Tuesday, April 19, 2005
Alun Michael Condemns Lib Dems Local Income Tax
Monday, April 11, 2005
Trowbridge Estate Tenants & Residents
The ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING is on
Wednesday 18th May
At the Scouts Hut on Cemaes Crescent
At 6.00pm to 7.30pm
Wednesday 18th May
At the Scouts Hut on Cemaes Crescent
At 6.00pm to 7.30pm
What Next for Trowbridge?
Your Councillors have concentrated their attention over the past six years on the major work that is slowly transforming the Trowbridge Estate:
Shopping centre redevelopment,
Trowbridge Green improvements,
Improving the Council flats,
Parking near schools,
Motorbike prevention,
Trefaser Park fencing,
Traffic speed control,
All these are underway and will continue this year.
By any standards the list is impressive and we are ourselves pretty surprised at how much has been achieved. However, problems change over time and so do people’s expectations and we do not want to lose touch with changing needs in Trowbridge.
We want to hear from you about your ambitions for Trowbridge. We know that many residents point to the lack of a childrens play area in Trowbridge (which we are working on) but what other concerns do people have.
If you’d like to tell us please write to me at:
Cllr. Ralph Cook,
Members Services,
Cardiff County Council,
County Hall,
Atlantic Wharf,
Cardiff,
CF10 4UW.
or by e-mail at rcook@cardiff.gov.uk
or telephone 20793809.
Cllr. Ralph Cook
Shopping centre redevelopment,
Trowbridge Green improvements,
Improving the Council flats,
Parking near schools,
Motorbike prevention,
Trefaser Park fencing,
Traffic speed control,
All these are underway and will continue this year.
By any standards the list is impressive and we are ourselves pretty surprised at how much has been achieved. However, problems change over time and so do people’s expectations and we do not want to lose touch with changing needs in Trowbridge.
We want to hear from you about your ambitions for Trowbridge. We know that many residents point to the lack of a childrens play area in Trowbridge (which we are working on) but what other concerns do people have.
If you’d like to tell us please write to me at:
Cllr. Ralph Cook,
Members Services,
Cardiff County Council,
County Hall,
Atlantic Wharf,
Cardiff,
CF10 4UW.
or by e-mail at rcook@cardiff.gov.uk
or telephone 20793809.
Cllr. Ralph Cook
Coleford Drive Park
£40,000 will be spent over the next few months improving Coleford Drive Park by repairing and creating new paths, improving the accesses and the metal fencing.
The money was raised from the small residential developments at Wicken Close and Salvia Close. We agreed the improvements following requests from residents in the area.
The money was raised from the small residential developments at Wicken Close and Salvia Close. We agreed the improvements following requests from residents in the area.
Cathcob Playing Fields
Believe it or not these fields were intended for sports, especially football and rugby rather than the waterlogged motorcycle track and free grazing for "stray" horses that they look like now.
A botched drainage programme in the 1990s left the fields unsuitable for winter sports and many local teams closed down or went elsewhere to practice and play.
From 1999 your Councillors have been trying to find a way to pay for the necessary improvements. Two years ago we agreed to the sale of Council land next to Chester Close for house building as long as some of the money from the sale was spent improving the sports fields.
The land is being sold at last and the Council will start work this summer. £210,000 will be spent on drainage so the fields can be used throughout the year. £50,000 more is being spent erecting metal fencing around the fields to keep out horses and motor-vehicles.
Its been a long time coming so we hope the work is successful.
Cllr. David English
A botched drainage programme in the 1990s left the fields unsuitable for winter sports and many local teams closed down or went elsewhere to practice and play.
From 1999 your Councillors have been trying to find a way to pay for the necessary improvements. Two years ago we agreed to the sale of Council land next to Chester Close for house building as long as some of the money from the sale was spent improving the sports fields.
The land is being sold at last and the Council will start work this summer. £210,000 will be spent on drainage so the fields can be used throughout the year. £50,000 more is being spent erecting metal fencing around the fields to keep out horses and motor-vehicles.
Its been a long time coming so we hope the work is successful.
Cllr. David English
Trefaser Park Improvements Underway:
Trefaser Park Improvements Underway:
A perimeter fence at Trefaser Park is being built. Cllr. Ralph Cook, secured a Council grant for £50,000 to pay for the work in March 04. The Park suffers motorcycle nuisance, burning of cars and grazing by horses. We hope to build a childrens play area in the park within two years.
A perimeter fence at Trefaser Park is being built. Cllr. Ralph Cook, secured a Council grant for £50,000 to pay for the work in March 04. The Park suffers motorcycle nuisance, burning of cars and grazing by horses. We hope to build a childrens play area in the park within two years.
Harrison Drive & Matthysens Way
A dispute between residents and Wimpey Homes has delayed the Council’s adoption of the estate. I have recently been told the dispute is close to being resolved.
Potholes have remained unfilled, street lights have failed and for several years the estate did not receive street cleansing at all. Residents complained but I’m not sure my attempts to explain were always believed!
Two years ago I negotiated unofficial arrangements with the Council’s Street Cleansing Manager but he has retired. I hope to persuade his replacement to continue these arrangements until adoption is secured.
For several years, wanting to avoid unnecessarily arousing fears amongst residents, we worked "behind the scenes" with Council officers, putting pressure on Wimpey Homes to reach agreement with the residents.
Over a year ago I invited residents to a meeting and explained the problem verbally. A residents’ association was set up last autumn. The involvement of residents has helped highlight it and speed things up.
All being well, the Council will begin the adoption process very soon.
Cllr. Ralph Cook
Next Meeting: Wednesday 20th April, 7.00pm at Meadowlane School.
Potholes have remained unfilled, street lights have failed and for several years the estate did not receive street cleansing at all. Residents complained but I’m not sure my attempts to explain were always believed!
Two years ago I negotiated unofficial arrangements with the Council’s Street Cleansing Manager but he has retired. I hope to persuade his replacement to continue these arrangements until adoption is secured.
For several years, wanting to avoid unnecessarily arousing fears amongst residents, we worked "behind the scenes" with Council officers, putting pressure on Wimpey Homes to reach agreement with the residents.
Over a year ago I invited residents to a meeting and explained the problem verbally. A residents’ association was set up last autumn. The involvement of residents has helped highlight it and speed things up.
All being well, the Council will begin the adoption process very soon.
Cllr. Ralph Cook
Next Meeting: Wednesday 20th April, 7.00pm at Meadowlane School.
St. Mellons Community Education Centre
The rumour circulating the estate that the Community Education Centre (CEC) is closing is untrue. The centre is the probably the best in Cardiff with an effective programme attracting the involvement of about 700 young people each year. There is a problem developing, however, which would need a lot more space than I have to explain in detail.
3 years ago the Council brought the two community buildings (CEC and "community hall") under Lifelong Learning management. Your Councillors agreed this to support Community Education in St. Mellons and because the alternative proposal meant charging the public to use the facilities.
Apparently the Councils’ Executive wants to place the building with Leisure, with the CEC staff working alongside Leisure staff. Luckily we found out about this plan, protested and requested consultation before a decision is made.
As a result there will be no visible change to the use of the building for 6-9 months while the Council consults with residents and Councillors.
The Council argues that the improvements to Cathcob Playing Fields, starting in summer, will mean the return of sport to St. Mellons and, therefore the building should be managed by Leisure. Your Councillors have also been pressing the Council to spend up to £1m on the building to upgrade and extend it which is obviously popular with sports groups in the area.
So we have a choice to make but it is not simply between community education or sport. We think it is possible to have both and improve the facilities and activities provided by the centre.
Even this would require some compromise on both sides and may mean the public paying to use the sports facilities. As the Council can take a decision without your Councillors’ agreement, it is important that residents take the opportunity offered by the consultation to make their views known.
Cllr. Monica Walsh
3 years ago the Council brought the two community buildings (CEC and "community hall") under Lifelong Learning management. Your Councillors agreed this to support Community Education in St. Mellons and because the alternative proposal meant charging the public to use the facilities.
Apparently the Councils’ Executive wants to place the building with Leisure, with the CEC staff working alongside Leisure staff. Luckily we found out about this plan, protested and requested consultation before a decision is made.
As a result there will be no visible change to the use of the building for 6-9 months while the Council consults with residents and Councillors.
The Council argues that the improvements to Cathcob Playing Fields, starting in summer, will mean the return of sport to St. Mellons and, therefore the building should be managed by Leisure. Your Councillors have also been pressing the Council to spend up to £1m on the building to upgrade and extend it which is obviously popular with sports groups in the area.
So we have a choice to make but it is not simply between community education or sport. We think it is possible to have both and improve the facilities and activities provided by the centre.
Even this would require some compromise on both sides and may mean the public paying to use the sports facilities. As the Council can take a decision without your Councillors’ agreement, it is important that residents take the opportunity offered by the consultation to make their views known.
Cllr. Monica Walsh
Motorbikes in St. Mellons
This Christmas saw a big increase in complaints about noise from motorbikes being used illegally in St. Mellons and Trowbridge.
Despite repeated warnings in our newsletters a few parents gave their children scrambler-bikes or quadbikes for Christmas. This co-incided with the introduction of a new anti-motorbike strategy involving your Councillors, the Council and St. Mellons Police.
A team of motorbike officers, trained to catch off-road bikers is regularly visiting St. Mellons. They can snatch offenders off a moving bike - literally! They operate seven days a week and the people they catch have to pay over £100 to get their bikes back.
We asked the police to start issuing First Stage Anti-Social Behaviour Letters to anyone caught riding these vehicles illegally on Council land. They have agreed and have started doing it.
We understand the thrill of riding these machines so we are asking the Council if there is any land far from homes that local motorbike enthusiasts could use. When we have the answer we will pass on the news. But there would be big hurdles, financial and legal, on those that took up the idea. It’s probably best not to buy the bikes in the first place.
Cllr. David English
Despite repeated warnings in our newsletters a few parents gave their children scrambler-bikes or quadbikes for Christmas. This co-incided with the introduction of a new anti-motorbike strategy involving your Councillors, the Council and St. Mellons Police.
A team of motorbike officers, trained to catch off-road bikers is regularly visiting St. Mellons. They can snatch offenders off a moving bike - literally! They operate seven days a week and the people they catch have to pay over £100 to get their bikes back.
We asked the police to start issuing First Stage Anti-Social Behaviour Letters to anyone caught riding these vehicles illegally on Council land. They have agreed and have started doing it.
We understand the thrill of riding these machines so we are asking the Council if there is any land far from homes that local motorbike enthusiasts could use. When we have the answer we will pass on the news. But there would be big hurdles, financial and legal, on those that took up the idea. It’s probably best not to buy the bikes in the first place.
Cllr. David English
Speeding in St. Mellons
Some residents ignore the speed limits on local roads. The limit everywhere in St. Mellons is 30mph except for Newport Road (40 mph).
Children are at risk in St. Mellons. Two youngsters have been tragically killed on St. Mellons roads in two years. Many children seem ignorant of basic road safety rules but as no-one wants the death of a child on their conscience, local childrens’ lack of awareness is a good reason for extra caution.
We support police efforts against car crime in St. Mellons. In a recent operation the Police clamped 32 cars without current tax disks in one day!
Inspt. Alex Chadd invited Cllr. Ralph Cook to see new high-tech cadgetry for detecting car crime, in action on 4th April. A new computer/camera system linked to the Police National Computer was being used on Newport Road to catch stolen vehicles and "tax dodgers. Ralph was impressed.
Cllr. Monica Walsh
Children are at risk in St. Mellons. Two youngsters have been tragically killed on St. Mellons roads in two years. Many children seem ignorant of basic road safety rules but as no-one wants the death of a child on their conscience, local childrens’ lack of awareness is a good reason for extra caution.
We support police efforts against car crime in St. Mellons. In a recent operation the Police clamped 32 cars without current tax disks in one day!
Inspt. Alex Chadd invited Cllr. Ralph Cook to see new high-tech cadgetry for detecting car crime, in action on 4th April. A new computer/camera system linked to the Police National Computer was being used on Newport Road to catch stolen vehicles and "tax dodgers. Ralph was impressed.
Cllr. Monica Walsh
What next for St. Mellons
Your Councillors have won major improvements for St. Mellons. Work on the Council housing estates, completion of Hendre Lake Park and improvements to other play, park and sports areas will continue through this year.
Residents put "quality of life issues" - "stray" horses, motorbike nuisance, speeding, litter and fly-tipping - at the top of their list of priorities and we are dealing with those issues as best we can, often under difficult circumstances.
Unfortunately, progress can be slow and brings conflict with a few other residents, motorbike enthusiasts, for instance!
Your Councillors can’t prevent illegal behaviour on their own. We work with the Police, Council and other agencies through the St. Mellons Forum and other means.
Naturally there are complaints from residents when there is a problem but few residents realise we are all stronger when a united community stands alongside its Councillors. This may mean filling in petitions, writing letters and occasionally standing with placards in the rain!
St. Mellons has very few active Residents Associations or groups. Most are small and fragile, the biggest being SMAC, the group opposing the St. Mellons Link Road.
Increasingly the voice of St. Mellons needs to be heard. School closures, the Community Education Centre, horses, motorbikes and other problems are still present. If the people of St. Mellons do not work together we risk losing the hard-won gains and a return to the neglect we suffered a few years ago.
We will not win every time but success, when it occurs, is more fun shared.
Cllr. Ralph Cook
Residents put "quality of life issues" - "stray" horses, motorbike nuisance, speeding, litter and fly-tipping - at the top of their list of priorities and we are dealing with those issues as best we can, often under difficult circumstances.
Unfortunately, progress can be slow and brings conflict with a few other residents, motorbike enthusiasts, for instance!
Your Councillors can’t prevent illegal behaviour on their own. We work with the Police, Council and other agencies through the St. Mellons Forum and other means.
Naturally there are complaints from residents when there is a problem but few residents realise we are all stronger when a united community stands alongside its Councillors. This may mean filling in petitions, writing letters and occasionally standing with placards in the rain!
St. Mellons has very few active Residents Associations or groups. Most are small and fragile, the biggest being SMAC, the group opposing the St. Mellons Link Road.
Increasingly the voice of St. Mellons needs to be heard. School closures, the Community Education Centre, horses, motorbikes and other problems are still present. If the people of St. Mellons do not work together we risk losing the hard-won gains and a return to the neglect we suffered a few years ago.
We will not win every time but success, when it occurs, is more fun shared.
Cllr. Ralph Cook
School Reorganisation
Cardiff Council is reviewing local schools to deal with 8,500 surplus places. This may result in proposals to close or amalgamate some schools.
Our local primary schools perform well, despite problems associated with poverty and high numbers of local children having special educational needs. St. Mellons children benefit from small schools and small class sizes so we will be arguing to keep all our schools open.
Parents and teachers are very concerned about the future of local primary and Rumney and Llanrumney High Schools. We cannot predict what the review will mean for schools in the area but we will do our best to ensure the final proposals bring improvements otherwise we will oppose the plans and involve parents.
The Council has accepted our criticisms of the first series of consultation meetings and agreed to our demands for improved publicity in future. These meetings are important so we ask parents to attend them if possible.
Cllr. Monica Walsh
Our local primary schools perform well, despite problems associated with poverty and high numbers of local children having special educational needs. St. Mellons children benefit from small schools and small class sizes so we will be arguing to keep all our schools open.
Parents and teachers are very concerned about the future of local primary and Rumney and Llanrumney High Schools. We cannot predict what the review will mean for schools in the area but we will do our best to ensure the final proposals bring improvements otherwise we will oppose the plans and involve parents.
The Council has accepted our criticisms of the first series of consultation meetings and agreed to our demands for improved publicity in future. These meetings are important so we ask parents to attend them if possible.
Cllr. Monica Walsh
Thursday, April 07, 2005
Council U-Turn on “Stray” Horses: A Victory for Common-Sense
Our 8 month campaign for Anti-Social Behaviour Orders (ASBOs) to be used against irresponsible horse owners seems to have been successful. In a policy U-Turn Cardiff Council’s Executive has ruled out renting grazing land for horses and agreed to use ASBOs.
We put this down to our resolve to ensure ASBOs are used, if necessary. We also want to thank residents of St. Mellons for their support and encouragement during these difficult months.
We have maintained all along that ASBOs, if used properly offered the cheapest, quickest and most effective solution to the “stray” horse problem as they have proved to be with irresponsible farmers in other parts of the UK. We also argued that if the Council wanted to lease land for grazing the land should be available to any horse owner, not just those who have caused many residents of St. Mellons misery for over two-and-a-half years.
We wait to see if ASBOs are used properly!
Cllr. Ralph Cook.
We put this down to our resolve to ensure ASBOs are used, if necessary. We also want to thank residents of St. Mellons for their support and encouragement during these difficult months.
We have maintained all along that ASBOs, if used properly offered the cheapest, quickest and most effective solution to the “stray” horse problem as they have proved to be with irresponsible farmers in other parts of the UK. We also argued that if the Council wanted to lease land for grazing the land should be available to any horse owner, not just those who have caused many residents of St. Mellons misery for over two-and-a-half years.
We wait to see if ASBOs are used properly!
Cllr. Ralph Cook.
