South Wales Evening Post - 25 March 2008
Tories in Sketty have come under fire after claiming they led the campaign against last year's Fflam Festival.
Ann Davies, of Swansea Neighbourhood Watch Association, criticised a leaflet issued by the Conservatives which declared there would be no three-day events "after our successful Conservative campaign against the Fflam Festival last year".
Mrs Davies said: "I think it is very wrong of them to send this out as canvassing material because it is not correct.
"I'm fairly angry about it, but the membership as a whole were exceedingly angry at our last meeting."
I am very, very disappointed. It is very misleading."I want a retraction of the claim," she said.
The election literature circulated under the names of Bob Dowdle, David Helliwell, councillor Tony Lloyd, Gay Mitchell and Christina Sumner - all candidates for the local council elections in May - went on to say that they were "opposed to any three-day events being held in the future at Singleton Park, to preserve our natural green space for the pleasure of the people of the City and County of Swansea".
Councillor Tony Lloyd, of Sketty, said: "I have written to Ann saying that I felt it could have been better worded.
"It wasn't our intention to steal the thunder from Neighbourhood Watch, but merely to tell people about our own efforts.
"I then went on to say that support for the police was part of the ethos of the Conservatives and that we have great respect for Neighbourhood Watch and the work they are doing.
"Many people are active in the Conservative Party and Neighbourhood Watch.
"The Conservatives did work against Fflam and we contributed a financial sum, some of us, to her campaign."
Councillor Lloyd apologised for the wording of the leaflet.
He added: "Sometimes even Conservatives get it wrong."
The Fflam Festival planned for Singleton Park last summer was heavily criticised by Sketty residents who feared anti-social behaviour, noise problems and drug abuse.
It was cancelled at the last minute because of bad weather.
TOP TORY IN GREEN SITE FIGHT VISIT
South Wales Evening Post - 19 March 2008
The fight to save land in West Cross from future development has received a boost with the support of Shadow Secretary of State for Wales, Tory MP Cheryl Gillan.
Conservative community councillors, city councillors and local election candidates were joined by the Shadow Secretary on Monday after she heard about the efforts of Mumbles Community Council to protect green spaces alongside Mumbles Road.
The council's development committee has been working with local solicitors John Collins and Partners to put in a formal application to County Hall for the Swansea Council-owned land to be designated a village green, meaning it would be safe from any developers wanting to build there.
The community council has set up a legal fighting fund of £20,000 in case of any objection to the application to give the land protected status.
Once Swansea Council issues a notification that it has received the application for village green status, objectors have six weeks in which to make their representations.
The council would then have to decide whether to support the bid.Mumbles Community Council's development committee chairwoman, Conservative councillor Linda Tyler-Lloyd, said: "We are delighted that Cheryl Gillan has come to West Cross to show local people that the Conservatives take the protection of green spaces very seriously indeed. At a time when Labour are pushing local councils to build yet more housing, green spaces like these ones in West Cross are always going to be at risk of being developed.
"We are hoping that the community council's efforts to bestow village green status on these cherished green spaces will protect them for generations to come."
Conservative community councillors Elaine Hughes and Phil Swinnerton have been supporting the bid for the village greens and are standing for Swansea Council in West Cross at the elections on May 1.
Mrs Hughes, who represents West Cross on the community council, said: "The LibDem/ Independent council tried building on green spaces in Derwen Fawr not so long ago.
"It was only action by local residents and the local Conservatives which made the council think again.
"We will not wait for any attempt to build on this land in our community," she added.
"That's why we have been actively campaigning to get village green status before any threat to this land."
Councillor Kinzett, who represents the next- door ward of Mayals on Swansea Council, said: "West Cross needs protecting from over- development.
"I congratulate the community councillors for the work they are doing to protect these much- loved green spaces."
The fight to save land in West Cross from future development has received a boost with the support of Shadow Secretary of State for Wales, Tory MP Cheryl Gillan.
Conservative community councillors, city councillors and local election candidates were joined by the Shadow Secretary on Monday after she heard about the efforts of Mumbles Community Council to protect green spaces alongside Mumbles Road.
The council's development committee has been working with local solicitors John Collins and Partners to put in a formal application to County Hall for the Swansea Council-owned land to be designated a village green, meaning it would be safe from any developers wanting to build there.
The community council has set up a legal fighting fund of £20,000 in case of any objection to the application to give the land protected status.
Once Swansea Council issues a notification that it has received the application for village green status, objectors have six weeks in which to make their representations.
The council would then have to decide whether to support the bid.Mumbles Community Council's development committee chairwoman, Conservative councillor Linda Tyler-Lloyd, said: "We are delighted that Cheryl Gillan has come to West Cross to show local people that the Conservatives take the protection of green spaces very seriously indeed. At a time when Labour are pushing local councils to build yet more housing, green spaces like these ones in West Cross are always going to be at risk of being developed.
"We are hoping that the community council's efforts to bestow village green status on these cherished green spaces will protect them for generations to come."
Conservative community councillors Elaine Hughes and Phil Swinnerton have been supporting the bid for the village greens and are standing for Swansea Council in West Cross at the elections on May 1.
Mrs Hughes, who represents West Cross on the community council, said: "The LibDem/ Independent council tried building on green spaces in Derwen Fawr not so long ago.
"It was only action by local residents and the local Conservatives which made the council think again.
"We will not wait for any attempt to build on this land in our community," she added.
"That's why we have been actively campaigning to get village green status before any threat to this land."
Councillor Kinzett, who represents the next- door ward of Mayals on Swansea Council, said: "West Cross needs protecting from over- development.
"I congratulate the community councillors for the work they are doing to protect these much- loved green spaces."
£20K COUNCIL EXPENSES PROBE CLAWS BACK £129
South Wales Evening Post - 6 March 2008
The £19,100 auditor's report into £129 worth of "potentially unlawful" claims by Swansea councillors has been published.
Auditor PricewaterhouseCoopers has recommended no further action be taken over the row.
The company was brought into investigate allegations that councillors had been making improper claims. It found four councillors had wrongly claimed £129.72 and said they should pay the money back.
The four councillors who made the claims which were picked up by the auditor were: Gower councillor Richard Lewis - £68.12; Landore councillor Rob Speht - £37.10; St Thomas councillor Alan Robinson - £18 and Uplands councillor Peter May - £6.50.
PricewaterhouseCoopers-appointed auditor Lynn Hine said in a report on the investigation: "Based on the information before me, it appears to me that the expenditure of £129.72 that we have recommended to be reimbursed by the individual members to the authority is potentially unlawful.
"Due to the small value of the amounts involved and our recommendations that these amounts should be repaid to the authority, I do not propose to take further action other than the issue of this statement."
The investigation was undertaken following a complaint from former Dunvant community councillor Lis Davies.
Councillor Robinson said he would pay back the £18.
"There are things I could have claimed for and never have. I can emphasise there are stamps I have never claimed for. I am sure they are worth more than £18, and there is lots of work I do attending County Hall that, again, I don't claim for.
"The amount of money it has cost, it has got to be swings and roundabouts.
"There's got to be some give and take," he said. "We don't claim every time we attend County Hall."
Councillor May said: "I am actually owed money because I ticked the wrong box when I should have claimed for the hire of a hall for a ward surgery, which totalled £20. I claimed for the mileage to it, which was less."Actually, Lis Davies has saved me £13.50 and put me in credit."
Councillor Speht said he was repaying £37 to Swansea Council. He added: "As a result of the complaint from one member of the public - who has made many complaints to the council and intends to stand as a candidate in May's elections - £20,000 has been spent looking for what she claimed was fraud.
"A total of £129.72 will have to be paid back. This is a crass waste of public money - £20,000 would have paid for another teacher somewhere."
Councillor Lewis said: "I feel that we have all been let down by the treasurer's department - because in the past the treasurer was particularly dedicated to looking at members' claims and if there was an error it would be brought to the councillor's attention and rectified.
"Over this period of time, over four years, I have put in more than 600 claims for expenses.
"Initially Pricewaterhouse wanted £400 paid back. After checking with London, Cardiff and Swansea, I managed to prove that I had attended those particular meetings.
"In the end, it came down to four meetings, two were a mistake and the other two I could not chase around to prove I was at the meeting so it was easier to just pay the £60."
The £19,100 auditor's report into £129 worth of "potentially unlawful" claims by Swansea councillors has been published.
Auditor PricewaterhouseCoopers has recommended no further action be taken over the row.
The company was brought into investigate allegations that councillors had been making improper claims. It found four councillors had wrongly claimed £129.72 and said they should pay the money back.
The four councillors who made the claims which were picked up by the auditor were: Gower councillor Richard Lewis - £68.12; Landore councillor Rob Speht - £37.10; St Thomas councillor Alan Robinson - £18 and Uplands councillor Peter May - £6.50.
PricewaterhouseCoopers-appointed auditor Lynn Hine said in a report on the investigation: "Based on the information before me, it appears to me that the expenditure of £129.72 that we have recommended to be reimbursed by the individual members to the authority is potentially unlawful.
"Due to the small value of the amounts involved and our recommendations that these amounts should be repaid to the authority, I do not propose to take further action other than the issue of this statement."
The investigation was undertaken following a complaint from former Dunvant community councillor Lis Davies.
Councillor Robinson said he would pay back the £18.
"There are things I could have claimed for and never have. I can emphasise there are stamps I have never claimed for. I am sure they are worth more than £18, and there is lots of work I do attending County Hall that, again, I don't claim for.
"The amount of money it has cost, it has got to be swings and roundabouts.
"There's got to be some give and take," he said. "We don't claim every time we attend County Hall."
Councillor May said: "I am actually owed money because I ticked the wrong box when I should have claimed for the hire of a hall for a ward surgery, which totalled £20. I claimed for the mileage to it, which was less."Actually, Lis Davies has saved me £13.50 and put me in credit."
Councillor Speht said he was repaying £37 to Swansea Council. He added: "As a result of the complaint from one member of the public - who has made many complaints to the council and intends to stand as a candidate in May's elections - £20,000 has been spent looking for what she claimed was fraud.
"A total of £129.72 will have to be paid back. This is a crass waste of public money - £20,000 would have paid for another teacher somewhere."
Councillor Lewis said: "I feel that we have all been let down by the treasurer's department - because in the past the treasurer was particularly dedicated to looking at members' claims and if there was an error it would be brought to the councillor's attention and rectified.
"Over this period of time, over four years, I have put in more than 600 claims for expenses.
"Initially Pricewaterhouse wanted £400 paid back. After checking with London, Cardiff and Swansea, I managed to prove that I had attended those particular meetings.
"In the end, it came down to four meetings, two were a mistake and the other two I could not chase around to prove I was at the meeting so it was easier to just pay the £60."
FREE BUS PASSES PLEDGE
South Wales Evening Post - 5 March 2008
Students who leave their cars at home could be offered free bus passes as a reward.
In an effort to relieve congested Swansea streets popular with university students, Labour council candidates have promised free bus travel to car-free student houses in the city.
However, if any parking permits are issued to students in a particular house they will all lose out on the free passes.
Uplands candidate Sybil Crouch said there needed to be a mix of carrot and stick to change the way people use their cars.
"During university term time, street parking becomes chronic, with some student properties accounting for up to six cars," she said.
Students who leave their cars at home could be offered free bus passes as a reward.
In an effort to relieve congested Swansea streets popular with university students, Labour council candidates have promised free bus travel to car-free student houses in the city.
However, if any parking permits are issued to students in a particular house they will all lose out on the free passes.
Uplands candidate Sybil Crouch said there needed to be a mix of carrot and stick to change the way people use their cars.
"During university term time, street parking becomes chronic, with some student properties accounting for up to six cars," she said.
TORIES WANT AN ELECTED LORD MAYOR
South Wales Evening Post - 5 March 2008
Swansea's Lord Mayor should be democratically elected by its residents, according to the city's Conservative group.
City-based Tories have put forward proposals which would see individuals from outside the council elected as the "people's mayor".
But the plan, which would replace the existing system in which the civic figurehead is appointed from existing councillors, has been described as an election stunt in the run-up to local authority elections in May.
The leader of Swansea's Conservative Councillors, Ren?? Kinzett, said: "For too long, this prestigious position has been jealously held onto by long-serving councillors.
"The only criteria for becoming Lord Mayor has either been that you have been around long enough or that you were a member of the right political party. These days people expect more transparency in their politics and they want to see people appointed to positions on merit, not just on longevity."
Since 1986, the Lord Mayor was traditionally the longest-serving councillor, until 1996 when the Labour-dominated council saw the appointment being awarded to a councillor from within their party.
The system of the longest- serving councillor getting the appointment was reintroduced in 2004 when Labour lost control of the city.
The Conservatives have now proposed setting up a commission of political representatives, business leaders, voluntary sector bosses and other figures from Swansea to examine options for appointing people to the position of Lord Mayor from outside the council.
They have promised to include the pledge in their party manifesto for the local elections in May.
"Under our plan, the next Lord Mayor of Swansea could be a world-renowned academic from one of our city's two fantastic universities, a head teacher who has turned around a failing school, a businesswoman who has brought inward investment into our city or someone who has excelled in the fields of sports or the arts," said Councillor Kinzett.
The proposals were raised by Conservative councillor Paxton Hood-Williams at a full meeting of the council last week, during which Councillor Gareth Sullivan was nominated for Lord Mayor for 2008/09.
Alan Lloyd was nominated as his deputy.
But David Phillips, leader of the city's Labour group told the meeting: "This has been a long, long time in gestation.
"Their group leader agreed to this and put forward the proposal as an election stunt."
Swansea's Lord Mayor should be democratically elected by its residents, according to the city's Conservative group.
City-based Tories have put forward proposals which would see individuals from outside the council elected as the "people's mayor".
But the plan, which would replace the existing system in which the civic figurehead is appointed from existing councillors, has been described as an election stunt in the run-up to local authority elections in May.
The leader of Swansea's Conservative Councillors, Ren?? Kinzett, said: "For too long, this prestigious position has been jealously held onto by long-serving councillors.
"The only criteria for becoming Lord Mayor has either been that you have been around long enough or that you were a member of the right political party. These days people expect more transparency in their politics and they want to see people appointed to positions on merit, not just on longevity."
Since 1986, the Lord Mayor was traditionally the longest-serving councillor, until 1996 when the Labour-dominated council saw the appointment being awarded to a councillor from within their party.
The system of the longest- serving councillor getting the appointment was reintroduced in 2004 when Labour lost control of the city.
The Conservatives have now proposed setting up a commission of political representatives, business leaders, voluntary sector bosses and other figures from Swansea to examine options for appointing people to the position of Lord Mayor from outside the council.
They have promised to include the pledge in their party manifesto for the local elections in May.
"Under our plan, the next Lord Mayor of Swansea could be a world-renowned academic from one of our city's two fantastic universities, a head teacher who has turned around a failing school, a businesswoman who has brought inward investment into our city or someone who has excelled in the fields of sports or the arts," said Councillor Kinzett.
The proposals were raised by Conservative councillor Paxton Hood-Williams at a full meeting of the council last week, during which Councillor Gareth Sullivan was nominated for Lord Mayor for 2008/09.
Alan Lloyd was nominated as his deputy.
But David Phillips, leader of the city's Labour group told the meeting: "This has been a long, long time in gestation.
"Their group leader agreed to this and put forward the proposal as an election stunt."
