DutchEnery

I have often asked myself this question – if all payments were stopped for being a local councillor, how many would come forward to stand? Please, don’t answer that, I already know the answer. It is a terrible shame that we have become a money orientated society. With those who have the power enriching themselves beyond avarice! Just thinking of bankers makes me retch uncontrollably. I read in a Dutch newspaper column that cities like Paris, Frankfurt and Amsterdam are now vying to prise away those London based investment bankers. Remember these are the guys and guyettes who bet billions on commodity and share prices, so-called futures. I say they are welcome to them and their million pound bonuses. Let’s get back to a bit more sensible outlook and standards. Then let’s talk about local councillors. I live in Wales, basically the poorer part of the UK. Councillors ‘earn’ some £15,000 including expenses but Committee officials can claim and almost all do, another £8,000 for Special

As I am still able to speak and understand the Dutch language I noticed quite a few interesting things during my Easter-time visit to family. Reading the ‘Telegraaf’ newspaper quickly disbanded any notice that everything was peace and tranquility insofar the European Union was concerned. Questions about money, the power of Brussels, the inability to form a government in Holland, due to the PVV - Geert Wilders’ party being the second largest in the last election but not wanted to be part of the government (stupid, what does democracy mean again?). Just as an aside the Dutch Labour party was seventh! Frankly there are loads of problems, demonstrations amongst other happenings. The Dutch press highlighted the recent Turkish referendum in which ‘Nedturks’ (Turks working and living in Holland) voted overwhelmingly to allow the Turkish president to acquire more powers. You might ask if these ‘Nedturks’ feel so strongly why did they leave in the first place? An argument that concerns ev

Despite the lamentable record of the RCT Labour party as has been reported many times it just seems that people just do not care. How much more money will be wasted? Even the national Labour party in Wales simply has lost touch with its base. The Communities First project, it had many weaknesses but at least it changed quite a number of lives for the better, is to be cut completely by early 2018. A very deprived area like Gilfach Goch (of the How Green was my Valley fame) will be one of the biggest losers. And what will the local council (RCT) do? Make a lot of people, poor people by any accounts, lose their job and also lose the facilities to teach people about employment, lose a sports facility and lose a few small businesses as well. Certainly not a political record to cherish I’d say? When the local male Labour prospective candidate (there are two candidates) came round to make me a Labour voter – citing how he was his own man and not tied to Labour party rules blah-di-blah

Coming from a continental background and having experienced the different mental attitudes prevalent, I sometimes despair at the shallowness of British society. Especially the Welsh attitude to life. It seems rooted in the dirt and disease ridden Victorian era which allowed an extreme difference between rich and poor. I was watching a programme about gardens (Monty Don) where he visited many European and North African gardens. But it also allowed some glimpses of normal society. The train stations, the neatness, the modernity of it all. Compared to the grime stations in the UK, the aged rolling stock, the high prices, we are still far removed from being a modern, 21 st century nation. Something within me thinks, why don’t we break everything down and start again? Looking around my own locality here in the lower reaches of the Rhondda Valleys, the hills once green now festooned with ugly and useless power generators turning when not broken down in the daily wind, its terraced cr

I think I have mentioned something about borrowing before. Borrowing by local authorities in particular. One of the poorest local authorities in Wales, RhonddaCynonTaf (RCT) is in debt to the tune of some £250million! There are indications the real figure is actually £500million plus! At any rate this is a scandal! This Labour run council is not fit to be in power and it is more than time to send these incompetent charlatans to the bin. I understand that debt is a huge problem all over the UK, personal debt as well as government debt. How can probably sane people think that this is a good way to provide services? For a start this idea of get it now and pay later involves something called interest. Even on £250million that would be something of the order of £10million plus annually. Money wasted. Just compare that with the income of personal council tax in an area where too many are on benefits (not all their own fault) and a goodly chunk has gone down the Swanee river.  But it i

Having a liking for science programs like The Universe and in particular those from the PBS station on Freeview (PBS America that is) I watched a programme called ‘Hunting the Edge of Space’. It showed some incredible shots of galaxies too numerous to count. But the question posed was – does the universe slow down eventually? Answer - apparently not, it is speeding up. It set me thinking about the usual analogies, explosions and how they expand. If we can assume for now it is universal, an exact sphere like a round ball, it seems a bit strange to assume that the original explosion can actually increase in force after the original conflagration. So how did they come to that conclusion? Apparently through measurement of very distant supernovae within far away galaxies. I thought, how then has this an impact upon our situation? Would it not depend where within the ball of space the original Big Bang was created, and we are situated? If the universe is still expanding as they say, we

Social care, in particular care for the elderly is a subject high on the agenda. But it seems not so in the hallowed halls of local government. In particular my local area, RhonddaCynonTaf the two-bit South Wales valleys area that put their servants dealing with social care on zero-hour contracts! You might think, good, work when there is work and have a rest at the other times. But it is not so simple as the social impact can be severe. Banks and Building societies do for the most part not grant mortgages to persons on zero-hour contracts. So, people on zero-hour contracts tend to be in rented accommodation and on benefits as well. In the town I live more and more are on benefits as they just cannot get on the housing ladder, are in rented accommodation and on housing benefit. Perhaps the government has not worked out yet that allowing zero-hour contracts put a strain on the benefits budget? I suppose there is more to it – the future of work seems to be a bleak one. More and mor