Fresh
calls were made to scrap Severn Bridge tolls after fares rose in line
with the Retail Price Index to become one of the world's most
expensive road tolls. The bridges will return to public ownership in
2018, though Plaid Cymru warned that contract clauses could see the
UK Government claw back maintenance costs until 2027.
Plaid
Cymru's education spokesperson, Simon Thomas AM (Plaid, Mid &
West Wales), said schools needed extra support to...
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Saturday, 31 January 2015
Friday, 30 January 2015
Fair is foul, and foul is fair
The "anti-austerity alliance" might seem a good idea now, but Plaid seem to have forgotten
the election next year, where such an alliance can't be on such friendly terms for their own sake.
(Pic : The Guardian)
I'm not going full tilt
into my House of Commons election coverage until the second half of
March, but it's worth...
Thursday, 29 January 2015
Local Government Bill : Council mergers edge closer (sort of)
We still have no idea what form local government reorganisation will take. The latest law introduced
to the Assembly will, however, give councils the opportunity to take the initiative themselves
....unless they've already taken the initiative themselves, of course.
(Pic : Wales Online)
A little over a year to the
day...
Tuesday, 27 January 2015
Assembly Commission steps up to the oche
"OOONE HUNDRED OR EIIIGHTY!?"
Has the National Assembly just made itself a bigger target for anti-politics darts?
(Pic : via digitalspy.co.uk)
How many AMs do we need? (7.12.13)
Last week, the Assembly
Commission published its response (pdf) to calls from Welsh
Secretary, Stephen Crabb MP (Con, Preseli Pembs.), for a...
Thursday, 22 January 2015
Assembly debates future of autism services
AMs recently debated the need for an Autism Act following the current
failure of a trail-blazing autism strategy to deliver on the ground.
(Pic : National Autistic Society Cymru)
Yesterday, the National
Assembly debated a cross-party individual member's motion on autism
services. The motion welcomed achievements resulting...
Tuesday, 20 January 2015
Making tracks in west Wales
There are growing calls to reopen a railway between Aberystwyth and Carmarthen.
(Pic : BBC Wales)
The railway
between Carmarthen and Aberystwyth closed to passengers in 1964-65, with
freight services - which still ran along part of the line - withdrawn in the early 1970s. As a result, any attempt to travel between Carmarthenshire...
Thursday, 15 January 2015
Women's Own
Do high-flying Welsh women need an extra hand from the Welsh Government
to break the glass ceiling? The National Assembly debated it yesterday.
(Pic : RBS)
Yesterday, the National
Assembly held the first Member's debate of 2015, with a motion noting
progress (or lack of) made in gender equality since almost 100 years...
Monday, 12 January 2015
Foundation Fazed
Is the Welsh Government's flagship Foundation Phase all its
cracked up to be? Despite the headlines, it probably is.
(Pic : Twyn School)
Last week it was reported that a review of the Foundation Phase by WISERD has shown it's failing to live up to one of its key aims,
which is to reduce the gap in performance between children...
Monday, 5 January 2015
Womble Nation
Wales' performance in recycling bests most of Europe, let alone the UK
....but there's a sting in the tail.
(Pic : via Youtube)
Back in December, the
National Assembly's Environment Committee published its (refreshingly succinct)
inquiry report into recycling (pdf).For once it makes good
reading for the Welsh Government...
