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Labour hang on to power in Torfaen

6:59pm Friday 23rd May 2008

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LABOUR retained control of Torfaen council at its annual general meeting last night thanks to the support of Plaid Cymru and two independent councillors.

Councillor Bob Wellington was returned as leader for another year, despite his party's poor performance in the local elections.

Labour's 18 councillors alone were not enough to retain control of the council.

A coalition of independent, Conservative, People's Voice and Liberal Democrat councillors, led by Blaenavon councillor Stuart Evans, had hoped to take control.

But the three Plaid Cymru councillors, Jeff Rees (Fairwater), Maria Graham (Llantarnam) and Fiona Cross (Coed Eva) chose not to join the coalition and instead backed Labour.

They were joined by newly-elected independents Peter Cathcart (Pontnewydd) and Alastair Cunnington (Two Locks and Henllys), who is a former Labour party member.

All five councillors were rewarded with chairmanships of scrutiny committees, which each carry an extra paycheck of at least £18,000 a year.

Councillor Wellington said the "arrangements" would give "stability to local government in Torfaen."

Opposition leader Stuart Evans said the people of Torfaen would be "disappointed" after overwhelmingly voting against Labour in the elections.

Councillor Aneurin James was elected mayor, and councillor Robert Jones was elected deputy mayor.

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Your Say YourSouth Wales Argus

bonny, pontypool says...
7:30pm Fri 23 May 08

People voted for change .Independent Cathcart,and Cunnington his surname spells it out, only voted with Labour for the money -what an insult to the poeple who voted them .I wounder if they will explain themselves, I don't think so . People should go and knock on their doors and tell them what they think of them. They are quick enough knocking doors when they want your Vote.

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Geraint, Cwmbran says...
8:08pm Fri 23 May 08

You are right bonny. They have accepted their 30 pieces of silver in the shape of plum jobs with the associated expenses and raised two fingers to the Torfaen electorate who voted for a change. I just hope the same electorate have long memories for next time when they can show their feeling for these Judas's through the ballot box. I hope they make their feeling clear in the meantime at these turncoats first surguries.

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Bigmal, garndiffaith says...
8:26pm Fri 23 May 08

These so called independant councillors elected by the people to represent them are disgusting and I note with interest they live in the south of the borough, they support a leader who gave up full time employment to become a full time coucillor. He is not the only one who call themselves socialists they do not know the meaning of the word. I can only hope that the voters of their respective communities get on their backs and in their faces and tell them that they, represent them and not themselves. We again have to put up with the majority lining their own pockets at our expense.

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Welshlady, cwmbran says...
9:09pm Fri 23 May 08

The comments on the sister site thisispontypool gives us hope. we need to push forward and register vote of no confidence in order to demand a re-election in those 5 wards!

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Bigmal, garndiffaith says...
9:22pm Fri 23 May 08

I am all in favour of a referendum in Torfaen to bring an end to this system of local government. I believe originally in Torfaen That the cabinet system was rejected but the labour party went ahead without consultation with the electorate and have since walked all over people on many issues

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cwmbrangal, cwmbran says...
9:56pm Fri 23 May 08

Didn't Fiona Cross campaign on the basis of change needed? How on earth can she then join forces with the Labour party. I hope all who voted for her will remember this next time round.

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haydn, cwmbran says...
10:06pm Fri 23 May 08

I voted for cunnington because he was independant if he is in cahoots with labour he should resign trouble is with a nice pay packet to help labour there is no chance of that wait till the next elections this will not be forgotten by us voters

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bonny, pointypool says...
7:58am Sat 24 May 08

By taking the money will they explain to the poeple who voted for them the reasons why they did this .If they can't they should then resign their positions becuase how can they represent us as true councillors?

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Gill Shutt, says...
11:28am Sat 24 May 08

I agree with all of the above, complete waste of a vote and a pointless election!

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oakie, cwmbran says...
11:48am Sat 24 May 08

You should be ashamed to show your faces, Bob Wellington is a joke and a bully, not to mention how much of OUR money he spends on evenings with his cronies, I hope he chokes on his 3 course meals and wine, that WE pay for.

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maureen, cwmbran says...
12:25pm Sat 24 May 08

I agree with all the above. I did not vote Plaid Cymru for the first time to be ruled once again by Labour. I will remember for next time.

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ksrdmn, newport says...
1:14pm Sat 24 May 08

Why vote for independent and Plaid just to prop up a Labour Council if i voted for independent or Plaid i aspect them to not support Labour and you want get my vote next time .

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LewishamWelsh, London says...
1:16pm Sat 24 May 08

I may be living in London, but I still take a biginterest what is going on at home, this has got me so angry.You all have to get motivated about this,raise petitons,march on County Hall, bworbeat, pester and demonstrate at council meetings, events, get the 10% you need to call a referendum and get rid of the cabinet style of governace that rubber stamps descions without debate and the public to have a voice.. This is so wrong on all counts.Bob Wellington and his cronies need to go. My grandmother was right about him all those years ago. There used to be a time when you went into local government to due public service and help your fellow man,now its all self self self, and I dont know of any other councillor (bingo bob)who gives up their job to become a full time councillor,must have a very good expense account,which like the wasters in Parliment, we pay for!!! I hope this farce is sorted out. Be like the French, fight for what is right. We should no longer just scream into the wind, its time to be heard

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bonny, pontypool says...
2:07pm Sat 24 May 08

I voted plaid in the welsh assembly elections call themselfs the party of the poeple .They are a complete waste of time.Never ,never agin.

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Liz - Only A Tax Payer, Blaenavon says...
3:25pm Sat 24 May 08

I agree totally with all the comments above. We the voters of Torfaen showed at the Ballot Box that we no longer wanted a Labour run Council in Torfaen. These five so called councillors should be ashamed of themselves as you can bet they never said anything during their campaign
to the people who voted them in that if there wasn't a majority Labour council they would then join with them. But there again money talks.
I also agree they should get petitions going asking for these councillors resignations and to have a new by-election in these five wards where these seats were won by most if not all of them by the unseating of a Labour Councillor
They should remember how the people voted this time and if they expect to get in next election they should rethink who they give their support to.

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bonny, pontypool says...
3:31pm Sat 24 May 08

Run a petition right though Torfaen.Make them know what we think of them. Do it.

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Liz - Only A Tax Payer, Blaenavon says...
4:07pm Sat 24 May 08

ksrdmn wrote:
Why vote for independent and Plaid just to prop up a Labour Council if i voted for independent or Plaid i aspect them to not support Labour and you want get my vote next time .
I guess this definately teaches us to know exactly who we are voting for in the future.

This proves to me that if you vote Plaid you may end up with Labour, and if you vote independent know them very well.

At least with the Conservatives, Peoples Voice and Lib Dems you know what to expect, and that is very likely to be a Rainbow Coalition , a much more democratic result.

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welshboyo, newport says...
4:42pm Sat 24 May 08

Bad reporting from the Argus, scrutiny chairs in any local authority only get about £5000 not £18,000. Reporters should get their facts right. Regarding petition, lets hope all the parties in Torfaen support it. Be good to have real democracy in action

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ksrdmn, newport says...
11:22pm Sat 24 May 08

they all should stand down PLAID LABOUR AND INDEPENDENTS LET GO BACK TO THE POLLS

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Frazer, Cwmbran says...
3:13pm Wed 28 May 08

Hi,
There seems a lot of people concerned lately about Democracy in Torfaen.
I am compiling a list of email addresses of those interested in participating in or setting up discussion groups, forums, meetings or action groups.

You don’t need to be anti labour to join, and it is just an email list, joining implies no fixed opinions, just an interest in what’s going on and what might happen. I hope every councillor will join, whatever their party or opinions, if they don’t then is shows disinterest.

You can join with a nickname if you wish, in any case your membership of the group is confidential, cost nothing and may be interesting. Please encourage others to join.

The email address list is actually a Google Group and you can join, preferably by visiting http://groups.google
.com/group/torfaen4u
s and clicking “join this group” or, if that is a bit complicated, please send an email request to enquiries@torfaen4us
.co.uk

Thanks

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Lily, Cwmbran says...
3:37pm Wed 4 Jun 08

I want my vote back. It is not being used for the purpose it was given. I will remember being sold down the river. Please treat Cwmbran residents with more intelligence than to just accept quietly what you have done. We will not go away.

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