Just back from a tremendous week-end of jazz at Brecon. This festival is pure quality throughout, and Catrin Finch on Thursday night was spectacular. Catching up with neglected reading found an interesting article in the current edition of Planet (184) by Jo Murray entitled "Fusion Politics for Coalition Times":
... The Liberal Democrats should use their time at the margin of Assembly politics to resolve their identity crisis and find a new leader - my money is on Jenny Randerson - if they're to gain any advantage from the junior opposition slot. Now they have time to ponder their purpose in Welsh politics, will they choose to continue as a catch-all party for vaguely radical dissidents, for who Labour carries stigmas ranging from class consciousness to warmongering. Plaid Cymru is a bit too Welsh, and the Tories are just a bit, well, conservative? The 2008 local elections will be crucial for them; they may lose power in Swansea and Cardiff (where there could be a local red-green deal) and make gains in Newport where they gave Labour a scare this year. Plaid insiders say that Ieuan Wyn Jones told his members "you can't trust the Lib Dems" during nationwide meetings to win their support for the red-green deal. Local Plaind-Lib Dem deals are unlikely then, and future Assembly co-operation problematic...
This analysis strikes me as being speculative to say the least, but you never know. one thing that Murray can be sure about is that most Lib Dems trust Plaid even less than they trust us, and with more justification.
Monday, 13 August 2007
Thursday, 2 August 2007
A Charter for Rural Communities
Amid the traffic chaos and mud that defined this year’s Royal Welsh Show you could be forgiven for having overlooked a number of other important events. The award of a Green Pennant to the Friends of the Rock Park, Llandrindod Wells for their outstanding efforts to maintain and enhance one of Powys’ most important urban open spaces was one such event. However, for Powys as a whole, indeed for the whole of rural Wales and beyond, the launch of the final report of the Carnegie Commission for Rural Community Development was, arguably, even more important.
Entitled “A Charter for Rural Communities”, this report is an ambitious work arising from the firm intention of the Carnegie Commission for Rural community Development to “… open urban and rural eyes to the capital assets of the countryside, and to give the people who live and work in rural areas the keys to a sustainable future.” There is a recognition of the positive features of living and working in rural communities, arguing that they offer:
· Well developed community resources and valuable local assets
· Healthy environments for leisure, education and enterprise
· Strong social networks
At the same time it is acknowledged that many rural communities are facing significant challenges:
· Depressed local economies…
· An ageing population, with a shrinking skilled workforce
· Poor infrastructure, especially transport
· Overly complex planning
· Lack of affordable housing
· Complex and confusing funding ‘cocktails’ for local initiatives
· Pockets of extreme poverty
The authors of the report, however, are keen to look to the future and identify the following essential ingredients of living in a thriving rural community of the future:
· Community ownership and management of local assets
· Stronger local governance and effective community action planning
· Strong social networks founded on high levels of volunteering and skilled support
While recognising that no one community is likely to display all these characteristics, the report goes on to set out its ideas for action:
· A major expansion in community ownership of local assets
· An enhanced role for parish and community councils
· A Centre for Excellence supporting rural community development policy and practice on the ground
· Encouragement and assistance for local communities to develop and manage their own services and engage in community planning
· A greater role for local communities in supporting sustainable development
I have taken the above from the report's executive summary and would urge everyone who is interested in rural Wales to read the report in full.
The key question now is - are our Community Councils up to the challenges contained in this report?
Entitled “A Charter for Rural Communities”, this report is an ambitious work arising from the firm intention of the Carnegie Commission for Rural community Development to “… open urban and rural eyes to the capital assets of the countryside, and to give the people who live and work in rural areas the keys to a sustainable future.” There is a recognition of the positive features of living and working in rural communities, arguing that they offer:
· Well developed community resources and valuable local assets
· Healthy environments for leisure, education and enterprise
· Strong social networks
At the same time it is acknowledged that many rural communities are facing significant challenges:
· Depressed local economies…
· An ageing population, with a shrinking skilled workforce
· Poor infrastructure, especially transport
· Overly complex planning
· Lack of affordable housing
· Complex and confusing funding ‘cocktails’ for local initiatives
· Pockets of extreme poverty
The authors of the report, however, are keen to look to the future and identify the following essential ingredients of living in a thriving rural community of the future:
· Community ownership and management of local assets
· Stronger local governance and effective community action planning
· Strong social networks founded on high levels of volunteering and skilled support
While recognising that no one community is likely to display all these characteristics, the report goes on to set out its ideas for action:
· A major expansion in community ownership of local assets
· An enhanced role for parish and community councils
· A Centre for Excellence supporting rural community development policy and practice on the ground
· Encouragement and assistance for local communities to develop and manage their own services and engage in community planning
· A greater role for local communities in supporting sustainable development
I have taken the above from the report's executive summary and would urge everyone who is interested in rural Wales to read the report in full.
The key question now is - are our Community Councils up to the challenges contained in this report?
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