National politics

[Ian]

It's getting the balance right that's always the problem. Good landlords are not hard to find and there's good money in renting - probably a little too much, in fact.  I suspect both business and domestic landlords need to become a little less grasping.

[born2run]

Which is why minimum wage HAS to match minimum rents.

[Hugo]

If you can possibly stand it, try watching 'Benefit's Street' for an education into the mind-set and standards of some people on benefits.

Whilst it's made for television, it does reflect attitudes and beliefs of the benefit recipients and is pretty close to the truth in some quarters. 

Having spent several decades working in an inner city, I can assure you that there are legions of third - fourth generation unemployed who consider unemployment and benefit their right and the norm; teenage girls who deliberately get pregnant to get given a flat of their own, people who have more children for the child allowances, the list is endless.

The last clip of the programme I saw was that of a young man who having received his benefit, rolled a cannabis joint and went of to a sun tan parlour to spend time under sun lamps topping up his tan......

I haven't seen that programme but I saw one on the the food banks that are all around the country.  The person they highlighted was a pretty young single woman with a child.   Her make up was perfect, her blonde hair recently done with streaks added and her nails had been manicured.   It was a poor advert for the desperate and deserving people who now depend on these food banks as it was obvious what she was choosing to spend her benefit money on.   

[SteveH]

Royal Mail stake to be sold off, George Osborne announces

The government's remaining 30% stake in the Royal Mail is to be sold and £3bn cut from government spending this year, George Osborne has said.
The chancellor said the Royal Mail shares - currently valued at £1.5bn - would be sold when ministers could be sure they would get value for money.
The £3bn in cuts come ahead of further reductions to be announced in July.
Labour accused Mr Osborne of "ripping up" his long term economic plan by springing the announcement on MPs..............

MORE DETAILS...http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-33004664

[Ian]

he chancellor said the Royal Mail shares - currently valued at £1.5bn - would be sold when ministers could be sure they would get value for money.

 

And they have such a sterling record in that department, don't they?

[SteveH]

Government cuts: How will George Osborne's £3bn in new cuts affect you?
George Osborne ordered government departments to find another £4.5bn in savings this year, most of which will come from spending cuts.
He said he'd claw £1.5bn back by selling off public assets - including the 30% share of Royal Mail we still own after the government's botched privatisation of the 500-year-old business.

The other £3bn has to come from 'savings' to government spending.
But which departments will be hit the hardest - and what will they cut to save the money?
Here's a run down of what we know about George Osborne's new spending cuts.

MORE DETAILS...http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/government-cuts-how-george-osbornes-5828042


Despite the seriousness of this subject the following stood out......    "One project that will almost certainly be out is Lib Dem Don Foster's pet project, a £250,000 research project on how to deal with the mess caused by urban (Sea) gulls."

[SteveH]

North South divide won't increase with Cardiff's £1bn 'City Deal' says Welsh Secretary

The Cardiff 'City Deal' should not increase the North South divide and alienate people in North Wales, says Welsh Secretary Stephen Crabb.

The capital region could gain from an estimated £1bn deal which has been heralded as a potential game changer for the South East Wales regional economy.
But Stephen Crabb said potential for Cardiff to become the first city in Wales to get the deal would not “necessarily” add to an impression more money was being spent in the South than the North.

The recently re-elected Welsh Secretary said North Wales had closer economic relationships with the North of England than Cardiff and should “hook” into the Northern Powerhouse projects there.

In an interview with the Daily Post at the Wales Office he said: “We have been talking for centuries about how North and South Wales could be better connected together.

“Anything that strengthens the North of England is of benefit to North Wales and I am very ambitious to see North Wales hook in to all that exciting development that’s going on around the Northern Powerhouse.”
Mr Crabb didn’t rule out the case for another 'City Deal' in Wales saying “there would be no reason why it would be the last if it is done successfully.”

Betsi: "I don't have any criticisms of the Welsh Government"
He also refused to criticise the Welsh Government’s handling of Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board saying it was “appropriate” to place the board in Special Measures.
Mr Crabb said he hadn’t had any “direct conversations” with prime minister about the troubled health board but that Mr Cameron “is aware” as is Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt.
He said: “I think the health board itself should have taken action much sooner, and should have published the (Tawel Fan) report much sooner.

“But I don’t have any criticisms of Welsh Government, I think the Welsh Health Minister (Mark Drakeford) has responded appropriately, and I think we have all got to start looking to the future and looking to see some improvements there in the health board and the delivery of services.”

http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-south-divide-wont-increase-9439266

[SteveH]

Thousands of North Wales jobs on the line in council merger plans warns union chief

UP to 4,000 workers in North Wales could lose their jobs in council merger plans set to be unveiled next week, union officials have warned.
On Thursday, it is expected that the Welsh Government will reveal the “merger map” for local government reorganisation at the Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA) conference.
Dominic MacAskill, Unison’s head of Local Government in Wales, said 15,000 workers in Wales could ultimately face redundancy including around 4,000 in North Wales in the massive shake-up.

MORE...http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/thousands-north-wales-jobs-line-9445582

[SteveH]

Radical council shake-up in Wales could see number of local authorities slashed from 22 to just eight or nine

"In North Wales, under the two-council model Flintshire, Denbighshire and Wrexham could merge, leaving Gwynedd, Anglesey and Conwy as a single authority.

In the alternative North Wales proposal, Denbighshire would merge with Conwy, Gwynedd would merge with Anglesey and Flintshire would merge with Wrexham."

Full article....http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/radical-council-shake-up-wales-could-9468082

[DaveR]

"Gwynedd, Anglesey and Conwy as a single authority"

That would certainly be a mega authority. Imagine the arguing over where the HQ would be!

[Hugo]

Especially now that Conwy Council has acquired the new offices in Colwyn Bay

[bigbadhenry]

Radical council shake-up in Wales could see number of local authorities slashed from 22 to just eight or nine

"In North Wales, under the two-council model Flintshire, Denbighshire and Wrexham could merge, leaving Gwynedd, Anglesey and Conwy as a single authority.

In the alternative North Wales proposal, Denbighshire would merge with Conwy, Gwynedd would merge with Anglesey and Flintshire would merge with Wrexham."

Full article....http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/radical-council-shake-up-wales-could-9468082

Well we might get shot of the dead wood that try to run CBCC

[Greyhound]

For those looking forward to getting rid of the 'dead wood' on CCBC, I can assure you that a resurrection of Gwynedd (with Coleyn Bay, Abergele and Kinmel Bay etc. as new additions), would be a disaster for our area.

Before 1996, Llandudno and Conwy were used as cash cows by the Plaid Cymru and other assorted nationalist nut cases down in Caernarfon, who would plough money into the most God-forsaken hamlet down the Llyn or in Meirionnydd rather than spend any money on what they perceived as 'English' areas.

You see similar complaints from Bangor even now about the disparity in council spending. You may relish getting rid of Conwy, but the alternative is infinitely worse. I'd rather we remained masters in our own house, but if not, I think Denbighshire is a far better partner and more demographically and culturally similar.

[SteveH]

Local Government Minister Leighton Andrews has revealed two options for the new local government map which would see eight or nine councils in Wales

http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/north-wales-council-merger-could-9470921

[SteveH]

Live...... reaction as Leighton Andrews proposes radical shake-up of Welsh councils

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/live-reaction-leighton-andrews-proposes-9470514