Denbighshire Free Press Letter of the Week

This letter appeared as Letter of the Week  in the Denbighshire Free press BUT   Plaid Candidate Peter Ryder's name was removed!!! He became : A politically aligned candidate!   Indeed!

Dear editor,

Retiring councillor Paul Marfleet wrote last week extolling the virtues of so called “Independent” councillors. In the interest of balance I would like to reply on behalf of candidates ready to disclose their political allegiance - unlike “Independent” councillors. 

I wrote “so called Independent councillors” as presumably they vote in Welsh, British or European elections for a political party. They will vote for a party which is on the ‘left’ or ‘right’ of the political spectrum: a party that is Wales or U.K. orientated. Their very real but undisclosed political mindsets will be regularly sympathetic or antagonistic towards the very type of decisions taken at County Council level. 

While “Independents” hide their really political identities a political tag allows voters to know how their representatives will vote.  I am sure that Free Press readers would know how a candidate with a political tag would vote in the following scenarios- but an independent? 

 Would they vote for policies which would privilege the maintenance of council services to the vulnerable or for those policies which reduce the financial burden on council tax payers?  Would they vote for policies which privilege the supply of local Welsh produce or for freer market policies which might cut costs?

Also which “Independent” group will the “Independent” join?  The “Independent” group or the “Independent First” group or with the “Non aligned”?  Indeed is it not somewhat ironic that the so called “Independents” then band together into one of these “Independent” groups.

Mr. Marfleet then states with regard to improvements in Denbighshire County Council, and I quote “This change is in no small part due to the way in which all elected members from all political groups have worked towards a common aim.”  Naturally! they all have an interest in improving Denbighshire and crucially no group political or any of the “Independent” groups has or will have a political majority.

In the forthcoming elections electors have a real choice. They can take the “pig in a poke” and ‘ad hocism’ approach or vote for a coherent political programme and a political candidate, from whatever party,  who will do “What it says on the tin”.

Peter Ryder  Plaid Cymru Rhuthun

Manifesto for a better Rhuthun

Plaid Cymru's vision for Rhuthun is rooted in our community. We believe the future of Rhuthun should be taken forward based on local needs and aspirations.

It will be necessary during the next five years to fight vigorously for our schools, our hospital and our council services to ensure that Rhuthun retains the level of services that it deserves. We must ensure that Rhuthun has a strong unified voice to protect the culture and values of Rhuthun and to ensure that our community prospers in the future.

As councillors we must lead in ensuring that the things which make our community great are protected and that our community possesses the ability to thrive in the future.

We believe in the people of Rhuthun working together to take charge of our community's future.

We have set out a bold mixture of policies to ensure that Rhuthun is the guide to its own destiny.

To have more influence on the council and to ensure that we are successful in bringing more power to local people, we need more Plaid councillors.

We have a committed team of local people who all want our town and county to thrive. We want the people of Rhuthun to be the driving force that leads to the success of our town. Our future prosperity as residents is in our own hands. We can remove the barriers to greater success for our community if we work together.

As your Plaid Cymru councillors we will work to ensure that we live in a prosperous Rhuthun, a safer Rhuthun and a Rhuthun that will thrive and prosper by the end of our term.

We will work to protect the integrity of our community, we will work to ensure our town prospers.

Join with us and play your part in creating a better Rhuthun.

A prosperous Rhuthun

Establish a local energy cooperative so that the people can take control of and manage their own energy production and needs.

Encourage tourism with a vision of our town as the heart for arts and crafts in the UK.

Increase the number of council contracts going to local companies. Currently only 35% of contracts go to firms in Wales

A safer Rhuthun

Ensure that there will be 20 mph zones outside  all of our schools.

Improve street lighting at the bus stop on Wynnstay Road.

Monitor and implement safety improvements at key spots like Rhos St and Mwrog St.

A protected Rhuthun

Fight developments that do not satisfy local housing needs and ensure the conservation of our town and community.

Sufficient affordable housing for our young people.

Council meetings to be broadcast online to ensure real transparency.

Ensure that council services meet the needs of the community.

Plaid candidates stand firm against plans for 8,400 new houses in Denbighshire

Plaid Cymru's candidates for Rhuthun have said their first act if elected will to prioritise the fight against the planning inspectorate's proposals that would see over 8,000 new houses for Denbighshire. 

The three council candidates for May's council elections - Hywel Richards, Peter Ryder and Shane Brennan - said in a joint statement: "We call on Denbighshire County Council to follow the lead set by Conwy County Council and Wrecsam County Council and fight the imposition of more houses on our communities.

"After two years of public consultation, Denbighshire County Council drew up its Local Development Plan that provided for the building of 7,500 new houses in the county. However the Planning Inspectorate have since rejected this and said the county must provide for the building of 8,400 new houses. The Planning Inspectorate can, as in the case of Wrecsam, rule the LDP 'unsound' if the council refuses to comply."

Hywel Richards said: "The inspectorate's plans are based on flawed population projections for 2008 and pose a serious threat to the social fabric of our communities.” 

Shane Brennan added: "The inspectorate's recommendations are a developers' charter and will not benefit the people of Denbighshire or North Wales."

 "There is desperate need for housing that is affordable and available to local people the inspectorate's recommendations will set us back even further in trying to achieve this,” said Peter Ryder.

If elected, the candidates propose to table a motion stating the the council supports:

•  housing development based on local wishes that is affordable and accessible to the local community; 

• does not support unsustainable large-scale development based on flawed population projections; 

• calls upon the Welsh Government to conduct a major review of planning policy in Wales with the aim of halting urban sprawl and better reflecting the needs of the local community;


 

• invites all other councils in Wales to support this call