NOT EVERYONE SUPPORTS OUR CAMPAIGN

Candidates supporting our call for an immediate review of traffic and car parking throughout Powys

Cllr. John Steadman – Ystradgynlais
Cllr. Margaret Morris – Glasbury
Robert Golesworthy – Gwernyfed
Cllr. Gareth Ratcliffe – Hay
Keith Tampin – Llandrindod Wells East & West
Cllr. Gareth Morgan – Llanidloes
Dr John Morgan – Llanerchyddol Ward Welshpool
Cllr. Mike Williams – Machynlleth
Cllr. Kathryn Silk – Bwlch
Cllr. David Jones – Guilsford
Mary Fellowes – Bwlch
Christine Williams Llanfair Caereinion
Chris Davies - Glasbury
Liz Davies – Bronllys

Rob Harper  - Churchstoke

John Pratt – Felin Fach

Peter Medlicott – Knighton

Paul Ashton – Brecon St Mary

Megan Lloyd – Builth Wells

John Milsom – Old Radnor

Debra Williams – Gwernyfed

Megan Lloyd – Builth Wells

Nick Powell – Llanfechain and Llansantffraid

Forbes Lopez – Llanyre

Richard Thomas – Tal-y-Bont

Marion Lopez – Llandrindod Wells North

Cllr. Aled Davies – Llansilan

Gillian Thomas - Yscir

Tom Turner – Lalndrindod Wells South

John Williams – Yscir

Cllr. Peter Harris – Newtown Llanwchaiarn West

David Jones – Llangors

Qualified support has also been received from :

Sarah Reast – Llanbrynmair

John Milsom – Old Radnor

Brian Lopez – Llandrindod Wells East & West

Acknowledgements have been received but no opinion expressed from :

Cllr. Linda Corfield – Forden

John Wilding

Watch this space for what we hope will be more responses before we publish the full list of replies - and those who just can’t be bothered to respond!

Some more comments received from candidates:

Marion Lopez – Llandrindod Wells North

Have read with interest the comments on your blog.  They indicated how a parking solution for Powys is not one-size-fits-all; Hay with full car parks and a heavily tourist-based economy needs a different response from Llandrindod where the car parks are half empty and PCC office staff park all day on-street, preventing residents from stopping legally anywhere near their homes.  Surely it's better to pay for a resident's parking permit than be fleeced by fines on a regular basis.

John Williams - Yscir Ward

I agree with your campaign for an immediate review of parking in Powys. Although the ward I am standing in is very rural, many of the constituents of Yscir will have faced the problems you speak of when visiting the nearby towns of Brecon, Builth and Hay.

I wish you all the best with the campaign.

Gillian Thomas - Yscir Ward

I support a review to be undertaken as soon as practicable which needs to be fair and equitable across the County.

Councillor Peter Harris - Newtown Llanwchaiarn West

I will most certainly support the Campaign.  Hopefully after the election the new Council will be controlled by like minded members.

Support for our campaign is not universal, there are dissenters too:

(Although to be fair, these councillors are not opposed to a review of traffic and parking, they just think everything that could be done, is already being done.)

Councillor J H Brunt - Beguildy

The portfolio holder said in a press statement dated 1^st July 2011 that a review of on and off street car parking would commence straight away.

This was the case.  Unfortunately the officer responsible has been off sick most of the time since then.

The portfolio holder has a draft policy for resident’s (sic) parking and a scheme for prioritising Traffic Regulation Orders already complete.

It is certain that after the election the review will proceed.

In the current administration, Cllr. Brunt is Chair of the Environment and Crime and Disorder Scrutiny Committee and a member of the Licensing Committee.

We say:

We are of course well aware of Cllr Geraint Hopkins’ (the portfolio holder referred to in Cllr Brunt’s email.) statement; we refer to it in our blog.  Unfortunately Cllr Hopkins confirmed at the meeting held at County offices in Llandrindod Wells on October 11th 2011, that no work had at that time in fact started!  Both officers apparently responsible for the review were present at the meeting, although we understand that one has been off sick for an extended period since then.

However, July 1^st is almost ten months ago, and surely that is sufficient time to undertake a review that was promised to full council and publicised to the press.

It is reassuring to hear that “it is certain that after the election the review will proceed”.  We hope that whoever takes over portfolio responsibility after the elections agrees; we are merely trying to ensure that any new incumbent is fully aware of the urgency of the problems brought about through the council’s ill thought out draconian enforcement of outdated parking restrictions throughout the county.  Procrastination and further unnecessary delay are just not acceptable – and it seems from the support we have received that many councillors agree!

Lastly, why can’t we see the draft policy and the scheme for prioritising Traffic Regulation Orders’; or at least some evidence of their existance.   Public consultation should be at the heart of government, not secrecy.

Cllr. Ken Harris - Knighton

I’m sorry but as Cllr. Ratcliffe well knows (and could have told you) the Review is on-Going and the fact that a Review is taking place is as a result of support from the Cabinet Members of which I am one.

It is rather pointless to call for an immediate Review now during the end of one Council just before a second one starts.

In the current administration, Cllr. Harris is a Powys County Council Cabinet Member with portfolio responsibilities for Waste, Climate Change & Welsh Language.
 
We say

Thank you Cllr Harris, it is reassuring that you, as one of the cabinet, were instrumental in ensuring a Review ‘is taking place’.  However, as we comment above in our response to Cllr. Brunt, we have seen no evidence of the review!

We (and it seems our supporters) do not believe that it is ‘pointless’ to call for an ‘immediate’ review.  It is just because one council is ending and new councillors are being elected, that we are campaigning for long overdue action. 

Newly elected councillors will enjoy five years of power.  We hope they will not sit on their laurels but get on with all the various challenges facing them;  parking is an important priority and we believe bringing attention to candidates’ attitudes towards instigating an IMMEDIATE review of traffic and parking will concentrate minds.  You never know – it might just bring about a responsible approach to parking.