Tuesday, February 13, 2007
FutureTrowbridge
With work about to begin on the shopping centre,
traffic calming, plans for two play areas, a new
community centre, new residential builds and
improvements to existing public sector homes and flats
being undertaken, a lot is happening in Trowbridge at
the moment.
We would be interested to hear your views about what
Trowbridge needs and what improvements you would
like to see beyond the completion of these other
projects.
As readers are aware it can take years to get new
projects agreed and started, we’d like to begin working
on shaping the future of Trowbridge today.
If you have any comments or ideas you can e-mail us at
ralph.cook@trowbridgeandstmellonslabour.org.uk
or write to
Cllr Ralph Cook
1, Cemaes Crescent,
Trowbridge,
Cardiff
CF3 1TA
traffic calming, plans for two play areas, a new
community centre, new residential builds and
improvements to existing public sector homes and flats
being undertaken, a lot is happening in Trowbridge at
the moment.
We would be interested to hear your views about what
Trowbridge needs and what improvements you would
like to see beyond the completion of these other
projects.
As readers are aware it can take years to get new
projects agreed and started, we’d like to begin working
on shaping the future of Trowbridge today.
If you have any comments or ideas you can e-mail us at
ralph.cook@trowbridgeandstmellonslabour.org.uk
or write to
Cllr Ralph Cook
1, Cemaes Crescent,
Trowbridge,
Cardiff
CF3 1TA
Abergele Road Children’s Home
This small children’s home run by Cardiff County
Council is to be closed largely on economic grounds.
A few years ago your Councillors supported the
closure of the former childrens home in Gwbert Close
and opposed proposals to transfer it to other social
services uses.
We believed then that the most suitable use for the
building was to pass it to the Council’s Housing
Department to help with the need for larger
accommodation that exists among some families on the
Council’s Housing Waiting List. Eventually this was
agreed and the property is now home to a family and
as far as we are aware this has proved acceptable to
the other residents of the Close who had previously
suffered many difficulties with children at the home.
With this in mind, we have made a similar suggestion
when we were consulted about the closure of the
Abergele Road Home in early January and we are
awaiting the Council’s decision on our suggestion.
Councillor Ralph Cook
Council is to be closed largely on economic grounds.
A few years ago your Councillors supported the
closure of the former childrens home in Gwbert Close
and opposed proposals to transfer it to other social
services uses.
We believed then that the most suitable use for the
building was to pass it to the Council’s Housing
Department to help with the need for larger
accommodation that exists among some families on the
Council’s Housing Waiting List. Eventually this was
agreed and the property is now home to a family and
as far as we are aware this has proved acceptable to
the other residents of the Close who had previously
suffered many difficulties with children at the home.
With this in mind, we have made a similar suggestion
when we were consulted about the closure of the
Abergele Road Home in early January and we are
awaiting the Council’s decision on our suggestion.
Councillor Ralph Cook
Children’s Play Areas
Late last year Councillors were told equipment at 3
children’s play areas in St. Mellons would be removed
because it had “failed” Health and Safety inspections.
“Orchard Park play area” the nearest to Trowbridge
was one of them. Trowbridge has lacked a play area
for years.
The redevelopment of Trowbridge Shopping Centre
includes a £39,000 contribution for a play area at
the ABC park and becomes available when the first of
the new homes is occupied. The constant delays to the
shopping centre has meant that there will be further
delay in building the homes and then providing the
play area.
The Wales & West Housing Association development at
Hendre Isaf (bottom of Hendre Road) includes a
contribution of about £20,000 which we ear-marked
for a play area at Cemaes Crescent. Although not
enough to provide a good play area we are looking
for additional funds.
Councillor Ralph Cook
children’s play areas in St. Mellons would be removed
because it had “failed” Health and Safety inspections.
“Orchard Park play area” the nearest to Trowbridge
was one of them. Trowbridge has lacked a play area
for years.
The redevelopment of Trowbridge Shopping Centre
includes a £39,000 contribution for a play area at
the ABC park and becomes available when the first of
the new homes is occupied. The constant delays to the
shopping centre has meant that there will be further
delay in building the homes and then providing the
play area.
The Wales & West Housing Association development at
Hendre Isaf (bottom of Hendre Road) includes a
contribution of about £20,000 which we ear-marked
for a play area at Cemaes Crescent. Although not
enough to provide a good play area we are looking
for additional funds.
Councillor Ralph Cook
DOLGOCH CLOSE
After years of being told the Council could not justify
parking controls in Dolgoch Close (near Coleg Glan
Hafren), residents can finally look forward to relief
from student parking. We are supporting proposals to
introduce “no waiting” regulations between 8.00am
and 6.30pm Monday to Friday which your Labour
Councillors suggested years ago.
Councillor Monica Walsh
parking controls in Dolgoch Close (near Coleg Glan
Hafren), residents can finally look forward to relief
from student parking. We are supporting proposals to
introduce “no waiting” regulations between 8.00am
and 6.30pm Monday to Friday which your Labour
Councillors suggested years ago.
Councillor Monica Walsh
Wheelie Bins and Recycling
You should by now have received your Wheelie Bins
and explanatory leaflets which detail how your
household waste will be collected in future.
First introduced in “pilot schemes” (including one
collection round in St. Mellons) by the former Labour
Administration, the Liberal Democrats have made
changes which will affect residents used to being able
to dispose of unlimited quantities of waste in black bin
bags.
Within a few weeks the Council will no longer collect
“side waste” (i.e. waste in black bags left beside the
bins). Anything that cannot be fitted in a black bin and
is unsuitable for green bins or the green recycling
bags must be responsibly disposed of by residents.
Waste dumped illegally will attract the interest of the
Council’s enforcement team and result in prosecution.
Many people in those parts of St. Mellons who have
had bins for two years, welcomed their arrival,
especially gardeners and people who are keen on
recycling - but others hate them. The end of “side
waste” collection has not been welcomed by many,
however.
By properly sorting your domestic waste into green
bags and black bins and putting green bags out on the
correct day (see the Council’s leaflets for dates), most
households will avoid “side waste”. A nuisance at first,
it becomes second nature and you can console yourself
with the thought that you are helping to conserve
earth’s limited resources and reduce pollution!
Your Councillors criticised the small size of the writing
and the lack of clarity in the leaflets and have been
promised that these will be improvedwhen they are
reprinted. We have also dealt with problems for
several residents, especially elderly residents and
those living in so-called “back-to-front” houses.
We will be monitoring the management of the scheme
in Trowbridge - if you have any problems give us a
call.
Councillor David English
and explanatory leaflets which detail how your
household waste will be collected in future.
First introduced in “pilot schemes” (including one
collection round in St. Mellons) by the former Labour
Administration, the Liberal Democrats have made
changes which will affect residents used to being able
to dispose of unlimited quantities of waste in black bin
bags.
Within a few weeks the Council will no longer collect
“side waste” (i.e. waste in black bags left beside the
bins). Anything that cannot be fitted in a black bin and
is unsuitable for green bins or the green recycling
bags must be responsibly disposed of by residents.
Waste dumped illegally will attract the interest of the
Council’s enforcement team and result in prosecution.
Many people in those parts of St. Mellons who have
had bins for two years, welcomed their arrival,
especially gardeners and people who are keen on
recycling - but others hate them. The end of “side
waste” collection has not been welcomed by many,
however.
By properly sorting your domestic waste into green
bags and black bins and putting green bags out on the
correct day (see the Council’s leaflets for dates), most
households will avoid “side waste”. A nuisance at first,
it becomes second nature and you can console yourself
with the thought that you are helping to conserve
earth’s limited resources and reduce pollution!
Your Councillors criticised the small size of the writing
and the lack of clarity in the leaflets and have been
promised that these will be improvedwhen they are
reprinted. We have also dealt with problems for
several residents, especially elderly residents and
those living in so-called “back-to-front” houses.
We will be monitoring the management of the scheme
in Trowbridge - if you have any problems give us a
call.
Councillor David English
PACT Meetings: What Are They?
PACT or “Partnership and Communities Together” is
an initiative started in 2006 by the South Wales
Police with the intention of “introducing a far more
effective community based policing style and
delivering a quality of service that will see (the) force
as one of the leads in community policing”. The
emphasis is on “community engagement” via regular
meetings where the public can “identify any problems
or issues of concern within” the community.
A panel of local residents, community representatives
and police officers, known as “The PACT Panel” then
identify three priorities for the community which are
then targeted by the appropriate organisation - often
the police themselves but sometimes the Council or
other body.
Sadly South Wales Police introduced the idea with
little consultation with external agencies such as
housing associations or local councils and local
Councillors were involved very late in the development
of the idea. As a result the idea was born amidst
controversy and confusion.
Nevertheless, your Councillors have engaged with the
idea and worked with the local police and the PACT
Panel to try to make it as effective as possible. So far
there have been three PACT meetings in Trowbridge,
each attended by fewer than thirty local residents. It
has recently been agreed to hold future meetings at
three month intervals.
The next PACT meeting will be on 7th March at
Cardiff Community Housing Association Community
Centre, Heol Newydd (on the Bro Athro Estate at the
bottom of Trowbridge Road opposite Coleg Glan
Hafren) at 7pm.
All residents of the Trowbridge area are invited to
attend.
Councillor Ralph Cook
an initiative started in 2006 by the South Wales
Police with the intention of “introducing a far more
effective community based policing style and
delivering a quality of service that will see (the) force
as one of the leads in community policing”. The
emphasis is on “community engagement” via regular
meetings where the public can “identify any problems
or issues of concern within” the community.
A panel of local residents, community representatives
and police officers, known as “The PACT Panel” then
identify three priorities for the community which are
then targeted by the appropriate organisation - often
the police themselves but sometimes the Council or
other body.
Sadly South Wales Police introduced the idea with
little consultation with external agencies such as
housing associations or local councils and local
Councillors were involved very late in the development
of the idea. As a result the idea was born amidst
controversy and confusion.
Nevertheless, your Councillors have engaged with the
idea and worked with the local police and the PACT
Panel to try to make it as effective as possible. So far
there have been three PACT meetings in Trowbridge,
each attended by fewer than thirty local residents. It
has recently been agreed to hold future meetings at
three month intervals.
The next PACT meeting will be on 7th March at
Cardiff Community Housing Association Community
Centre, Heol Newydd (on the Bro Athro Estate at the
bottom of Trowbridge Road opposite Coleg Glan
Hafren) at 7pm.
All residents of the Trowbridge area are invited to
attend.
Councillor Ralph Cook
Trowbridge Shopping Centre
A source of much frustration and anger amongst
residents of the Trowbridge Estate, the continued
delay to the redevelopment of the shops and
Community Centre seems set to finally end. But not
without yet more compromises.
After years of being told the project was more or less
affordable, in mid-January, a fairly junior Council
officer informed us that there was a funding shortfall
of over half a million pounds. The solution we were
told was to reduce the size of the new Community
Centre! Instead of two floors, Trowbridge will get a
single storey centre about the same size as the
previous building.
This is a blow. Given the financial chaos the Liberal
Democrats have created in the Council there will be no
assistance with costs so we have to accept it or risk
delaying the project further.
Examining the figures I noticed the cost of traffic
calming on the roads around the site (which I had been
led to believe would be funded by the Council) will be
met by the redevelopment. My request for an
explanation received a technical, written reply,
concluding “I hope this clarifies the position and that
you no longer feel that you have been mislead” - well,
I still do!
The enabling works (moving sewers etc.), are complete
and building would begin on the 5th February we
have been told - from the photograph below, taken on
the 6th, we are unsure whether it has. Under Labour
the project was due to be completed by the end of this
year!
Councillor Ralph Cook
residents of the Trowbridge Estate, the continued
delay to the redevelopment of the shops and
Community Centre seems set to finally end. But not
without yet more compromises.
After years of being told the project was more or less
affordable, in mid-January, a fairly junior Council
officer informed us that there was a funding shortfall
of over half a million pounds. The solution we were
told was to reduce the size of the new Community
Centre! Instead of two floors, Trowbridge will get a
single storey centre about the same size as the
previous building.
This is a blow. Given the financial chaos the Liberal
Democrats have created in the Council there will be no
assistance with costs so we have to accept it or risk
delaying the project further.
Examining the figures I noticed the cost of traffic
calming on the roads around the site (which I had been
led to believe would be funded by the Council) will be
met by the redevelopment. My request for an
explanation received a technical, written reply,
concluding “I hope this clarifies the position and that
you no longer feel that you have been mislead” - well,
I still do!
The enabling works (moving sewers etc.), are complete
and building would begin on the 5th February we
have been told - from the photograph below, taken on
the 6th, we are unsure whether it has. Under Labour
the project was due to be completed by the end of this
year!
Councillor Ralph Cook
Saturday, January 13, 2007
Tories and Lib Dems fail to support Assembly’s Budget for Children!
Lorraine Barrett AM
Monday, December 18, 2006
Season Greetings
The Officers and Members of Trowbridge and St. Mellons Branch Labour Party would like to thank all the people of Trowbridge and St. Mellons for there help and support and wish them a
Merry Christmas
And A
Happy New Year
And if there is any one who would like information on joining Trowbridge and
St. Mellons Branch Labour Party, please call or e-mail,
David Mawn on
(029) 2040 4422.
membership@trowbridgeandstmellonslabour.org.uk
Thursday, November 23, 2006
Melrose Park “youth facility”
Consultation with over 1,000 households in south-east St. Mellons has shown there is little support for a youth facility at Melrose Park.
The facility was proposed by a local resident and a committee set up to campaign for it. We supported the idea in principle, but disagreed with the committee about where to put it. N our view Melrose Park is difficult to Police and an earlier facility had to be removed years ago when it became a focus for serious anti-social behaviour.
The consultation was delayed by a serious complaint from a resident about Councillor Ralph Cook’s conduct. After the Local Government Ombudsman found Councillor Cook had done nothing wrong, the consultation took place in March 2006.
The result suggests our aim to locate these facilities in the centre of St. Mellons and along Willowbrook Drive is supported by residents.
Councillors David English
The facility was proposed by a local resident and a committee set up to campaign for it. We supported the idea in principle, but disagreed with the committee about where to put it. N our view Melrose Park is difficult to Police and an earlier facility had to be removed years ago when it became a focus for serious anti-social behaviour.
The consultation was delayed by a serious complaint from a resident about Councillor Ralph Cook’s conduct. After the Local Government Ombudsman found Councillor Cook had done nothing wrong, the consultation took place in March 2006.
The result suggests our aim to locate these facilities in the centre of St. Mellons and along Willowbrook Drive is supported by residents.
Councillors David English
Monday, November 20, 2006
Improvements to Crumlin Drive Open Space
Following complaints about motorbikes and stray horses Ralph Cook wrote a bid for funds to make this area more secure. The bid was successful and earlier this year the Council replaced the rotten wood fencing with steel and provided disabled persons access to the park.
Further improvements to the ground are expected in the coming months.
Councillor Monica Walsh
Further improvements to the ground are expected in the coming months.
Councillor Monica Walsh
