Your views
Lack of new town progress a relief
THERE is still no sign of any progress with regard to the Talbot Green new town, almost five years since the initial outline plan was approved.
The plans were given the green light, despite objections from numerous individuals and organisations and a report commissioned by the council which said that the project would have an adverse effect on other town centres in Rhondda Cynon Taff.
RCT Welsh Liberal Democrats were against the proposal from the start, believing we need to do more to preserve existing town centres and also that the Talbot Green area is already overdeveloped.
As I pointed out way back in November 2011, the developers have a record of plans in RCT that haven’t come to fruition. Valad Development formerly Scarborough, formerly Teesland, were granted permission in 2003 to build a Sainsbury’s store and shopping centre on the site of the Taff Vale Precinct in Pontypridd. They did not go ahead with the proposal, apparently holding out for an injection of public money which never came.
In 2008 they were granted permission on appeal by the Labour First Minister to build on green belt land at Mwyndy. This proposal, which was a joint one with the Welsh Development Agency had caused much public outcry and was turned down twice by RCT’s planning committee. Thankfully that didn’t go ahead either.
It now seems that the new town plans for Talbot Green will also be left on the shelf which will be a relief to many. Councillor Mike Powell Welsh Liberal Democrats Trallwn
Tax goes up but our wages don’t
THE dark shadow of further punitive local authority taxation is hovering over us.
Millions of workers have received no wage increase for years.
Labour are agonising over how and where they can squeeze more of our hard earned cash out of our pockets.
In Wales the Regional Council (Assembly) insists on maintaining the ridiculously inefficient and wasteful duplication of 22 authorities.
Caerphilly is a classic example with a suspended CEO still on full pay who has not done a tap for around five years. The other shining examples of inefficiency are Blaenau Gwent/ Torfaen and I have personal experience of the latter at all levels.
A question which begs an answer in view of the constant rape of our very shallow pockets and the criminal fact of overseas aid which clearly we cannot afford, who is funding hundreds of thousands of immigrants and asylum seekers interpreters and god alone knows what else?
Considering council closure of libraries, toilets and elderly care, it seems the local residents, who at the same time are filling the national tax pot. Dennis Jones Newbridge
Help us send books across the world
EVERY year at the beginning of March, schoolchildren across the UK mark World Book Day.
Many will dress up as a character from a favourite book or be part of special reading activity – and families and schools will once again generously give to charity.
World Book Day is a worldwide celebration, but in many countries, children go to school with just a few tattered textbooks.
At Book Aid International, we send around one million books a year to thousands of libraries and schools. Two thirds of these books are for children. They are read by millions of young readers in 20 countries.
We can only support children around the world because families and schools choose to support us on World Book Day and I would like to thank all those who will do so this year.
If you are a parent or teacher looking for inspiration, please visit www.bookaid.org/ world-book-day, where you’ll find fundraising ideas, fun activities and specially created free DIY dress-up guides (developed with busy parents in mind!).
It costs just £2 to send a book, so every penny you raise will make a difference. Alison Tweed Chief Executive of Book Aid International