Heap of praise

One wet morning in election week, I & some comrades were outside Seaview School at 8.30am, meeting the mums and getting them to sign our petition against cuts in the education budget, when Uriah Heap (Cllr Peter May the Lib-Dem candidate) emerged from a nearby house – and was as much surprised to see us standing in the road by the garden gate, as we were to see him. Where had he come from, had he materialised? We all pointed to him and shouted, "That's the man – he's the one going to cut your children's education" (or somesuch) and he scuttled back inside pronto. We didn't see him again – so I suppose he waited us out. That must have been a bit awkward.
However, you have to admire the Heap's dedication to the cause of the individual voter, that he was out so early (sometime before 8.30) on a very wet morning, canvassing. I'd also like to know how he had stayed so dry without a coat – I was soaked. You have to hope that after all that effort he got that vote.

Restart

I stopped doing this in the run-up to and during the election – I had neither the time nor (frankly) the energy – and then you rather get out of the habit. But the election's now done and dusted. So here I am having another go a trying to keep this blog up & running – I am probably not going to be any more successful than I was before! We'll see. I wonder how many 'Restart programmes' I'm allowed? So a few catch-up items will follow.

I spent all my campaigning time in Swansea West (largely with Don – sorry Lord – Anderson) – so I am particularly gratified at the result. I know that the Lib-Dems are claiming it a victory, but then we all know that they have difficulties with truth and reality. Yes Alan Williams majority was reduced, but that has to be judged in context. This was the number one Lib-Dem target n Wales, enormous sums were spent on their campaign, with an enormous team, shovelling out huge amounts of papers. Rumours are that they spent over £40,000 – it was certainly fairly reliable suggested that they had a local campaign fund of over £30,000. No doubt Lib-Dem insiders are scoffing at these figures – "if only he knew how much we really spent". Well no doubt some anorak or other will have a quick shufty at their expenses when they are published and then we will be able to compare that truth with the reality.

This had always been a marginal seat – I think Alan Williams was down to about a 400 majority at one election - and Labour were widely expected to lose. This prediction was assisted by a largely unpopular Labour Government in Westminster (that seemed more interested in its own internal squabbling than governing the country), a very unpopular Prime Minister (whose standing/credibility was not helped by shenanigins of the 'Blairistas' in the Parliamentary Party. Who did they think they were helping?), MPs expenses, the press (including the Guardian sadly) against us, the ridiculous Cleggmania and all the rest of it. The result in Swansea West was therefore a surprise to many – not least Uriah Heap, who almost collapsed when he found he wasn't going to get his train tickets up to the 'Smoke'. It was all the more pleasing as the Lib-Dems had been going around for weeks saying that the election "was in the bag" – yes but not theirs.

It wasn't of course a surprise to us on the doorstep – our returns indicated a win with a reduced majority, although I admit not quite as small as it turned out. But hey, a win is a win!

I must also pay tribute to the assistance of Uriah Heap himself. It's a pity that his husting's performances were not captured on film as they would have become classics of the genre and I would have been able to keep them alongside my video footage of Bethan Jenkins' 'aircraft carrier for Wales' interview, John Redwood singing the National Anthem and Cheryl Gillan looking forward to working with Rhodri Morgan as Wales' First Minister. I have keep Rob Speht's prescient EPost comment, given at the Swansea East count, that they had won Swansea West, that it had been a foregone conclusion. And only then was he told that they'd actually lost. Ho Ho.

During one part of the count Uriah ran through the bar at the Brangwyn Hall, punching the air and shouting, "We've done it! We've done it!". Only twenty minutes later being told that, "..erm...sorry, no you haven't". It was only the strong comforting arm of his agent, ex-Cllr Gerald Clement, that kept the by then limp candidate in the vertical axis. I suppose that I should feel sorry for the Heap, a bit magnanimous in victory, but I don't. He ran a nasty campaign and got the result he deserved. I have never been at an election count previously where a candidate had been so universally disliked as Uriah Heap at this one (and that included some in the Lib-Dem camp who were quietly (and some not so quietly) delighted at his defeat). The downside is that we still have him as the Cabinet Member for Housing. Well, we'll have to make sure that we welcome him with appropriate kindness!

Uriah Heap's loser's speech at the last Assembly election was very ungracious. His effort this time was simply disgraceful. Crass, graceless in the extreme and very, very long. It seemed that once he'd started, he was unable to stop. Certainly, his thanks to the communities of the constituency that (he claimed) had voted for him seemed interminable as he appeared to be reading from a Bartholomew's A-Z. He didn't seem to have twigged that if they had done what he'd claimed, he'd have made the victory speech instead. There was just the first few slaps of a slow-hand clap starting, when he stopped.

 

 

Susan Clegg

From the BBC's News Quiz

"Nick Clegg was hailed as the new Susan Boyle:- at first no one had heard of him; then they were pleasantly surprised by what came out of his mouth; but in the end they didn't vote for him anyway!!!"

Jackboots in the applecart

Whilst on the subject of job changes, I also hear that John Hague is to be doubly challenged - both as Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for the Environment. His challenger is the Eastside Gauleiter - Alan Robinson. No really, now stop laughing, stop - that's very cruel.

Given the exemplary job Herr Robinson has done as Cabinet Member for Community Regeneration, this seems an entirely justified reward. One of the many highlights of his period was his appearance at the South Wales Police Authority, where it was rumoured he covered himself in shit glory by his commanding grasp of the effects of the PACT policy across Swansea.

We will wait and see whether the exquisitely tailored Monsewer Hague will see off this challenge with his usual equanimity – or call in his friend Arfa Housebrick (see earlier posts).

Also upsetting the Lib-Dem apple-cart was the (for them) unexpected return of Uriah Heep to the Council fold – following his defeat by the Croydon Cruiser. He will want to hang onto his job in Housing, which had rather unwisely already been re-allocated. I would imagine that the expectant recipient would be disappointed. But who was it to be – there isn’t much to choose from. Rob Speht – to busy in China with his wind turbines (he really should explain this to Cleggy), Cheryl Philpot – well still I guess to ‘mouthy’ for the Admin mysoginists, Paul Meara – too clever. So Jeff Jones – unlikely, as this would create a Killay power couple.

I can say definitively (well at least I am fairly sure) that there is absolutely no truth in the rumour that it was to be offered to the Brilliant Comrade, the alleged Leader of the ‘Care in the Community Group’, the other member for Clydach. No truth whatsoever. Whatever would his acolytes say – not least the Mistress of Bonymaen.

Sack, sock, sick

So - the rumour that has been circulating since last week is now confirmed as true.

David Daycock, our late Monitoring Officer, has got himself a new job - Chief Executive & Monitoring Officer for the Mid & West Wales Fire Authority.

I wonder whether he told them that he had left this Authority whilst subject to a disciplinary investigation. Somehow, I think not.

Although the terms of his departure from the City & County of Swansea have not been made public (all requests for information have been declined on the grounds of a confidentiality agreement with Mr Daycock) it is widely rumoured that there was a pay-off of some description involved.

I'll bet the 750 other staff about to be got rid of, would like similar consideration - they won't of course. Leaves a very bad taste in the mouth.

There is also the question of the terms of his settlement and whether any of it should now be repaid - seeing as he has landed another job before his notice period from this Authority has even run out.

I am sure that he was the best candidate for the job and any suggestion that it was anything to do with the black sock brigade is entirely scurrilous.

Serious Case Reviews & Extraordinary Council Meeting. Introduction (1 of 9)

Introduction
This has post has been a couple of days in the writing as I decided that I would explore not just the Serious Case Reviews (SCRs) but the wider issues involved – as it was not possible to cover all this in the council meeting (and the Presiding Officer would not have allowed me to anyway). I don't apologise for it being long, but for ease of reading, I have split it into 8 different sequential posts:

• The Council Meeting
• The Background
• The SCR reports, divided
• • Publication
  • Editing
  • Style & Content
• The children's circumstances
• Accountability
• Recommendations

However, they should all be considered as a piece.
You will also note that my usual sardonic tone is absent. I don't apologise for that either.

Read the reports yourself here Serious Case Review reports

Also of interest the Western Mail editorial here

Serious Case Reviews – The Extraordinary Meeting (2 of 9)

The meeting

It was not an accident that there was no formal motion before the Council – not even the usual catch-all that the "Reports should be noted". I believe it was anticipated what would have happened had there been an opportunity for amendment or a vote. The reason given for the absence of any motion, was that they were not the Authority's reports and Council therefore could do nothing with them. We had had them "For Information only" and that was the only basis on which the Council could be called.

This was not adequate and was not what I wanted when I pressed for the meeting. Yes, we got an opportunity to discuss it, but not in any meaningful democratic sense. I was frustrated and angered by this outcome, which meant that no action could be taken.

I had hoped that Thursday night's Extraordinary (i.e. Special) Council Meeting about the Serious Case Reviews (SCRs) would at least have prompted contributions from the Administration's members – which the debate on latest CSSIW report the previous week had so signally failed to do. But I was disappointed, as they refused to be disturbed from their usual indolence. Not even the added spark provided by the story in Wednesday's Western Mail (WM) about the alleged 'doctoring' of certain passages in one report (lessening or removing criticisms), could light their fires. They seemed indifferent to the possibility that they might have been mislead.

It was left to the Opposition to make the running on questioning the detail of the reports. For the Administration, John Newbury read out a prepared speech that was at least about the subject under discussion. Audrey Clement however, provided a self-justification, apparently seeing the very mention of her name as some sort of criticism that had to be responded to. Apart from these two I cannot recall anyone on the Administration side saying anything at all. No that's not strictly true, as over in the 'wild man' corner, the usual sotto voce grumblings, groanings and mutterings were audible, particularly when I tried to continue with my questions and was forced to sit by the Presiding Officer. Indeed, it was the intervention of Rene Kinzett that made her retreat and allow me to follow up a supplementary to the Director of Education.

Her behaviour was scandalous and if there were any doubts remaining about her fitness to continue as Chair of Council, she comprehensively disposed of them. Prior to the meeting, I had questioned the appropriateness of Cllr Fitzgerald chairing this Council, given that these children died during her occupation of the Social Services portfolio, that got nowhere. Cllr Fitzgerald was completely out of touch with the mood of the meeting or, indeed, the necessary sensitivity required to handle what was going to be an emotional meeting anyway. Huw Rees would have done this entirely differently. The Acting Deputy Monitoring Officer (if that is the role she had), provided no guidance and Cllr Fitzgerald's manner was so bad, that the Chief Executive had his head in his hands at several points. Indeed, I was given an apology after the meeting was over – not from Cllr Fitzgerald, of course.

This was not a good Council meeting, and did not show the Council at its best, wholly engaged with an important issue, unlike the discussion that followed the screening of A Swansea Love Story the night before.