Nick Bourne AM

Along with other Party Leaders, Ieuan Wyn Jones and Mike German, with Carwyn Jones representing Rhodri Morgan, I will be meeting the Israeli Ambassador.  I certainly do have concerns about the Palestine issue and about the attitude of Israel to the Gaza Strip, but it is my strong belief that these are matters that are best put in discussion rather than a boycott of a meeting with somebody who is their nation’s representative in the United Kingdom. 

 I have written to Oscar (Mohammad Asghar) to this effect and saying that my not attending his meeting, which I think is an excellent idea, is certainly not to be seen in any way as disapproval of the idea but merely that I will already have met him.  Oscar has arranged a meeting for the AMs with the Israeli Ambassador.  As a Moslem, Oscar may have expected (and received – I know not) widespread criticism for this act of political courage. 

 I disagree with Dafydd Elis-Thomas (who has opposed Oscar’s move) on this matter, as I have told Dafydd, and we disagreed quite agreeably on this issue at one of our regular meetings.

 Well done Oscar. 

I can scarcely believe it but Rhodri Morgan is admitting that money is going to be sent back to Brussels, Welsh money, because there is not sufficient match funding.  It seems about £40 million could well be lost to Wales. This has been articulated by the man who said that no project would ever fail for lack of match funding.  The Deputy First Minister, Ieuan Wyn Jones, when he was in opposition, always used to make this a crusade along with the other opposition parties that European money must be used in its totality and effectively, and it was, of course, the issue that brought down Alun Michael as First Minister.

I have written to Ieuan Wyn Jones asking if he approves of the First Minister’s statement and that this is really government policy, and have asked for an urgent reply.  No urgent response has been received as yet!

 It is hard to take this government seriously.  They haven’t succeeded or tried hard to obtain money as a Barnett consequential on the Olympics, they haven’t obtained money from Westminster for the Foot & Mouth outbreak at Guildford, and now they are sending money back to Brussels!

Scarcely has the news on the future security of Tremont Road (Llandrindod Wells) and Pendre (Brecon) Post Offices sunk in when we are fighting for proper services for two other Post Offices – Berriew (Montgomeryshire) and Llanbister (Radnorshire).

The way that this consultation operates is totally unsatisfactory.  I am against any downgrading of what is an excellent service, but to find that when Post Offices are saved the Post Office Network looks elsewhere for another Post Office to pick on is, I think, horrific. It is a sort of combination of Russian Roulette, Blind Man’s Buff and Pass the Parcel (no pun intended).  Penparc (Ceredigion) was picked on in this way.  Government representatives wring their hands and express opposition but still there doesn’t seem to be any pressure being put on Westminster to save these Post Offices, and Labour MPs, with very few exceptions (Paul Flynn was one) voted against an amendment which would have saved these Post Offices. Meanwhile Labour and Plaid are sitting on their hands in terms of the Post Office Development Fund in Cardiff whilst Post Offices close up and down Wales.  It is not an impressive sight, and both the government at Westminster and the government in Cardiff do not come out of it untainted.
 

Earlier in the year I visited the Royal British Legion in London and received assurances from those that were dealing with the future of Crosfield that all looked well for the future of this home in Rhayader.  The Care Standards Act 2004 meant that a new build would be needed but it was hoped that this could be in Rhayader.  An issue remained about the revenue funding for the home because of the rurality of the home in Rhayader.  There are local authority residents, and quite a few of them, in the home so Powys County Council’s funding is of extreme importance.  It seems that funding from Powys County Council was ever more crucial for the future of the home and an agreement would have to be reached on a reasonable level of funding into the future, but all looked promising.

 
Later in the year the issue blew up again and no progress had been made.  Powys were blaming the Royal British Legion, the Royal British Legion were blaming Powys.  Meetings later, frantic phone calls and correspondence and the position looked pretty dire but I am pleased to say that this week a meeting was held in London between Powys County Council and the Legion, which looked much more promising.  Now things seem set fair again and I do hope that the future of the home is secure.

 
Not only is this the largest employer by some distance in Rhayader but there are many people living in the home who are extremely happy there, and would be distraught at a move, as would their friends and relatives. 

 
A positive week on this one.

An early morning meeting on Wednesday with our Welsh Conservative Council Group in Llandrindod Wells.  Since May we now have 9 Welsh Conservative Councillors in Powys.  It is making a difference in the way I operate in Powys now, mostly for the good I hope, in that I now have 9 Councillors to liaise with and discuss issues with.  Previously I didn’t have this luxury or benefit, in fact no Councillors at all!  They are a very, very good Group – Simon Baynes (Leader), Aled Davies, Russell George, Peter Harris, Mike Hodges, Peter Lewis, Sarah Millington, Gareth Ratcliffe and  Frank Torrens.

At this meeting we discussed various issues of concern that faced Powys at the moment – the Royal British Legion home in Rhayader, the closure of Post Offices and schools, the Severn Flood Management Plan which will certainly have implications for Montgomeryshire, and many other issues.
I raised the issue of the Severn Flood Management Plan in the Chamber later that day and asked the Leader of the House if we could have a debate on government time on this issue as it has implications for Wales and this could be debated so that hopefully a united view could be put forward in the consultation.  He promised to discuss the matter with the Minister, Jane Davidson and report back. 

I dash from the meeting with the Councillors to head back to Cardiff to try to get back in time for our press conference at 11.00 a.m.  This would not generally be a problem but as we approach the Abercynon roundabout on the A470 there is a 2-3 mile tailback.  We fear that there is a serious accident and are both relieved and amazed when we get close to find that they have closed a lane off to do grass cutting at such a busy time - madness.  In the event I get to Cardiff at 11.10 a.m. to be able to get to the press conference just as it is starting. 

Understandable angst and concern about the massive hikes in fuel prices shouldn’t obscure the need to continue to take green measures.

 
It is quite compatible to ensure that the tax on fuel is postponed for example, and some of the VAT is abated, whilst still concentrating on green efforts, for example, encourage homes to insulate and to adopt small scale devices like small turbines on houses or indeed solar panels (an area that has been much neglected in this country as compared to say Germany).  I think there is a great danger in people seeing there being one or other camp and I don’t think that is the case at all.  I think it is quite feasible, indeed desirable, to do something on the price of fuel but at the same time press ahead with a green agenda.

 
The Chancellor will have a £600m fuel windfall from extra VAT from domestic fuel alone, quite apart from the VAT windfall on petrol and diesel.

 
It is quite possible to abate some of this tax but at the same time to press ahead with green energy measures.  Indeed there are huge economic, social and environmental gains to be achieved by doing just this.  The government response of simply seeking to produce more North Sea oil is really a woefully inadequate response. 

Steve Hilton, who is one of the central architects of the Conservative Party’s modernisation and revival, is leaving Britain for the States for at least six months.  The good news is that Steve will still be working for David Cameron and the Conservative Party. 

 
He has been responsible for significant moves in ensuring the Party occupies the centre ground of politics and for our consequent success, and the news of his remaining fully involved in advising the Party and David Cameron is a great relief.

 
Second only perhaps to David himself and, together with a few other key people, including Francis Maude, he has been responsible for ensuring the Party occupies the centre ground of politics.  He deserves the Party’s massive thanks.

This week the Commons Business and Enterprise Select Committee is expected to vent its anger against Royal Mail and its refusal to guarantee that it will end the closure programme after the current round of closures going through. 

 
Royal Mail has shut 4,600 branches of the Post Office in recent years, and has recently announced 2,500 more closures which have been met, predictably and understandably, with massive anger and anxiety.

 
The Royal Mail has refused to guarantee the future of the 11,500 remaining Post Offices and, indeed, has indicated that the criteria which it is looking at for keeping open branches are only met in about 7,500 of the outlets.

 
It seems that the Royal Mail and its political masters, the Labour Party, will only be happy when communities throughout Wales are deprived of this very valuable economic and social service.

 
Labour doesn’t seem to care and Plaid Cymru seem powerless to do anything about it.

I appreciate that often matters are oversimplified in the media but that said some news items do beggar belief.

 
 I hear for example that a monkey puzzle tree in West Cross, Swansea where it has grown unimpeded and unchallenged for the best part of two centuries is threatened with the axe because its prickly leaves present a risk to children. At the risk of exciting some tree risk assessment officers into action (even as I type the name I fear such officers may really exist) would the same not be true of Cedars, Douglas Firs, Horse Chestnuts and indeed Oaks?

 
Then Anglia- Ruskin University has forbidden students from throwing their mortar boards into the air on graduation because of the fear of injury. No champagne popping there then! Careful with flash photography it could startle passing horses into bolting. and please ensure that there is no rejoicing or celebrations at the graduation lunch in case other diners are overcome emotionally in the mass hysteria brought on by offering congratulations to the graduates.

 
No litany of the wild and absurd  would be complete without an example from Europe and I offer this up as one who is broadly sympathetic to Europe whilst being very well aware of its eccentricities and absurdities.

 
Lo! a Directive that requires every fortune teller to display a notice presumably alongside the crystal ball warning that accuracy is not scientifically proven! Then on the other hand they should have seen that one coming!

 
Now I suspect having great faith in my fellow countryman and woman that the average child is aware of the danger of needle like leaves and will only be mildly discomforted if they pick some up and will have learned a valuable lesson too.

 
The average student will be very well aware post Issac Newton of what happens to mortar boards that are thrown in the air.
The average punter in a fortune teller’s tent knows that Madame Rosa is really Mrs Jones from the chippy raising money for the church spire restoration fund but it will destroy a little of the magic and the suspension of disbelief to be reminded of the fact by al large placard as he goes into her marquee to have his tarot cards read.

 
A dose of good old British common sense please.

Like one of those toy theatres where a sudden change of backdrop transforms the interior of a manor house or castle to a lakeside or hilltop the vista of the political scene a year on from the accession of Gordon to the Prime ministership bears little resemblance to the bright dawn that briefly greeted him.