 6.30pm.

The Yes for Wales campaign is generating support from all political parties and communities across Wales, urging people to give the National Assembly a stronger voice when they vote in the referendum on March 3rd.

Campaigners say a Yes vote will streamline the system, so instead of asking permission from Westminster to pass laws that only apply in Wales, Assembly Members can use all their time and energy making things better for Welsh communities.

Local campaign organiser, Taibach Councillor Anthony Taylor said:

“Voting Yes is about looking forward not back. A Yes vote in the referendum in March will enable our Assembly Members to ensure that laws that affect only Wales are made in Wales.

“This is a grassroots campaign to help communities across Aberavon to come together and support a Yes vote that will give local people a stronger voice in decisions that affect themselves, their family, their friends and work colleagues.”

“We need a Yes vote to ensure that Wales is ready to embrace the challenges of the future, a country that is able to hold its head high and act on the international stage.

“The choice is between a more confident Wales where young people don’t need to leave their communities in search of jobs, or a dependency culture where we look to others for solutions to our problems.

“We are very fortunate to be able to draw on volunteers from all sides of the political spectrum and from every area in Aberavon. I would encourage all Yes supporters in Aberavon to come along on the night to find out more about the campaign itself and how they can each play an important part in putting the case forward in their own town or village.”

“Alternatively they can contact us on 07920111869, via email on yescampaignaberavon@yahoo.co.uk or by joining our “YES Campaign Aberavon” Facebook page.”

Further information about Yes for Wales, is available through the website: http://www.yesforwales.com/

Have your say on the new Afan Lido...............

2010-12-09T05:20:00.000-08:00

Plans have now been put forward to replace the Afan Lido following the blaze which destroyed it a year ago.

There have been many rumours doing the rounds (some quite bizarre) about where it will be built, what was going to happen to the land, was the building fully insured etc. However, a consultation has recently been launched detailing a £13.6m scheme that will bring leisure facilities up to date, benefitting the Port Talbot area as a whole.

It is vital that local residents have a full and constructive input into deciding what the new centre will include and how it will look. You can formally respond to the consultation before the end of January 2011 or alternatively, you can contact me to let me know your thoughts and I will ensure that they are taken into account when any final decisions are made.

Further information can be found on the Council’s website here and here.

Resource Centre public transport latest

2010-09-29T11:32:00.000-07:00

Campaigners calling for better access for public transport for patients using the Port Talbot Health Resource Centre in Baglan Moors have given a cautious welcome to news that agreement has now been reached to locate a bus stop closer to the recently opened facility.

At the moment, bus passengers face a lengthy walk from the nearest stop outside Morrisons Supermarket to the Centre itself of around 400 metres. Plans have now been put forward to allow buses to drop off at the rear of the centre, drastically reducing the distance that patients will have to cover to get to appointments.

The Centre has been open for a year or so now and it was clear right from the start that the needs of those people who use public transport to get to the centre had been ignored in the original design. It is wrong that elderly, disabled and ill patients have been forced to walk such a long distance when they have already faced difficulty in getting there in the first place. With Winter fast approaching, the adverse weather conditions will only make things worse.

It has been a long time coming, but the fact that there is now a concrete proposal on the table to tackle this problem is very positive certainly a step in the right direction. Many constituents who have complained to me about this situation will see it as a workable way forward.

However, it is only the start of the process. The priority now is to make sure that access into the centre from the new stop is made suitable for disabled and elderly people. Full consideration also has to given to the appointment of a responsible bus service operator and the agreement of appropriate routes connecting the areas of the town where patients will be travelling from.

A tense few months........

2010-09-25T06:29:00.000-07:00

Steve Thomas of the Welsh Local Government Association gives a more than fair assessment of financial challenges ahead for Welsh Councils, including NPT, in an article for First Magazine:

"Councils in Wales are waiting anxiously for the government’s comprehensive spending review, writes Steve Thomas

The emergency budget in June this year set out the coalition government’s plans to reduce public sector spending by £99bn by 2015-16. With the commitment to protect spending on health and overseas aid taken into account, this equates to an average reduction of 25% in real terms over the next four years. Local government waits with trepidation for the comprehensive spending review on 20 October, and the Welsh Assembly (pictured) budget in November. In the meantime, the Assembly government has planning assumptions of annual cash reductions of 3% on revenue spend and 10% on capital spend.

Profound effect

For local government, this could mean a fall in revenue of around £140m each year and capital funding could fall by £50m a year. The combination of increased demand for services, rising expectations and increases in costs will mean that the cuts will have a profound effect on the services that councils deliver.

Reductions of this scale will inevitably result in job losses. Local government in Wales has already announced between 3,000 and 4,000 job losses over the next three to five years, all of which has a knock-on effect on spending in the local economy.

This is troublesome given that a greater proportion of Wales’ working population (26.6%) works directly for one of the public services compared to the UK average of 21.1%.

A report last year by the Centre for Cities highlighted Swansea, Hastings, Ipswich, Barnsley, Newcastle, Liverpool, Blackpool and Newport as being “highly vulnerable” because they have a heavy reliance on jobs in public sector areas considered to be at risk of cuts.

Many rural areas are also hugely dependent on public sector jobs. For example, Ceredigion, Pembrokeshire and Gwynedd have the highest percentages of people working in the public sector.

The public sector in Wales spends over £4.3bn a year on goods and services with the private or voluntary sector, and discussions are already underway on how new service models might be developed with these sectors in order to maintain provision.

The result is that Wales is potentially more vulnerable to a ‘double dip’ recession than the rest of the UK. Despite the spend per head on economic development being higher here than in any other part of the UK (the equivalent of £80 for every person), Wales’ gross value added per head of population is falling further behind the UK average.

This puts Wales in a difficult position to deal with the approaching financial constraints.

What the Welsh Local Government Association wants to see is a mature debate that examines all possible options: what are the services and policies that are the most vital to Welsh citizens and communities?

Now is not the time to cling to policy decisions that, while very laudable, were made in a fundamentally different financial environment.

The public sector in Wales must truly work together and share the pain. There needs to be an overall coherence in the design and implementation of the Welsh fiscal cuts programme.

These are difficult choices for politicians, particularly in the run up to the Assembly elections, but the stark reality is that the measures proposed by the UK coalition government imply the longest and deepest sustained period of public service spending cuts since the days of rationing.

‘Do more with less’ might be a convenient mantra for national politicians, but in reality the reductions envisaged in both the quantity and quality of public services means that ‘do less with less’ may be the order of the day."

£185m Corus investment in Port Talbot

2010-08-17T01:44:00.000-07:00

Happy Days!

This news will hopefully secure the future of the plant for the next 15-20 years.

Well done to management, trade unions and workers for attracting this level of support through their hard work and dedication in the recent tough economic times.

It's never too late........................

2010-08-13T08:44:00.000-07:00

The NPTCBC Adult Community Learning Team are out and about in the County Borough over the next few weeks recruiting new and existing learners to the wide range of courses on offer during “Sign Up Season” which runs from 23 Aug – 24 Sep 2010.

There are over 200 classes running at 20 locations for those of you looking to retrain, improve skills or just finding yourself a new hobby.

A copy of the new prospectus can be found here and further information on the activities of the Learning Team here.

Councillor Manny Loaring

2010-08-12T01:35:00.000-07:00

It was with great sadness earlier this week that I learnt of the passing away of one of my colleagues, Manny Loaring, Labour Councillor for Neath North.

Manny was a man dedicated to serving his local community and had gained an excellent reputation as someone who worked extremely hard on behalf of the people he represented. He was a friendly face who took the time to speak with younger party members and councillors and, I am sure, he will be sorely missed by his family, friends and colleagues.

Scam alert

2010-07-31T11:25:00.000-07:00

South Wales Police have issued a warning to local residents to beware of an ongoing scam in the area involving the sale of jewellery.

Recent incidents have occurred across Neath Port Talbot whereby individuals are employing two tactics:

Flag down passing motorists and allege that they are stranded and their vehicle has run out of fuel. They offer to sell ‘Gold’ jewellery in exchange for cash to purchase fuel. (The items of jewellery that they sell are of little value)

Individuals will approach vulnerable members of the public selling ‘gold’ necklaces and will be persistent in their approach. They will place several necklaces around the victims neck and when removing them they also take possession of the victims own jewellery.

Both of these tactics are also used to distract potential victims whilst a second accomplice will attempt to steal personal belongings.

Members of the public are encouraged to purchase items of jewellery from reputable businesses only. If you become aware of anyone involved in this scam then please contact the police straightaway.

Drama at the YMCA

2010-07-25T10:12:00.000-07:00

Last night, I was lucky enough to have been invited to the beginning of a hopefully successful restarting of regular performances at the theatre in the Port Talbot YMCA.

The venue played host to the UK premiere of a new play by local writer, Binda Singh called “Cream” which was performed by the Orchard Theatre Company and directed by Simon Thompson. The long term plan is that the venture will not only act as encouragement for local youngsters to take part in their fledgling drama group but also generate some much needed financial support to contribute towards the cost of the many facilities the YMCA currently provides.

I am in the process of becoming a board member of the Port Talbot YMCA and I have to say that I have been seriously impressed by the work that it is doing in the local community, much of which goes unnoticed. There is clearly a drive and determination amongst other board members and its staff to strengthen and develop what they offer there and I am certain that it has a very bright future in the town.

Particularly pleasing to see is the way that they are working hard in reaching out to other groups and organisations in Port Talbot. The event was well attended with guests including the Mayor, Cllr Lella James, and her consort, husband Clive, Richard Mylan, Chris Needs MBE and Meyrick Sheen.

Bus shelters

2010-07-19T12:31:00.000-07:00

Following a recent spree of vandalism in the area, a number of local bus shelters were damaged with panes either broken or removed completely.

Two, on opposite sides of the Margam Rd - one at the junction with Earl Road and one at the junction with Pheonix Avenue - have now been fixed.

Another, near to Taibach Community Centre, has been reported and will be repaired in the next week or so.

As a regular bus user, I normally pick this sort of thing up quite quickly. However if you notice any problems at a bus stop near you, then please let me know via the usual channels and I will let our maintenance department know.

Labour leadership

2010-07-18T04:06:00.000-07:00

At a well attended meeting on Friday night, members of the Aberavon Constituency Labour Party voted to lodge a supporting nomination in favour of Ed Miliband for Labour Leadership.

It was very pleasing to see such a good turnout there which included a number of young members as well as many who have recently joined the party since the General Election.

For the record, I voted for Ed's Brother, David.

The other candidates are:

Diane Abbott

Ed Balls

Andy Burnham

The Bell Inn, Commercial Road, Taibach

2010-07-17T03:50:00.000-07:00

An application has been received by NPTCBC to vary the premises licence for The Bell Inn, Commercial Rd, Taibach.

The request is for the hours of licensable activities to be extended until 1am to include films, indoor sporting events, live and recorded music, dancing and the provision of late night refreshment.

A copy of the application may be viewed from Monday to Friday between 9am and 4pm in the Licensing Offices in Port Talbot Civic Centre.

If you have any views on the proposed changes then please let me know as soon as possible and I will make the relevant representations to the Licensing Department. I can be contacted on 01639 687435 or via e-mail at cllr.a.j.taylor@npt.gov.uk.

Alternatively you can make your opinion known directly to the Licensing Officers by doing so in writing by the 9th August.

St Albans Terrace rear lane area

2010-07-15T13:01:00.000-07:00

Cllr John Rogers and I have received a number of complaints about the need to clean up an area to the rear of the shops on Commercial Road, Taibach which has become a target for rubbish dumping and litter.

Concerns have been raised in relation to the appearance of the lane running from the rear of Filcos supermarket across the front of the Aldi’s store, leading towards the rear of houses in St Albans Terrace.

Local residents have been experiencing prolonged dumping of refuse, litter blowing into the lane from the main shopping area and people leaving their rubbish bags out days in advance of the scheduled collection.

Unfortunately, a thoughtless minority have left this particular lane looking messy, spoiling it for the majority of residents there who take pride in living in a neat and tidy community. People are dropping and dumping litter and expecting others to clean it up for them.

We have reported the problem to the Council’s streetcare team who are now keeping a more regular eye on the area to ensure that this does not become an issue again in future.

The situation has been especially bad over the past few weeks. As a result, we have also asked enforcement officers to consider taking action against those responsible. It is not easy to catch the offenders because of the nature of the dumping but if suitable evidence comes to light then we will be pressing for appropriate action to be taken.

NPT Homes Chief Exec appointed

2010-07-14T17:54:00.000-07:00

The announcement of a new Chief Executive for NPT Homes, the organisation that will look after council housing in the county borough after transfer in early 2011 was made this afternoon.

This is the statement that was issued earlier today:

NPT Homes, the organisation that has been set up specifically to take ownership and management of council housing in Neath Port Talbot following a positive ballot by tenants, have appointed their Chief Executive in readiness for their transfer, scheduled to take place early in 2011.

Linda Whittaker the former Director of Housing at the Welsh Assembly Government was chosen for the role from a shortlist of four candidates.

Linda, who has over 20 years experience of the housing sector in Wales is currently the stock transfer programme manager for NPTCBC.

She has been responsible for overseeing stock transfer process for some of the country’s largest authorities including RCT, Torfaen and Newport.

In addition Linda is currently an independent member of the board of RCT Homes, the organisation that Rhondda Cynon Taff CBC transferred its council housing to in December 2007.

Tenants, staff and Shadow Board members formed a Chief Executive Recruitment Group which put the candidates through their paces in an intensive interview process, before they made final presentations to the board.

Linda Whittaker Chief Executive designate of NPT Homes added:

“It is a privilege to take on this new and exciting role at NPT Homes at a great time for housing in the Neath Port Talbot Borough.

I am looking forward to playing a major part in shaping its future and ensuring we are committed to our tenants, staff and local communities.”

Improvements to kerbside recycling will make Neath Port Talbot even greener

2010-06-19T04:21:00.000-07:00

Although Neath Port Talbot has one of the best recycling rates of any local authority in Wales, the Labour run Council will soon be introducing changes to the kerbside collection scheme that will make it even easier for residents to do their bit for the environment.

The service has been subject to a detailed review which has identified three key areas of concern that will be improved over the next few months.

After a successful trial, the new system will be rolled out across the county borough from the end of this month. The main changes are:

More bags per roll, increased to 50 – as residents wanted more bags.
Only clear bags will be provided from now on – waste will still be separated but there were a number of complaints that people found different coloured bags too complicated.
There will now be a red stripe on the 40th bag on the roll to indicate that more bags are required as there issues that residents were not receiving new bags under the old tag system.

Leaflets are to be delivered with more information over the next few weeks but if you have any questions then please get in touch.

Another message from the local police officers........

2010-06-15T05:56:00.000-07:00

Police in Neath Port Talbot are reminding motorists about the importance of ensuring their vehicles are securely locked and all valuables removed when left unattended.

The warning follows a number of thefts from parked cars across the towns which occurred over the weekend.

The crimes included a coat being stolen from an unlocked car at Efail Fach in Pontrhydyfen and a wallet containing bank cards and cash taken from an insecure car in Margam.

Further incidents saw £200 being stolen from a handbag left inside a vehicle which had its window open and a window being smashed to grab a SatNav which had been left on display.

Port Talbot Neighbourhood Inspector Karl Eenmaa said: “All too often motorists have left personal belongings visible in their cars when they have left them parked and unattended.

“A number of the thefts were of possessions which were left on display in parked, insecure cars. These are crimes which could have been avoided if the motorists had remembered to remove their valuables and lock their cars.

“I urge motorists not to be complacent. Do not leave anything of value in your cars when they are parked and unattended. You should always take any valuables with you and make sure all doors and windows are made secure before leaving your vehicle.

“If you see anything or people behaving in a manner that strikes you at all unusual please do not hesitate to report it to the police immediately. It is by working together that we can continue to keep Neath Port Talbot safe.”

Neighbourhood Watch Week

2010-06-13T12:33:00.000-07:00

The local police officers have asked me to publicise the forthcoming Neighbourhood Watch Week. Their press release on it is below.

If you would like to find out more about setting one up in the Taibach Ward then please let me know.

Residents across Neath Port Talbot are being encouraged to sign up to become the eyes and ears of their local community.

Next week sees the start of national Neighbourhood Watch and Home Watch Week 2010 which will see the Safer Neath Port Talbot Partnership encourage local people to join or form new schemes.

Inspector Mark Lenihan of the Safer Neath Port Talbot Partnership said:

“Neighbourhood Watch can be an effective tool in helping to keep our communities safe and is instrumental in helping people pass vital information to the police."

“Sometimes people have the wrong impression about what Neighbourhood Watch is about. It is about looking out for one another and making sure we can beat criminals and learn about how to protect ourselves from crime."

“I would encourage everyone to see what Neighbourhood Watch is all about and join up if you're not already a member.”

The Safer Neath Port Talbot Partnership will be out and about working with Afan Tawe Nedd Neighbourhood Watch Association members in the coming week to encourage new members.

Community Safety officer Dave Scourfield added: “We know that people want to engage with the police and other community safety partners when they see visible efforts being made to address community problems.

“By working together we can all play a part in making our communities safer for everyone.”

For more information about Neighbourhood Watch in your community contact Dave Scourfield at the Safer Neath Port Talbot Partnership on 01639 889162.

Well done the Goyt!

2010-05-27T12:35:00.000-07:00

Many congratulations to local football club Goytre Utd AFC on yet another successful season.

The Blues secured their third Macwhirter Welsh League Division One title in five years and narrowly missed out on making it a League and Cup double after going down 3-1 to Croesyceiliog earlier this week in the Nathaniel Cars Welsh League Cup Final in Bridgend.

Everyone at the community-based club should be justifiably proud of their achievements.

I am looking forward to attending their annual presentation evening tomorrow night so that I can pass on my good wishes to their Secretary, Lyndon Suhanski, the players, coaches, committee members and volunteers.

Taibach Community Centre

2010-05-10T07:44:00.000-07:00

Taibach Community Centre will be undergoing internal decoration works to the main hall this week that should be completed by Wednesday, 19 May 2010 at the latest, in time for an art exhibition taking place there the following weekend.

The work will be undertaken by Community Payback Offenders, in conjunction with the South Wales Probation Service. The centre will remain open whilst the improvements are being made.

Older Persons' Council recruitment

2010-05-09T03:32:00.000-07:00

The Neath Port Talbot Older Persons’ Council (OPC) are looking for people over the age of 50, with enthusiasm, drive and commitment to apply for selection onto their reserve member list.

They are particularly looking for older people who throughout their lives have acquired experiences and skills which could benefit the OPC and their work, or those who are involved in their community and have an overview and understanding of the issues which affect the quality of life of those over the age of 50.

The OPC was formed in 2005 as an independent body of twelve people. They receive support and training to develop their expertise and communication skills to further the aims of the Neath Port Talbot Strategy for Older People, along with giving another voice to the older residents of Neath Port Talbot enabling them to contribute towards and influence the provision of local services and policies, particularly those that have an impact upon the lives of older people. The OPC are also unique as an older person organisation as they hold regular liaison meetings with Members of Cabinet and Heads of Service within the Authority, discussing various issues which affect older people across the County Borough.

They are looking for applicants from all areas of Neath Port Talbot who can offer a diverse range of skills and experiences.

If yourself, an organisation or an older person would like more information about the selection process and the work of the OPC, please do not hesitate to get in touch with them on 01639 763418 or opc@npt.gov.uk.

Neath North Result

2010-05-07T10:26:00.000-07:00

With all the negotiations and horsetrading going on in Westminster, just a quick message of congratulations to Alan Lockyer who won the Neath North by-election for Labour yesterday with almost 50% of the vote.

He takes up the position vacated by Derek Vaughan, former leader of NPTCBC, and now a Member of the European Parliament.

Alan comprehensively won the seat in a contest that included candidates standing for the Tories, Ratepayers and Plaid as well as one independent.

The full result is here.

What this election is really all about......

2010-05-04T10:56:00.000-07:00

Sixty seconds..........

2010-05-03T09:58:00.000-07:00

Gwyn Hall - Meet the Contractors

2010-04-10T03:34:00.001-07:00

Local businesses might be interested to know about a special "Meet the Contractor" event for sub-contractors and suppliers to find out more on opportunities for rebuilding the Gwyn Hall.

Plans are now well advanced, with Morgan Ashurst being named recently as the main developers, and Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council's Economic Development Unit are hosting the gathering at the Bluebell Hotel on 22nd April 2010.

Registrations are on a first come first served basis and can be made by calling the Business Service Team on 01639 686835 or by e-mail business@npt.gov.uk.

Taking a sickie

2010-04-01T21:57:00.000-07:00

My last council meeting before the Easter break took place today. The Policy & Resources Scrutiny Committee met to discuss legal action - in respect of the Icelandic banks, arrangements for the forthcoming general election, how the Council communicates with residents and how we can improve the way we measure service performance.

The main debate, however, centred upon the high rate of sickness absence amongst a minority of our staff which costs the authority around £10m per year.

It is important to stress that this is not an exercise in looking for easy wins at the expense of those who are genuinely ill. As employees of the authority, those who need support will get it. There is concern, though, that our absence record continues to exceed the norm of other similarly sized organisations in Neath Port Talbot. This not only results in added financial pressures at a time when we are already tightening our belts but also pressures on our existing staff who are covering for those who do not make it into work.

Some of the statistics are frankly shocking and I am pleased that, after this Committee starting asking detailed questions some months ago, there is now an urgent review into the situation which will be reporting in due course. Officers gave members a detailed update on work so far and four priority areas to look at have been established: baseline analysis, occupational health, services with a high level of absence and recording and information systems.

A good start has been made but it is clear that there is still a great deal of work still to do.

The Committee will receive a further comprehensive report on the review in June and when investigations are subsequently carried out in each department that information will be passed for Scrutiny by the relevant committee, alongside the usual performance indicators.

Perhaps the only disappointing aspect of the meeting was the complete lack of any Plaid councillors present (again).

Bringing people together

2010-03-31T12:59:00.000-07:00

Last night I had the privilege to have been able to attend an entertaining night at the Princess Royal Theatre designed to celebrate the diversity of cultures that exist within the County Borough.

The “International Mother Language Day Celebration”, organised by Neath Port Talbot Tigers, saw performances in a number of languages including English, Welsh, British Sign Language, Bengali, Xhosa, Zulu, Sesotho, Afrikaans, French, Russian, Urdu, Finnish, Pushdu, Chinese (Cantonese & Mandarin), Tagalog and Thai.

Ably hosted by Dr Hywel Francis MP, with addresses from the Mayor of Neath Port Talbot, Cllr Pam Thomas, Cllr John Rogers and others, it was a poignant reminder of some of the hard work that goes on to promote racial and community cohesion. Two highlights of the night stood out, in particular – Cllr Doreen Jones’ rendition of Myfanwy and the joyful performance from members of the NPT College Pre-Vocational Studies Department

A big thank you must go to the people who brought the event together especially Shahjan Mohammed, Saifur Rahman, Rizwan Shams, Anwar Hussain and Muttakir Mohammed.

New PACT date

2010-03-18T09:12:00.000-07:00

The next PACT meeting for the Taibach Ward will now take place on Tuesday, 06 April 2010 at 6.30pm in Taibach Community Centre.

This replaces the March meeting which had to be cancelled at the last minute due to problems with the venue. I have been reassured by the police that the Centre has definitely been booked in advance on this occasion!

I will not be able to attend on the rearranged date as I will be away but my ward colleague, Councillor John Rogers, will be there as usual. If you have any issues that you would like to raise in the meantime, then please do not hesitate to get in touch.

Policing Website

2010-03-17T09:25:00.000-07:00

I have been asked by the local police officers to give their OurBobby.com website a bit of plug, so here it is.

The site provides details on the Neighbourhood officers for every Ward in the borough, including mobile phone numbers for these officers, along with details about PACT meetings/priorities and the work being done by the neighbourhood teams in each ward.

The page specific to the Taibach Ward can be found here.

Tenants vote YES to transfer to NPT Homes

2010-03-16T18:00:00.000-07:00

NPTCBC press release announcing result of the Housing Stock Transfer vote:

Tenants in Neath Port Talbot have voted overwhelmingly to transfer their homes to NPT Homes.

Independent organisation Electoral Reform Services, which ran the ballot, have released the results of the secret ballot of tenants in which 61.6% voted, 56.6% supported the transfer proposal and 43.4% did not support the Council’s transfer proposal.

The Council has worked closely with tenants to develop proposals that will ensure Council properties can be improved up to the Welsh Housing Quality Standard, set by the Welsh Assembly Government.

Tenants can now look forward to a future programme of repairs and improvements that will total £152million in the first six years and £694million over 30 years.

Council Leader Ali Thomas said: “The ballot result is a vote for better homes for existing tenants and future generations of tenants. Tenants have clearly recognised the very difficult financial position facing the Council.

“While the Council has always worked hard to provide good homes and services for its tenants, a lack of resources meant we simply could not afford to bring homes up to the Welsh Housing Quality Standard.

“NPT Homes will be able to deliver the repairs and improvements that are needed and we are confident they will deliver all the promises to tenants.

“I would like to thank our tenants for taking time to consider the transfer proposal, and our staff for all their hard work during the consultation. I would particularly like to thank the WHQS Programme Manager Claire Maimone and her team and Cllr Peter Rees the Cabinet Member for Social Care, Health and Housing who in the face of quite unfair criticism faced up to the challenge and made sure that tenants received all the information enabling them to come to a decision”

Phylip Richards, Chair of the Board of NPT Homes said: “This is a great result for the future of social housing across Neath Port Talbot. Tenants can rest assured that the Board is committed to delivering all the promises made to tenants during the consultation.

“We will be working hard to develop a detailed improvement programme over the coming months so that we can deliver the full benefits of transfer to tenants from day one.”

“I would like to thank all those tenants who have put their confidence in us. We are committed to delivering all the promises to our tenants and involving them in the investment and service improvements that transfer will bring.”

Housing Stock Transfer

2010-03-07T13:07:00.001-08:00

There have been several stories floating around about the Housing Stock Transfer ballot over the past few days alleging that ballot papers are systematically not being sent out to certain tenants.

Below is an e-mail that councillors received from the WHQS Programme Manager clarifying the situation:

"The ballot is being run by Electoral Reform Services (ERS). It is a widely respected independent organisation, which works with organisations such as trade unions, building societies and public bodies. Over the last 20 years it has run over 200 housing transfer ballots in Wales and England.

The transfer ballot is totally independent; ERS are not connected with the Government, Neath Port Talbot Council or the proposed new landlord, NPT Homes.

Ballot papers have been posted directly to tenants’ homes by ERS together with voting instructions and a freepost envelope to return it to ERS. Joint tenants should have each received a separate ballot paper. Tenants can also vote by telephone, text or internet and instructions on how to vote are on the ballot paper. At no time will tenants’ individual votes be seen or discussed with Neath Port Talbot Council or NPT Homes.

ERS will have a record of which tenants have voted and which tenants have not but no-one else will know how an individual tenant has voted.

ERS employ a number of security features in every election that they run to ensure that the integrity of the ballot is not compromised. Every ballot paper will have a unique bar code reference to ensure that no ballot paper is used more than once. Telephone, text and internet voters each have a unique reference number and any attempt to vote more than once will be detected and prevented.

I wish to reassure you that the Councils' tenant data is robust. It was thoroughly checked and cross-checked ahead of this very important ballot before being sent to ERS.

We are aware of a few cases where individuals have thought they were a secure or introductory tenant when they were not. This has also arisen where people have believed they are joint tenants when they are not. We have also received calls from people who have previously bought their home from the Council and they are clearly not eligible to vote and so would not have received a ballot paper.

There has been no delay in processing any queries from tenants whether they have come straight in to the Council or through ERS. The data is immediately checked and confirmed to ERS.

Tenants who have not received their ballot paper should ring the Council's freephone on 0800 652 5471 to confirm they are a secure or introductory tenant as only those tenants are eligible to vote.

The ballot closes at noon on the 16th March 2010."

For the record, I have not received a single complaint from anyone in the Taibach Ward regarding problems of the kind mentioned in the press. As far as I can tell, neither have the vast majority of my colleagues.

Improving residential care in NPT

2010-03-06T18:35:00.000-08:00

I have received a number of detailed questions on the ongoing Residential Care Home consultation which continues for the next 7 weeks or so.

The Council has put together a handy Q&A section on its website to give clarity to some issues that have been raised already as part of the exercise.

Aberavon Labour selects former Royal Marine to head election year activist team

2010-02-24T07:55:00.000-08:00

Members of the Aberavon Constituency Labour Party met last week to elect former Royal Marine and Margam resident, Roger Sheppard, as its President ahead of the forthcoming General Election.

Mr Sheppard, succeeded Sandra Davies (Briton Ferry) and is joined by Barbara Trahar (Cymmer), who will be Senior Vice-President, and Les Rees (Baglan) who will act as Junior Vice-President.

David Rees, already chosen by grassroots members to fight the Aberavon Assembly seat in 2011, retained his position as General Secretary, with his Bryn & Cwmafan based colleague, Councillor Marian Lewis, staying on as Treasurer.

Other key appointments made at the meeting included Clive Jones (Aberavon) as Trade Union Liaison Officer, John Slater (Aberavon) as Membership Officer and Pat Jones (Sandfields East) as Women’s Officer. Young people will also be well represented with Cllr Scott Jones (Cymmer) assuming the role of Youth Officer, Councillor Anthony Taylor (Taibach) taking control of Press & Communications and Saifur Rahman (Port Talbot) as Ethnic Minorities Officer.

ROGER SHEPPARD said:

“I am proud to have been chosen to lead such a dedicated and enthusiastic team of activists who are committed to championing the needs of local communities across all parts of the Aberavon Constituency.”

“We will continue to campaign on behalf of ordinary people on issues such as better access for disabled people to Port Talbot Train Station and the development of a cleaner, greener, safer Aberavon.”

“With the General Election fast approaching, I look forward to giving all of my energy to the re-election of our MP, Hywel Francis, a tireless fighter for his constituents and a leading figure in Wales on carers’ rights, economic development and on working with local groups, faith groups and the police to combat hate crimes and nurture good tolerant communities.”

Vandal hit garages tackled in Taibach

2010-02-23T12:36:00.000-08:00

I am pleased to report that action has been taken to reduce long-standing anti-social behaviour in derelict garages near Penrhyn Street , Taibach.

The two garages had become a haven for vandals and were the subject of discussion at a recent Taibach Ward PACT meeting following concerns raised by residents in the area. They had long been abandoned by their owners, falling into bad repair and providing local troublemakers with somewhere to gather at night.

We were aware that they had become a drinking den for youngsters who were intent on causing mayhem for people living in the houses nearby. There was a growing problem with litter and some householders were being targeted on repeated occasions.

Thanks to members of the community working with ourselves as councillors, the police, local authority and the Fire Service, we have been able to take strong and prompt action. One of the garages has now been demolished and the other one has been blocked up. Extra patrols have been seen in the area and we would encourage anyone who is aware of any suspicious behaviour around that particular site to report it to the police. That way, we can gather the necessary evidence to prevent the individuals concerned continuing with their disruptive behaviour.

Pot Holes

2010-02-20T03:06:00.001-08:00

The Welsh Assembly Government recently announced additional funding to Councils to carry out highway repairs required as a result of the recent severe weather conditions.

Neath Port Talbot has now received £102,922, its allocation under the grant, and will be carrying out work across the County Borough over the next 6 weeks. They will be working through issues raised directly with them through the authority's call centre and following inspections by council officers.

I have been keeping an eye open during my regular ward walkabouts but if you are aware of any problems in your own locality then please let me know and I will report it accordingly.

Care homes

2010-02-15T05:32:00.001-08:00

The hot topic of the moment in Neath Port Talbot is the proposal to reconfigure the residential care system and provide 3 brand new state of the art homes for older people in the County Borough.

Consultation has begun on the project which is ongoing until the end of April and a copy of the consultation booklet can be found here.

I will be attending a meeting tonight in Morfa Afan Day Centre in the Sandfields where councillors will be finding out the views of staff and care users on the plans.

There is a lot of misinformation (some unintentional, some seemingly not so) on various social networking and other websites so it is worth giving the booklet a closer look. One thing is clear and that is that the top priority in all of this is giving elderly people the care and dignity that they deserve.

Councillors of all parties signed up to support the modernisation of residential care services, clear in the knowledge that radical decisions needed to be made. The next few months is not about ducking the issues but adopting a carefully thought out solution that enables us as a local authority to deliver for the people who need our help most.

Affordable housing up for grabs at Groeswen

2010-02-06T03:18:00.000-08:00

Local families wanting to take a step on the housing ladder can take advantage of a new affordable housing plan at the Groeswen Parc development in Margam.

Under the “Moving Up” home ownership scheme, young families with children currently living in the Taibach and Margam wards will be given priority to purchase one of twelve 3-bedroom houses that are available from Coastal Housing.

Individuals can buy a property outright for the discount price of £87,500 with a mortgage. Currently the market value of the houses is £129,000. The difference between the market value and the purchase price will be loaned by Coastal via a Homebuy loan. There is nothing to pay on the Homebuy element until the property is sold, at which point, Coastal will receive a percentage of the sale price which will be calculated at the time of purchase.

New, affordable properties in Port Talbot are at a premium and particularly in the current economic climate, young people in our area are finding it increasingly difficult to gain a foothold on the property ladder. This scheme provides them with a valuable opportunity to buy a home close to their friends and relatives without breaking the bank.

The Moving Up scheme is an innovative way for the benefits of the Groeswen Parc development to be channelled back into the existing community in Taibach & Margam. I am especially glad that local hardworking families in the area have been given priority status in this instance. These are good quality, secure homes at a cost that makes it possible for more people in the area to enter into the housing market than would otherwise have been the case.

More information on the Groeswen Parc Scheme can be found here: http://www.npt.gov.uk/default.aspx?page=5958

The deadline for requesting an application pack is noon Friday, 12 February 2010.

Afan Lido latest

2010-02-05T18:54:00.000-08:00

This is the latest round up on the aftermath of the Afan Lido fire. I have been reassured by council officers that more regular updates will appear on the Council website so keep checking there as well to keep up to speed.

"A structural assessment of the Afan Lido complex has been carried out by independent structural engineers. This has confirmed that very severe damage has resulted from the fire to the building fabric and primary structure of the pool hall. The report advises that extensive demolition is necessary and officers will recommend a way forward to the Council once financial and technical appraisals for demolition have been completed. It is likely that the whole of the pool complex, including the reception and gym areas will be demolished.

The Bowls hall which occupies a nearby but separate building has now been returned to Celtic Leisure and is in operation.

Afan Lido F.C. – officers have met with representatives of the Club and agreed to assist the Club with independent water and electricity supplies. A water supply is now in place and subject to the timing of connection the Club will have its own electricity supply within two to three weeks. In the meantime a temporary supply has been arranged

Afan F.M. Radio Station - they have relocated off-site from the Squash Courts within the Sports Hall and are now housed, temporarily, in the top floor of Aberafan House.

Arrangements have been made to schedule school swimming into alternative venues and consultation is ongoing with schools in order that appropriate timetable and transportation arrangements can be made.

A range of options is being explored for the clubs which use the complex and the emerging picture is that alternative arrangements can be made for the majority of Clubs and major user groups

Air testing and swab testing of the dry side Sports Hall has been completed. Some clean-up around the access areas and toilet areas is necessary before any access for belongings, etc, will be possible. That work has been ordered and in due course appropriate arrangements will be communicated to the public for private belongings to be returned. Public access to the area will not be possible.

The Sports Hall external doors have been secured with metal paneling, as have the front doors to the Aqua dome to prevent unauthorised access.

The external air monitoring continues, although since the day of the fire, there have been no tests showing anything other than normal results. The position will be kept under review.

An Engineers' report has been forwarded to the Council’s insurers, along with an appropriate indemnity."

PACT Meeting - Change of Date

2009-12-28T07:05:00.000-08:00

Contrary to the article carried in the Evening Post before Christmas, the next Taibach Ward PACT Meeting will now take place on Tuesday, 12 January 2010 at 6.30pm in Taibach Community Centre and not on the 5th as previously advertised.

The two priorities for action decided at the last one back in November were general youth annoyance in the area (very much an ongoing issue) and abandoned vehicles and other matters in Prince Street . There has been a significant improvement in both situations thanks mainly to an intensified presence from the local police and a more effective partnership between various agencies in respect of the recent raid on Prince Street Garage.

If you have any crime and disorder complaints that you would like to discuss directly with the police then please come to the meeting, or even better, contact them directly via the Our Bobby website.

NPTCVS

2009-12-27T09:00:00.000-08:00

Are you involved in a local voluntary organisation or community group and need any help or advice on how to develop or fundraise?

The Neath Port Talbot Council for Voluntary Service is holding a series of events throughout the County Borough to let people know about their services which include funding and volunteering advice. They will be in our area on Thursday, 07 January 2010 between 1.30pm and 6pm in St Theodore's Church Hall, Talbot Road if you want to find out more. Alternatively, you can contact them directly on 01639 631246 or e-mail info@nptcvs.org.uk.

Environment programme brings improvements to Taibach Ward

2009-12-19T05:06:00.000-08:00

A programme of measures designed to improve the quality of local street and road surfaces began last week in Taibach, Margam & Goytre.

Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council’s Urban Improvement Initiative, which runs over the next three years, will make a huge impact on upgrading the condition of streets in the Taibach Ward that are situated off the main roads.

Streets that are benefiting in the first year of the project include Earl Rd, East Street, Emroch St, Field Terrace, Geifr Rd, Graig Ave, Greenfield Ave, Landore Ave, Maesmelyn St, Pellau Rd, Rhanallt St, Tanygroes Place, Twll-yn-y-Wal Rd, Wern Rd and Woodland Ave. In addition to the roads being resurfaced, street furniture such as nameplates, bins and benches will be renewed where appropriate. There will also be extensive landscaping work carried out in Twll-yn-y-Wal Gardens.

Enhancing and improving the local environment has proved to be a big issue whenever we have held our street surgeries and spoken to people on their doorsteps. We regularly receive complaints about potholes and other hazards in certain streets and major investment on this scale will go a long way in addressing the problems.

The initiative will make huge difference to the appearance of streets and open spaces right across Taibach, Margam & Goytre and make the roads safer for motorists and pedestrians alike. There will inevitably be some short term disruption for residents whilst the work is being carried out but we are working with the community and the council to ensure that this is kept to a minimum.

Prince Street Garage Update

2009-12-18T18:45:00.000-08:00

Those of you who were in the Prince Street area on Wednesday morning will have noticed quite a bit of police activity taking place around the garage there.

The garage has been an ongoing priority at the local PACT meetings for a variety of reasons and thank to the co-operation of residents, police, various Government agencies and Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council, it appears that we might have a had a positive result.

Below is the official statement issued by South Wales Police on the outcome of the raid:

The Port Talbot Neighbourhood Policing Team has carried out an operation at a local garage which has been the subject of concern in the community.

Residents have been concerned about activity at Prince Street Garage in Margam and have raised the issue at local PACT meetings.

Officers yesterday teamed up with colleagues from HM Revenue & Customs and the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) to execute a warrant at the premises.

Police arrested a 29-year-old man on suspicion of drugs offences. Enquiries are ongoing in relation to suspected stolen property at the premises.

Separate enquiries are being conducted by VOSA in respect of MOT testing practices at the garage and by HM Revenue & Customs into suspected use of red diesel in vehicles.

Port Talbot Neighbourhood Police Inspector Karl Eenmaa said: “The community has been extremely concerned about the comings and goings at the garage for some time.

“This was a multi-agency operation between the local Neighbourhood Policing Team, VOSA and HM Revenue & Customs and investigations are underway into several different aspects of the garage.

“Neighbourhood Policing is all about working with the community to address their concerns and judging by what residents have been telling us in PACT meetings, this garage has been a source of concern which we have acted upon.”

Oscar crosses the floor

2009-12-08T11:47:00.000-08:00

I have to say that I didn’t see this one coming.

It begs two key questions.

Firstly, how can you become a fully paid up Plaid Assembly Member and not realise that their main policy is independence for Wales?

Secondly, having won the regional seat largely on the back of being on the Plaid list, how can Mr Ashgar continue to have a mandate as an AM having joined another party altogether?

I am off to the Bay tonight for a celebration party for those of us who worked on Carwyn’s leadership campaign. Rest assured, I will keep my ear to the ground to find out what’s really going on in the corridors of power in the Assembly.

Labour selects local candidate for Aberavon Assembly fight

2009-11-25T13:17:00.001-08:00

Grassroots Labour Party members in the Aberavon Constituency have chosen well known local campaigner, David Rees, as their candidate to succeed Dr Brian Gibbons AM, for the 2011 Assembly Election.

At a recent meeting held at the Aberavon Beach Hotel, party supporters voted for the long serving, Cwmavon-based activist following an extensive consultation process with members and trade unionists.

DAVID REES said:

“It is an honour and a privilege to have been selected to stand for election to represent the constituency that has been my home for all of my life. Should I be successful in 2011, I will be fighting for everyone in Aberavon and listening to their views on the important issues that affect them on a day to day basis.”

“I will stand up for our local NHS, schools and other public services and will do everything that I can to help attract more, better paid jobs to the area whilst protecting those that are already here.”

Mr Rees, a party member for over 25 years, is currently employed as an Assistant Dean of Faculty at Swansea Metropolitan University, and is married to Marie, a Superintendent Radiographer at Neath Port Talbot Hospital. They have two grown up daughters and one grandchild. David entered Labour Party politics in the early 1980s.

“Like many others in Aberavon, I could see the damage that the Thatcher Government of the time was inflicting on communities right across South Wales. I am fully committed to ensuring that the level of devastation the Tories brought to Aberavon never happens again. Instead, I want to see the continuation of the delivery of social justice and investment in key frontline services that the Labour-led Assembly Government has given us over the last decade.”

Although the Assembly Elections will not take place for another eighteen months the Labour candidate has assured voters that there will be no room for complacency.

“I can’t wait to get campaigning on local issues for local people. If I am successful in 2011, I will be a full time AM, leaving my job and having no other ties or income. The role deserves no less a commitment.”

“I will have a fully staffed, easily accessible constituency office and hold regular street surgeries in every ward. I would also be looking to meet with as many community groups as possible and make my expenses and voting record available for public scrutiny.”

David Rees’ selection has already been backed by current Labour AM for Aberavon, Dr Brian Gibbons.

BRIAN GIBBONS AM said:

“David has an impressive record as a community activist and will do a first class job for Aberavon. Having campaigned alongside him, I know that he is 100% committed to Aberavon and, as he has lived here all of his life, he has a real understanding of the challenges facing local people.”

Extra technology employed in air pollution fight

2009-11-23T12:31:00.000-08:00

A brand new air quality monitoring station has this week been installed in Margam as part of efforts to clean up air pollution in Port Talbot.

The Environment Agency has reached agreement with Welsh Water to use the former sewage pumping station site in Prince Street as a base for one of their mobile air quality laboratories which will collect valuable information on airborne pollution in the town. The move will strengthen monitoring provision in the area and complement facilities already in place at Dyffryn Upper School, Taibach Fire Station, Water Street, Port Talbot Docks, Talbot Road, Theodore Road and Twll-yn-y-Wal Park.

Both Cllr John Rogers and I welcome this development. There are longstanding air quality issues in this part of Margam and it is essential that the new equipment should be placed where it has been.

We have seen a number of serious pollution episodes in Prince Street and the surrounding area in recent times. This laboratory will give us up-to-date information which can be accessed by residents, CORUS, the Environment Agency and the Council, so that we can see a more accurate picture of what is really going on.

Air quality is a major issue for local people in Margam & Taibach. We all understand the need for heavy industry in the town and the employment that it creates but there also needs to be a balance between that and the needs of neighbouring communities such as ours. As local councillors, we regard this as another step in investigating the problem more fully but, it is fair to say, that there is a very long way still to go.

Back in business

2009-10-17T13:30:00.000-07:00

Many apologies for the complete lack of blogging in recent months. I have been too busy doing various things and not had the time to write about them.

Life has been extremely busy with my day job as political assistant to the new Welsh Labour MEP, Derek Vaughan, the Aberavon Labour Assembly Candidate selection process, Taibach Ward business as well as family and personal commitments. Things have now calmed down a great deal and I hope to be able to spend a bit more time blogging over the next few weeks and months.

There have been a number of important subjects that have come under the microscope in terms of my councillor role, not least Housing Stock Transfer, the Schools Improvement Plan and the Local Development Plan. The process to select a candidate to succeed Brian Gibbons AM is ongoing and has become a hotly contested vacancy with the winner set to be announced at the end of the month. Added to that, of course, is the opportunity for Labour Party members across Wales to choose a new leader to follow in the footsteps of Rhodri Morgan.

Most important of all though has been the day to day issues that have been cropping up on my patch covering Taibach, Margam & Goytre. My colleague, John Rogers, and I spent a wonderful morning in the Autumn sunshine today conducting one of our regular street surgeries on the doorsteps of our residents in Morlais Rd, Brombil Gardens, Margam Rd, Landore Avenue, Toronto Avenue, Pant Celydd, Greenfield Avenue, Graig Avenue, Glanymor Avenue and Woodland Avenue. Meeting our constituents, making face to face contact and dealing with the problems that matter most to them will always be the best part of the job.

Plaid Housing Minister refutes Defend Council Housing campaign

2009-08-31T00:05:00.000-07:00

The Housing Stock Transfer debate continues to rumble on via the letters pages of the local press with several prominent Plaid supporters making various claims about its implications and outcomes.

Once again though opponents have failed to propose any viable alternative and, as elected representatives, we have a responsibility to deliver the best housing provision that we can to tenants not just provide them with the most effective soundbites.

An interesting development leaving Plaid campaigners with questions to answer has been a letter by Jocelyn Davies AM, their own Deputy Minister for Housing, which sets out to comprehensively debunk material put out by Defend Council Housing and being used by councillors and members of her party in Neath Port Talbot.

Which version is right?

It is worth quoting the letter at length below so that you can make your own minds up.

“Evictions Up

At present, most council tenants are secure tenants. If stock transfer went ahead in the future, tenants would be given an assured tenancy by the new registered social landlord (RSL). Tenants would still have security of tenure and have protection of their key rights. As an assured tenant, their rights would be covered partly by law and partly by a legally binding tenancy agreement between the tenant and the new RSL. As with secure tenancies, the new RSL could only end a tenancy obtaining a court order.

Rents Up

If stock transfer went ahead (subject to the outcome of a tenant ballot), rent increases with the new RSL will be no greater that they would have been if the homes had stayed with NPTCBC. Under the WAG current rents policy both the new RSL and Council rents would move to the same benchmark level over a period of time.

Tenancy Succession

Tenants would have the legal right to be able to pass on their tenancy to joint tenants, a husband, wife, partner or to a family member who has lived with the tenant for the past 12 months. This is the same as with the Council.

With the Council, these succession rights only occur once. Under a new assured tenancy agreement with the new RSL, a second succession would be allowed.

Lack of Accountability

The new RSL would be a not for profit organisation, registered with the Financial Services Authority and Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs as a charity. It would also be registered and regulated by WAG and subject to regular inspection. It would have a Board of Managements comprising tenants, Council nominees and independent members.

Mergers and Takeovers

The new RSL would be a newly created, local, not for profit organisation

Higher costs

The new RSL would be a not for profit, charitable organisation. There would be no shareholders and it would not pay dividends. Board members would only be able to claim reasonable out of pocket expenses such as travel costs.

Homelessness

If the transfer went ahead, NPTCBC would retain its homelessness function and will be accountable to WAG to ensure that this is delivered.”

Afan Arts Centre

2009-08-14T01:40:00.000-07:00

The proposed closure of the Afan Arts Centre in Theodore Rd came before the Economic & Community Regeneration Scrutiny Committee yesterday and generated much discussion between members and officers of the Council.

It is quite clear that there are serious health and safety problems at the Centre, the most recent of which being a highly critical report from the Mid & West Wales Fire Service. For those of you who know the site, the Edwardian building was closed back in 2004 but the other building, a small theatre opened only in 1985 is still used by four local groups for rehearsals and workshops. The administration of that building is undertaken by volunteers but the land is owned by Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council.

The duty of care in terms of safety at the Centre currently falls on the authority and cost issues mean that it is not viable to remain open under their responsibility. In times of shrinking budgets, that is understandable, but both Cllr Dennis Keogh, one of the councillors for the Port Talbot Ward in which the Centre is located, and myself had a number of concerns that we felt had not been addressed.

As members of the Committee, we spoke at length on several issues including the lack of consultation of local councillors, reports that the groups currently housed in the Centre had not been properly notified, the lack of alternative provision in the immediate area and the suitability of provision elsewhere in the town. We also felt that the option of transferring ownership of the centre to the volunteer management group, enabling them to maintain the facility and apply for grant funding to do so, had not been properly explored.

The final decision on the future of the Centre has now been deferred until late September pending further discussions with local ward members and the four organisations based there so that the debate is more fully informed and all the possible solutions are brought out into the open.

Councillors welcome Dyffryn Rd appeal decision

2009-08-07T06:27:00.000-07:00

Taibach Labour Councillors, John Rogers and Anthony Taylor, have welcomed news that proposals to build residential properties on green land at Dyffryn Road have been refused for a second time.

An announcement made this week by the Planning Inspectorate arm of the Welsh Assembly Government supported the view of the councillors that the development of this site would be unacceptable and backs up the original decision made in February 2009 to turn down the plans by Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council.

Councillor JOHN ROGERS said:

“We are delighted that by working in partnership with local residents, we have managed to successfully oppose these plans.”

“The Planning Inspector has thoroughly assessed all the facts in this case and has come to the same conclusion that residents, us and councillors, and the authority’s Planning Department did. Any development on this site is completely unnecessary and would only cause major problems for existing residents in the locality.”

Councillor ANTHONY TAYLOR added:

“We share the concerns of local people that building on this site would cause severe difficulties in terms of overlooking neighbouring homes, increasing traffic and adding to the existing car parking issues that they already live with on a daily basis.”

“We also believe that it would be wrong to build upon a naturally green area that is well known as a local landmark.”

Electrifying plans for rail in Port Talbot

2009-07-23T04:28:00.000-07:00

This £1bn investment is a great boost not just for Port Talbot but also for public transport in the whole of South Wales.

It will make the rail system cleaner, greener and less polluting as well as reducing journey times and improving reliability. Undoubtedly, more and more travellers will be encouraged to make the switch onto the trains instead of using their cars.

With the huge improvement that it will bring to our infrastructure, one of the important knock on effects will be for it to make Port Talbot a more attractive place for businesses to invest in the long term. People already living locally will also be able to travel further and quicker if they need to work in Cardiff, Swansea or further afield.

This news is a great opportunity for the town, its economy and its residents.

Taibach Ward PACT update

2009-07-17T07:23:00.000-07:00

I am spending today following up various issues raised at the last Taibach Ward PACT meeting. These include:

Dog fouling and dogs running off the lead in local parks
Anti-social behaviour in Prince Street & Pheonix Avenue
Lighting in the rear lane between Elba Avenue & Margam Rd
Restoration of alcohol free zone signs in the Talbot Memorial Park
Traffic access to Filco’s Car Park
Parking outside Taibach Community Centre
Problems trees near Wildbrook
Signage for Stourvale off Margam Rd & Wilden Avenue

Congratulations to Nan Smith from Park Street who was elected as Taibach Ward PACT at the last meeting. I look forward to working with her over the coming months.

The next meeting takes place on Tuesday, 01 September.

For more information on local policing you should visit http://www.ourbobby.com/EN/PACT/Default.aspx?n1=1&n2=10&n3=122&n4=215&id=193

SNAC Youth Club opening

2009-07-16T23:02:00.001-07:00

On Monday I was fortunate enough to have been able to attend the official opening of the new Space Youth Club in the Special Needs Activity Centre (SNAC) next door to the Community Centre in Taibach.

Amongst the special guests were Keith Towler (Children’s Commissioner for Wales), Gwenda Thomas AM (Deputy Welsh Assembly Government Minister for Social Services), Neath Port Talbot Mayor Coun Pam Thomas and Neath Port Talbot Council Leader Coun Ali Thomas.

Originally formed in 1993, SNAC has grown from strength to strength and opened its own purpose built premises in 2000 with help from the Community Fund, Corus and Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council. The Space Club is an over 11s respite youth club which runs on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday evenings from 4pm – 7pm and provides a much needed service for the families of children and young adults with special needs.

For more information on all the activities in SNAC, contact the centre itself on 01639 899666.

AMs report sets example

2009-07-13T02:02:00.000-07:00

Last week saw the publication of the very thorough and comprehensive report into Assembly Members expenses which continues to fill the pages of the Western Mail and other Welsh newspapers.

Sir Roger Jones and his colleagues were commissioned to complete this piece of work prior to the current expenses row and whilst, it seems to be more of a reaction to what is going on in Westminster rather than Cardiff Bay, its recommendations are firm and clear. In particular, its review of second homes, allowances available to AMs who are married or partners, and the need to produce receipts so that every penny spent can be traced are welcome indeed.

Those of you who read the local media will also have seen that the expenses of every Neath Port Talbot councillor has also been published this week which gives our electorate the opportunity to see in detail exactly what we claim.

If public confidence in politicians is to be regained then I believe we need to go even further and provide them with more detailed information which enables them to make an informed judgement on how their local representative is performing. As the job of being a councillor is wide and varied, it would probably be impossible to measure everything that the position requires but at the same time as our expenses are made public, there should be statistics showing council and PACT meeting attendance and details of how each councillor voted on all decisions made by full Council at the very least.

We have the chance, given the present public mood, to be more radical and transparent than ever before. Maybe we could start by making chief executives and senior directors in local government publish their business expenses, including travel and hotel costs, along with details of any hospitality that they have accepted.

Ratepayers down to two

2009-06-25T04:02:00.000-07:00

In response to rumours on other blogs, I can now confirm that Councillor Dennis Keogh has indeed crossed the floor of the Council Chamber from the Ratepayers to the Labour Party.

I know that it was not an easy decision for Dennis to take but he has made it for serious and heartfelt reasons that I am sure he will outline in due course. He is a conscientious representative of the people of the Port Talbot Ward and it is great to have him on board.

The move raises a number of questions for Ratepayers as to the future of their leader, Councillor Andrew Tutton, who has seen their number of councillors fall from the 2009 high of nine to the current two (Andrew himself and Cllr John Tallamy), and as to whether the party can survive at all in its present state.

With all of their best councillors departing on a regular basis, it seems that the disquiet amongst their wider membership is more significant than first thought.

Lib Dems split on Housing Stock Transfer

2009-06-25T03:47:00.000-07:00

This post by Cllr Frank Little comes as no surprise as it has been widely known that his party leader, Cllr Keith Davies has been working with Plaid’s Cllr Martyn Peters on the anti Housing Stock Transfer campaign for a number of months.

It beggars belief, though, that on such a key issue the Lib Dems decide to make it a matter of conscience and refuse to tell us what their policy is on the proposals. Traditionally, matters of conscience surround decisions that are hugely personal not on something like this and it is just being used as an excuse to cover up the party’s deeply embarassing split on this matter.

What would be interesting to know (in the spirit of openness and transparency that the Lib Dems often talk about) is which of their members are in favour of transfer and which are not? Is this decision because their leader has been outvoted 3 – 1 or is it because they are genuinely split right down the middle with 2 in favour and 2 against? Their constituents need to know where their councillors stand on this.

The housing stock transfer debate is a complex one and the key driver for me is how can we provide tenants with the highest quality of housing that serves their needs within the constraints that we are forced to operate. There is plenty of talk about what can be done at a higher level but, as county councillors, we have to come up with practical and deliverable answers to the challenges that are presented to us. The improvements will cost hundreds of millions of pounds to create and sustain, money that is not readily available under the current system. The Community Mutual model is, in my view, the best solution open to us and that is why I wholeheartedly support it.

For all the sloganising of its opponents, those who have now joined the Defend Council Housing campaign are still unable to come up with a deliverable alternative. The plans have been making their way through the local authority for over a year and neither Cllr Keith Davies, nor Cllr Martyn Peters, have suggested a different method of achieving the Welsh Housing Quality Standard at the many meetings that they could have done so. Those of us who attended the full Council Meeting that agreed to let tenants have the final say, will remember that Cllr Peters did not even think that residents were intelligent enough to consider the issue and make their own decision based on the complete facts of both sides of the case.

Housing Stock Transfer is possibly the biggest decision that will have to be made in the lifetime of the current council. It is a serious debate and to abdicate responsibility at this time will only mean that the tenants who need our help most will suffer.

Standing down

2009-06-21T09:44:00.000-07:00

On Friday night, I attended a dinner held at Neath RFC to celebrate the contribution of Derek Vaughan to local government, both in Neath Port Talbot and across Wales.

The talk of the evening though was of Brian Gibbons’ decision, announced earlier that night, to stand down at the next election as the AM for Aberavon.

It was with great surprise that I came to hear of this news and it is sad that someone who has made such a huge and valuable contribution to political life in the constituency will not be standing again.

Brian, came into elected politics at the 1999 Assembly Elections, following a well respected career in medicine, particularly in the Upper Afan Valley. Over the last ten years he has led the way in establishing the work of the Welsh Assembly in all parts of Aberavon and has shown outstanding dedication in delivering for the people who have put their faith in him to represent them.

A long standing Welsh Assembly Government Cabinet Minister, Brian often took tough decisions and was brave enough to assess the facts of a case and act accordingly. Dealing with high profile issues, he resisted intense media and public pressure and stuck to his principles when others might have capitulated and as a fellow politician, I admire him greatly for that.

On a personal note, since I became active in the party, he has been a great help and always offered his support when needed. He will be leaving at a time when the Labour Party in Aberavon is in a strong position – 19 Neath Port Talbot County Borough Councillors and the highest percentage Labour vote in the recent European Elections of any constituency in Wales. Brian has played a key role in that success and I wish him all the best in whatever he decides to do post-2011.

Everything changes, everything stays the same

2009-05-21T05:50:00.000-07:00

Yesterday’s meeting of Full Council, a continuation of last week’s Annual Meeting called to finalise certain administrative matters, was pretty much straightforward, barring a few minor changes.

The Cabinet remains the same as before, apart from the well deserved promotion of Cllr Sandra Miller (Neath East) to the Streetcare and Highways Services portfolio to replace Cllr Arwyn Woolcock (Lower Brynamman) who has himself been elevated to Deputy Leader with his predecessor in that post, Cllr Ali Thomas (Onllwyn), becoming Leader.

Same again was the theme of the day as well in terms of Chairs / Vice Chairs of the various committees with only two changes. I will be taking on Sandra’s former responsibilities as Vice Chair of the Cabinet Scrutiny and Policy & Resources Scrutiny Committees and Cllr Andrea Davies (Trebanos) will step in as Vice Chair of the Economic & Community Regeneration Committee.

The most interesting news of the day was that two of the opposition groups have changed their leadership.

The Lib Dems now have Cllr Keith Davies (Coedffranc North) stepping up from Deputy Leader, to replace Cllr John Warman (Cimla), with Cllr Frank Little (Cadoxton) assuming Keith’s previous role.

Meanwhile, the nine strong Independent Group have elected my namesake Cllr Anthony Taylor (Aberavon) as their new leader, replacing Cllr Lella James (Sandfields East) who has become Deputy Mayor, and His deputy will be Cllr Bill Walters (Tonna). There are rumours that there is a split emerging in the Independent grouping over the way things were handled but whether this is true, I cannot definitively comment.

Giving a "Focus" to the Euro Elections

2009-05-20T08:21:00.000-07:00

The highlight of any election campaign in my eyes is receiving the Lib Dem leaflet.

Renowned for the dubious use of statistics, graphs and random accusations, the Lib Dems always provide entertainment just when a hard fought election campaign threatens to become stale.

Their European Election edition dropped through my door this morning and gives a serious indication of not paying much attention to Neath Port Talbot, which must be a great disappointment to their councillors in the area. Coverage, including the compulsory cheesy photographs, is given to Swansea East & West, Gower and Ogmore constituencies but there is hardly a mention of either Aberavon or Neath (or Bridgend for that matter).

If anything, the leaflet suffers from clarity as to where the Lib Dems stand in the wider Welsh political spectrum and reflects, I think, the position that the party in Wales finds itself in. It aims fire on all parties but fails to land a telling punch on any of them.

Just one thing in terms of factual content needs to be cleared up and I am sure that those well respected bloggers, Peter Black and Frank Little, may be able to help. A claim is made on the back page that “Labour……..are spending £40 million doing up offices in Cardiff”. I thought that no decision had been made on the matter of upgrading Cathays Park and not a single penny had yet been committed but there again maybe I’m wrong.

Surely the Lib Dems would not deliberately mislead people now would they?

Labour councillors call on planners to reject Dyffryn Road housing appeal

2009-05-17T13:16:00.000-07:00

Two leading Port Talbot councillors have issued a call to the Planning Inspectorate to refuse permission for more housing on Dyffryn Rd, Taibach following local opposition to the proposals.

The outline plans, for a residential development on land opposite to 16-21 Dyffryn Road adjacent to an already problematic building site, were initially refused by Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council in February 2009. The Bridgend based applicant, Paul James, has now lodged an appeal with the Planning Inspectorate in Cardiff.

In a letter to planners, Taibach Ward Labour Councillors John Rogers and Anthony Taylor have argued that the original decision should stand.

Councillor JOHN ROGERS said:

“We have seen the problems with the block of flats being built already in that street. Residents in the existing properties have trouble parking their cars there as it is and some have to leave them in nearby streets it is so crowded.”

“Dyffryn Rd is one of the main links between the A48 in Taibach and the M4 but can be quite narrow in sections. At peak times there is already a bottlenecking effect and if more houses are allowed there bringing even more vehicles into the equation then the situation will only get worse.”

“Any further development will only increase traffic build up and have a detrimental effect to the safety of all road users.”

Councillor ANTHONY TAYLOR added:

“The plans will introduce housing onto an unspoilt green area at the base of a landmark and will be out of character with the locality. There is no need to be building on a greenfield site which is widely regarded as being part of the open countryside.”

“We must do all that we can to protect such beautiful parts of the landscape for future generations and there is no reason to justify this unnecessary encroachment onto it.”

PACT update - May 2009

2009-05-16T00:02:00.000-07:00

The Taibach Ward PACT meeting which took place on Tuesday evening in the Community Centre was again well attended and constructive.

The PACT system allows residents to report incidents of concern directly to their local councillors and community police officers and is the main reason as to why crime rates have been greatly reduced. South Wales Police has some of the lowest crime statistics in the country and Neath Port Talbot is the safest place to live within the force area.

Whilst serious crime is very low, there were still a number of local issues that were brought to our attention on the night including:

Anti-social behaviour in Elba Avenue with several residents having their garden gates damaged.
Ongoing vandalism and youth annoyance in the rear lane behind Pheonix Avenue.
The need to renew dog mess bins near to Eastern Primary School
Rubbish dumping in Conduit Place and on the green area near Conduit Street.
Off road biking.
Parking problems on Prince Street (particularly around garage compound) and on the lane leading from Margam Road to Duke Street.

In partnership with the police and other agencies, I will be looking to see what can be done to sort these matters out. I will report any progress on this blog and at the next PACT meeting which is scheduled forTuesday, 07 July at 6.30pm at the same venue

Margam PACT Fair

2009-05-15T13:45:00.000-07:00

The local Neighbourhood Policing Team and Community Partners in the area have organised the Margam PACT Funfair which will be held on Saturday, May 23 at Tollgate Park between 12noon and 5pm.

Entry is free and there will be a range of action packed and fun filled activities for all the family with stalls, games and much more.

For more information, please contact our friendly local PCSO Chris Rees on 07805 301 558.

The Derek Vaughan Memorial Blog Post........

2009-05-10T14:45:00.000-07:00

Entering his final week in office as Labour Group and Council Leader on Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council (NPTCBC), before he stands as a candidate in the European Elections on 4th June, my colleague Councillor Derek Vaughan can look back and think that it is has been a job well done.

He finally hands over the reins this Friday at the Council’s AGM in the Princess Royal Theatre which sees Cllr Ali Thomas (Onllwyn) take the step up from his current deputy role, and Cllr Arwyn Woolcock (Lower Brynamman) assume the number two spot. Cllr Pam Thomas (Sandfields West) becomes Mayor of Neath Port Talbot and Cllr Lella James (Sandfields East) becomes Deputy. Also expected to be finalised at the meeting will be the list of Cabinet Members along with the make up of the various committees for the year ahead.

Elected as leader back in 2004, Derek has grown from strength to strength. He has given both the Labour Group and NPTCBC direction and energy and he is clearly a passionate believer in Neath Port Talbot, its people and its future prospects. By revolutionising the way that the Labour Party locally thinks politically and by relentlessly promoting the positives of our county borough, Derek has shown the way for those sections of the party currently in office to engage and communicate with the electorate and win their support against the continued background of gloom and despair.

A respected and successful holder of the Finance portfolio with the Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA), Derek rapidly advanced to become its Leader. Never failing to hold the Welsh Assembly Government to account, he then manfully retained the post of Deputy Leader despite the meltdown of the Labour Party in other parts of Wales leaving him in a precarious position.

Resillient, driven but also honest, principled and welcoming. All the best Derek for whatever the future may hold for you!

Taibach Ward & Conference Update

2009-04-27T21:45:00.000-07:00

Prime Minister Gordon Brown with Labour's Euro Elections candidates (l-r) Derek Vaughan, Lisa Stevens, Rachel Maycock, Leighton Veale at Welsh Labour Conference

It’s back to normality this week, after a weekend spent in Swansea at the Welsh Labour Conference in the Brangwyn Hall.

Items to note from the last seven days are many and varied. On Wednesday, in my role as a school governor at Eastern Primary, I met alongside my colleagues with inspectors from Estyn who are assessing the school’s performance. Excellent progress has been made in recent years under the first class leadership of headteacher, Helen Woodford, and her staff and I was very proud to have been able to outline to the inspectors some of the innovative teaching that has been developed. Pupil numbers continue to rise so this is obviously filtering out to the local community as well.

I attended the monthly meeting on Thursday of the Aberavon Constituency Labour Party at which Huw Lewis AM spoke on a wide range of issues. Part of his speech is covered here by the Western Mail.

Based in Swansea on Friday and Saturday, I thought that Conference was quite subdued. The main speakers that I managed to catch (Gordon Brown – OK, Harriet Harman – not so good) all outlined our policies to deal with the economic crisis which, undoubtedly, has become the major challenge facing our political generation. Derek Vaughan had the funniest line when he addressed the Eve of Conference Event (“I hesitate to call this event a rally, just in case Ieuan Wyn Jones decides to cut the funding”) and I thought Lisa Stevens, our number two on the Euro Elections list, acquitted herself particularly well also.

John Prescott was, by far, the star of the whole weekend and gave a magnificent motivational talk outlining the Go Fourth campaign and the difference that an effective online presence can make to a political party. I have certainly taken a few of his points on board and will be looking to implement them in future – watch this space!

This week, I have already participated in the regular meeting of the Taibach Action Group and have a busy schedule on top of dealing with the usual casework that comes from representing the ward. Tomorrow, I will be at the Labour Group Meeting in Port Talbot, before Full Council on Wednesday afternoon for which the agenda can be found here. A little bit of light relief, or given recent results maybe not, will be the Aberavon v Llanelli game with the week rounded off by a meeting of the Taibach Ward Labour Party on Friday night in the Community Education Centre at 6pm with Dr Hywel Francis MP as guest speaker.

Quiet news week?

2009-04-22T00:49:00.000-07:00

There has been quite a bit of discussion about news reporting in the Neath Port Talbot area particularly with the closure of the Neath Port Talbot Courier and reductions in staffing at both the Evening Post and the Neath Port Talbot Guardian.

In my experience, journalists, in a similar way to most politicians, do not deserve the negative stereotypes that follow them around. Those that I have come across are generally hardworking, dedicated and want to make a difference.

Disappointingly, it is frequently the case that at many of the council and community based meetings that I attend, no journalists are present to report back to residents what is going on. This is no reflection on either them or their editors but with diminishing financial and personnel resources, it is difficult to cover every nook and cranny in the county borough.

Whilst, I am prepared to understand that you can’t please everyone all of the time, it must have been a quiet news week when this one came into the inbox.

Is the fact that a couple want to replace some picture rails really news?

Didn't that go quickly

2009-04-19T18:02:00.000-07:00

It is good to be back circulating in the blogosphere following a peaceful and energising two week Easter break.

So many stories have passed me by whilst I have been away from the internet and it is always worth taking the time to catch up on all the gossip and latest political news be it at local, Cardiff Bay or Westminster level.

Things have been incredibly busy recently but I managed to spend some quality time relaxing with my family, tending to the newly acquired garden, erecting flat pack furniture and celebrating the news that I am about to become an uncle for the first time. I also made two trips to the Liberty Stadium – one good (Swans beating Norwich 2-1) and one not so good (Aberavon losing to Llanelli in the Cup Semis earlier today).

Council and community business continues apace with last week taking in Planning & Development Control Committee, police briefings, anti-social behaviour in the Pheonix Avenue area, a street surgery, various Labour Party meetings and the Mayor’s Charity Ball in the Princess Royal Theatre.

The next seven days promises much as well with an Economic & Community Regeneration Scrutiny Committee meeting, the Welsh Labour Conference in Swansea next weekend and various other bits and bobs as well as the day to day responsibilities of being a ward councillor.

What has Labour ever done for me?

2009-04-06T09:18:00.000-07:00

The other day, I was approached by a constituent who berated me for what seemed like ages asking “What has Labour ever done for the “Working Man”?”

Well how about this for starters………

Since 1997 the Labour Government has delivered key rights to enable a fair deal at work:

· We introduced the National Minimum Wage and then increased it year on year.

· Employees have protection against unfair dismissal after 12 months in a job, instead of after two years. The maximum compensation has risen from £12,000 to £63,000.

· Labour gave part-time workers the right to equal pay rates, pension rights, pro-rata holidays and sick pay.

· Everyone has the right to a 20 minute break if the working day is more than six hours, a minimum 11 hour rest period between working days and at least two days off in a fortnight.

· Every worker now has the right to be a member of a trade union and be represented in grievance and disciplinary hearings.

· Labour introduced the right to paid leave of 24 days increasing to 28 in April 2009.

· Labour extended paid maternity leave to 39 weeks, which has now been increased to £123.06 a week.

· Paid paternity leave – New fathers now have the right to two weeks paid time off when their baby is born.

· Paid adoption leave – Statutory Adoption Pay and leave has been introduced for the first time ever, mirroring Statutory Maternity Pay and leave.

· Labour extended the right to request flexible working for parents of children aged 16, disabled children under 18 and to carers.

· All parents and carers now have the right to time off to deal with unexpected problems for their dependants such as family illness.

· Agreement has been reached between the Government, TUC and CBI on a British framework for implementing the European Agency Workers Directive, giving increased protection to agency workers. After 12 weeks in a given job agency workers will be entitled to equal treatment. This will mean at least the basic working and employment conditions that would apply to the workers concerned if they had been recruited directly to undertake the same job, including pay, holidays, overtime breaks, rest periods, night work and duration of working time.

· Labour introduced the Corporate Manslaughter and Homicide Act which makes prosecutions of negligent organizations more effective. They can now be convicted of manslaughter if their activities are managed or organised in a way that causes a person’s death and is a gross breach of the duty of care. On conviction an organisation can face an unlimited fine, a remedial order to remedy the fatal breach and a publicity order. This new power to prosecute organizations stands alongside the existing ability to prosecute individuals for gross negligence and for health and safety offences.

For some bizarre reason, he was thinking about voting Tory at the next election. Whilst Conservative voters are few and far between in this neck of the woods, it just goes to show how sometimes people can believe all the Cameron spin. For the record, he opposed the minimum wage, extending paternity leave, flexible working and would pull Britain out of the Social Chapter.

We also have him refusing to condemn Tory rising star MEP Dan Hannan’s comments on the NHS implying that we should disband it and do away with the notion of a healthcare system provided on the basis of need and not just the ability to pay......................

So much for the “family friendly” Conservative Party.

When I'm 64 (or even 50 apparently).....

2009-04-05T21:59:00.000-07:00

An older person in Wales is defined as any person over the age of 50 making me personally only 20 years away from being a senior citizen. Most people would never dream of calling themselves old at this age but, nonetheless, this is when a lot of important issues of “older people” begin to kick in. It is also an important time, that if you have not started already, to look at making financial and other preparations for when you retire from work.

Over the next few years, there will be an increase in the population of those over 50 of around 6.5% whilst the corresponding increase for those under 50 will be 0.5% creating new demands on council services such as social care without generating the income necessary to deal with them. It is a situation across the country that local authorities, healthcare providers and pensions managers are having to deal with and come up with innovative policies and solutions. To do so, part of the answer lies in encouraging older people to maintain active and independent lifestyles for as long as possible. Some of the solutions might result in politically difficult decisions but that, after all, is what we are here for.

Work undertaken in Neath Port Talbot is often highlighted nationally as good practice in other local authorities in Wales but there is never any room for complacency. A new Older People’s Strategy document will soon be launched, following wide and extensive consultation, by Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council to build on the firm foundations already in place.

The NPT Older Persons’ Council website can be found here. It provides information on local issues and is an additional communication tool for “Silver Surfers” in the area. I know quite a few of my readers from within the Taibach Ward are from the over 50 age group so I hope that this relaunched site will be helpful.

If you would like to discuss any of the issues relating to older people locally then please do not hesitate to get in touch.

Local legend does it again

2009-04-03T00:01:00.000-07:00

On a lighter note, we have a new locally based award winner. proving yet again that NPT continues to punch above its weight on a UK basis.

Cpl Dean John

2009-04-02T17:47:00.000-07:00

The funeral of Cpl Dean John, a local 25 year old soldier, tragically killed by a roadside bomb whilst on duty in Afghanistan took place today in Port Talbot.

In line with Cpl John’s wishes, his coffin was carried across the town on the back of an Owens’ lorry and followed by a long line of cars and motorbikes with a police escort leading the way.

I watched the procession pass my home on its way to Margam Crematorium. I am told that over 2,000 people attended and I could see for myself that many more paid their respect along the route there.

Sometimes we can all lose sight of the important things in life. With Cpl John leaving a wife and three children behind, it really does bring home the reality of armed conflict and the devastation it causes on both sides of the divide.

Freedom March

2009-03-30T09:23:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, I attended a very moving and thoughtful march by the Royal Welsh Regiment in Neath Town Centre to mark the reaffirming of their Freedom of the County Borough.

By giving them the Freedom award, it is the highest honour that the people of the area can use to show their appreciation for the sterling work that the armed forces do in troublesome conflicts abroad.

The march was well attended by councillors and the public alike and, thankfully, passed off without any problems.

At a time when our foreign policy has dictated massive commitments on the ground in far flung places, the ceremony brought a stark reminder of the ultimate sacrifice that our troops make day in, day out.

Monkeying around

2009-03-29T17:16:00.000-07:00

This is the brand new attraction at Margam Park which is the latest in a long line of upgrades being made to facilities there.

The Economic & Community Regeneration Scrutiny Committee, of which I am a member, will be holding a meeting there in the near future to see for ourselves how things are going. Hopefully, we will be able to "Go Ape" at the same time although I am not sure that some of my colleagues on the committee would want to take part in this particular exercise.

Baglan blaze update

2009-03-27T06:43:00.000-07:00

The latest on the fire at Tyregenics Recycling Plant in Baglan can be found here and here.

Cymru-Ex not CymruX

2009-03-26T16:03:00.001-07:00

Plaid seem to have developed a rather interesting method of widening their youth membership by immediately expelling anyone who comes to a different conclusion on policy to its leadership.

We take a more grown up approach to debate in the Labour Party and encourage our younger members, of which I am one, to think independently and not be afraid to express their opinions.

New website finds its teeth

2009-03-26T15:55:00.000-07:00

At last, what looks to be a decent attempt at a constructive, progressive left, Welsh political website is emerging in the form of Aneurin Glyndwr.

It will be worth keeping an eye on in the next few weeks to see how it develops.

A bright future for Port Talbot

2009-03-24T14:45:00.000-07:00

Today saw the official launch of the public consultation for the redevelopment of Port Talbot Town Centre and the Docks area. The masterplan will provide a working basis from which the economic and environmental regeneration of Port Talbot can begin.

The consultation runs until Friday, June 19 and the plans will be displayed in Port Talbot Civic Centre and on the council’s website: www.npt.gov.uk/porttalbot. A six page mini colour brochure is being produced and feedback forms will be available at the exhibition. This is an ideal chance for you to have your say on what you want the future to hold for our town.

I am pleased, in particular that the Aberavon Constituency Labour Party’s long running campaign to improve access to Port Talbot Parkway Station for disabled and elderly people, families with prams and passengers with heavy luggage has been acknowledged and suitable proposals put forward to remedy the unacceptable situation. There is also considerable scope within the document to develop more housing, better paid jobs and more leisure attractions.

I will be making a detailed submission myself on the plan and would be glad to hear about your ideas for Port Talbot so that I can take them into account in my lobbying.

How do you want to see our town centre develop?

What do you think needs to be done to make our town a better, cleaner and greener place to live?

What do you like best about Port Talbot and how can we develop this further?

Feel free to leave your suggestions in the comment box of this post. Alternatively, you can e-mail them to me at cllr.a.j.taylor@npt.gov.uk.

Bringing politics closer to the people

2009-03-17T00:01:00.000-07:00

Hopefully, the nice weather we are having will continue when Councillor John Rogers and I resume our round of street surgeries this weekend.

The surgeries have proved to be a big hit with residents as we make ourselves available for them to talk to us right on their own doorstep. We deliver leaflets in their area during the week, informing them that we will be in their street between 10am and 12noon the following Saturday morning and ask them to put our poster in the window if they have any issues of concern that they want to speak to us about. We then go around, knock on their door and listen to what they have to say.

Certainly in Taibach, Margam & Goytre, it is a much more successful way of reaching out to people than the old fashioned method of holding surgeries in the community centre waiting for the public to come to us. By taking politics directly to them, we manage to nip a lot of problems in the bud a great deal earlier than before.

We do one of these surgeries every 3-4 weeks which enables us to regularly get round each street in the ward over the course of the year.

The streets we are covering this Saturday are:

Brombil Street, Brymbo Avenue, Donnen Street, Duke Street, Elba Avenue, Heol Yr Orsedd, Margam Rd, Maesmelyn Street, Pentrewern, Prince Street, Stourvale, Talywern, Wilden Avenue, Wood Street

If your street is not on the list, don’t worry as we will be in your part of the world very soon. If you have anything that you would like to raise with us before then, the traditional methods of contact can be found here.

The future of policing in Neath Port Talbot

2009-03-12T17:56:00.000-07:00

Last week saw the regular Taibach Ward Pact meeting take place in the Community Centre. It was relatively subdued - apart from one ongoing item - which is a vindication of the hard work and partnership approach taken by the police, councillors and residents alike.

That approach has been so successful that it seems even local journalists have given up attending as there is nothing sensationalist enough happening for them to report on.

For the record, the following issues were discussed: footbridge access to the Memorial Park from North St and Park St, dog mess, praise for the Council’s local litter warden, Neighbourhood Watch and car parking.

Community policing in Port Talbot, which has taken various forms in recent years, has proved to be effective in reducing the crime figures in our communities. Speaking from experience, Cllr John Rogers and I have an excellent relationship with local bobbies Gareth Bradley and Chris Noblett and our PCSO Chris Rees. A lot of work goes on behind the scenes to nip many problems in the bud before they get to a PACT meeting and, touch wood, we have been relatively free of any major problems since I became a councillor back in May 2008.

All of this, though, is possibly under threat from the hasty proposals put forward by Barbara Wilding to merge the Swansea and Neath Port Talbot Police Divisions in response to the Policy Authority deciding on a 5% precept increase as opposed to the other two options of 10% and 15%.

Times are tough when it comes to budgets and that goes for the police, local authorities and ordinary people. I fully support those members of the Police Authority who voted for the 5% figure on two counts. Firstly, any public body that levies a charge on the public has to take into account what people can afford to pay. At a time of unprecedented economic change, increases in domestic fuel costs etc and many people either losing their job or being put on short time working, anything above 5% would have been unacceptable. Secondly, WAG have issued a clear message that a higher figure than the one finally settled upon would have been capped so why bother wasting everyone’s time.

We all want more police on the beat and for the force to have the resources they need to do an often difficult job. However, this has to be done in a way that fits within the cloth it has available. NPTCBC has had to manage over £7m out of its budget to make ends meet and if we can make difficult decisions, whilst at the same time protecting frontline services, then I see no reason why Miss Wilding cannot do the same.

The divisional mergers also call into question the performance of Miss Wilding when she addressed Neath Port Talbot Councillors only two months ago. She openly praised the partnership working of the Council and the police, stating that as a result Neath Port Talbot was the safest place to live in the South Wales Police Force area. Why then, for a minimal saving, does she want to jeopardise that now?

My colleague, Councillor Sheila Penry, asked her at the time a direct question as to whether there were any plans to merge the two divisions and was given the categoric answer that no there wasn’t. Given that the Chief Constable talked at length about the budget problems that she was facing, surely she would have understood the political reality that 5% was the maximum increase possible and the implications that would bring. Either she has come up with the idea as an afterthought, or she deliberately misled members at that meeting. I will leave you to come to your own conclusions.

The merger proposal will create serious concerns about the commitment of South Wales Police to the Neath Port Talbot area. It will only serve to make policing more remote from my constituents and, unfortunately, unpick a lot of the excellent progress that has been made over the past decade or so. We will continue to campaign and lobby against the plan and hope that Miss Wilding can be persuaded to reverse her decision on the matter.

Wales v Ireland - 21 March 2009 - Fundraiser

2009-03-06T08:15:00.000-08:00

Watch the game on the big screen and raise money for good causes at the same time

WALES
V
IRELAND

RBS 6 Nations Championship

To be shown on BIG SCREEN TV
Saturday, 21st March 2009

Seaside Social & Labour Club, Dalton Rd, Port Talbot
Bar opens at 4pm. Kick off at 5.30pm.

Tickets £7 (inc buffet) available from Councillor Anthony Taylor (Taibach) on 01639 687435 / 07920 111869 or by e-mail: aberavonlabour@yahoo.co.uk

Organised by the Aberavon Constituency Labour Party in aid of local youth projects

Sorry........

2009-03-02T02:07:00.001-08:00

Apologies for the lack of blogging of late. I have recently moved house and have had to wait until today to get broadband installed.

The next few weeks are particularly busy with the setting of the NPTCBC budget and other meetings so I will try and keep you updated as much as possible.

Taibach Green proposal withdrawn by developer

2009-02-24T02:13:00.000-08:00

Residents living near to Taibach Green in Port Talbot are breathing a sigh of relief after plans to build a house on top of the popular recreation area were withdrawn last week.

A planning application, submitted before Christmas by Thomas Methuen-Campbell of Penrice Estates, requested permission to construct one detached dwelling on the land, which is the patch of green grass adjacent to Gallipoli Row and Smyrna Cottages in Taibach. However the applicants have now backtracked after realising that they didn’t, in fact, own the land in question.

Taibach Ward Labour Councillor, JOHN ROGERS, said:

“The Green is used regularly by local children as a village green and as somewhere safe to play, particularly in the summer months. Without a doubt, the plans caused a lot of concern for residents who feared that a public space would be lost forever.”

“We asked council officers to have a look into the ownership of the land and it turns out that the there is a conveyance document in the authority’s possession confirming that it was an operation piece of council land that had been transferred into public ownership back in 1953.”

His Taibach Ward colleague, Councillor ANTHONY TAYLOR, added:

“Once we had established that the Council owned the land then any proposals put forward by Mr Methuen-Campbell wouldn’t have been worth the paper they were written on anyway. We were never going to allow it to be sold off to the highest bidder as we believe that the most appropriate future for Taibach Green is for it to be retained as a play area for local children.”

“All of this fuss could have been avoided if the applicant had just taken the time to properly check whether they actually owned the land. This formal confirmation of the withdrawal of the plans, though, will hopefully put everyone’s mind at rest, once and for all.”

No Ifs, No Buts- Give up the Bonus, RBS

2009-02-08T13:58:00.000-08:00

If, like me, you find the whole idea of executives from the failing banks, who needed to beg for a payout from ordinary tax payers, pocketing massive “performance related” bonuses then please join me in signing this petition.

Gordon Brown needs to follow President Obama in insisting on restraint in these troubled times when bosses at certain banks are set to make a fortune despite making a complete cock up of everything.

Taxing times..........

2009-02-06T06:30:00.000-08:00

It’s that time of year again. The first week of March will see the announcement of the council’s budget for the financial year ahead.

This one will be tougher than most given the low settlement that Neath Port Talbot has received from the Welsh Assembly Government which is well below inflation. With the cost of providing services increasing thanks to rising energy costs and a number of other factors, it will be a difficult task pleasing everyone.

Council tax levels have been a key issue in Neath Port Talbot but thanks to the work done by Derek Vaughan and his Cabinet over the last few years, increases have been kept to an absolute minimum, moving the county borough off the top of the league table for tax levels. Indeed, last March saw NPT have the 11th lowest average bill for residents across Wales.

As the credit crunch bites, it is even more important for us to help hardworking families to balance the books and ensure that they are treated fairly when it comes to us spending taxpayers money.

The process boils down to two key factors.

Firstly, how much to we need to sustain and develop key frontline services such as education and social care? The second is how much can we raise through local taxation without adversely affecting the people that we have been elected to serve. This delicate decision has been made with great care and attention in recent times and any increases have been in the low single figures in percentage terms. I am hopeful that this will be the case this year.

Living in Neath Port Talbot, all councillors pay the same bills as everyone else. Many of us have young families to support and mortgages to pay and so can empathise with the problems that people are facing with the economic downturn. I am sure that when the final figures are announced, these issues will have been fully considered and taken into account.

Highways work - Bertha Road

2009-02-05T22:47:00.000-08:00

Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council will shortly be carrying out bridge strengthening works to the bridge on Bertha Road in Margam next to the Community Centre.

So that these works can go ahead, it will be necessary to close a short section of Bertha Road to pedestrians and drivers so please take care when travelling in that area.

The provisional start date for the upgrade is Monday, March 2 and it is expected to last for 6 – 8 weeks. However, this is subject to change as a result of the recent bad weather causing delays in the improvement programme schedule.

Secret Desires Update

2009-02-05T01:51:00.000-08:00

The deadline for submissions in relation to the renewal of the licence for Secret Desires on Commercial Road passed yesterday. My colleague, Councillor John Rogers, and I have received a number of complaints about the introduction of a new window display at the shop and we made representations on this issue previously to the Licensing Department.

The application is set to be considered by the Licensing Committee in the next few weeks and we will see what happens.

A copy of the joint letter submitted by Councillor Rogers and myself is pasted below:

Jim Sullivan
Licensing Manager
Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council

Dear Jim,

Re: Renewal of Sex Shop License – Secret Desires, 28 Commercial Rd, Taibach

We write in relation to the above application recently lodged with your department.

We have received a number of complaints from local residents and representatives of various community groups regarding the window display that the owners have began operating since Autumn 2008. They believe that some of the items that have been featured have been of an offensive nature and unsuitable for passers by on a main road. Of particular concern was a display that included nurse uniforms which generated complaints from local nurses who felt that they were being subjected to an unfair and degrading image of their profession.

As you are aware, the original licence holders had no intention of having any window display and, as such, this was not an issue that had to be addressed within the original application. However, since the new owner took over the business, this is no longer the case. We would be grateful therefore if the committee would consider inserting a condition to reflect the concerns of the local community on this issue insisting that the window display consist only of a blanked out background.

Best Wishes.

Yours sincerely

Councillor John Rogers
Councillor Anthony Taylor
Taibach Ward

Taibach Action Group

2009-02-05T01:47:00.000-08:00

Taibach Action Group (TAG) are holding their next meeting on Monday, February 9 at the Taibach Community Education Centre at 6pm.

The group was set up a few years ago to come up with ideas and attract funding to develop facilities in and around the Education Centre itself. It is just one of the many groups in my ward that do a great deal of unseen, behind the scenes work to improve community life in the area. Don Thomas is Chair, Linda Jones is Secretary and Ron Jarrett is Treasurer.

I regularly attend meetings with my council colleague, John Rogers and if you are interested in finding out more then please feel free to contact me or just turn up on the night.