Sunday 15 April 2012

Sunday round-up - election fever and a randy ram

Here at the modest shack which Cneifiwr likes to call home, only one election leaflet has so far made its way past old Zip, the sheepdog, and Ianto, the sexually voracious ram who humps anything that moves. This was from a town councillor asking for Cneifiwr's vote to enable him to be re-elected.

Fortunately for the old monster concerned, Cneifiwr was not at home, and Zip and Ianto were otherwise engaged, or he would have reminded this candidate that he was never elected by anyone, but co-opted by pals of a local businessman involved in a controversial planning application. Cneifiwr would also have pointed to this candidate's very poor record of attendance at council meetings, so poor that he only just avoided disqualification a couple of years back.

Perhaps this is why not many aspiring politicians beat a path to Cneifiwr's door. Or perhaps things are unusually quiet in this neck of the woods.

Elsewhere it seems voters are angry with Meryl, with canvassers reporting that candidates known to support her are having a rough time. It also seems that the poison is rubbing off on Kevin Madge's Labour troops who are facing awkward questions about what Labour has been up to for the last eight years.


Meanwhile Old Grumpy (see his latest musings here) has pointed out the strange coincidence that wherever the Tories have a strong presence on a Welsh council, you have hardly any independents, and vice versa. The only exception to this rule is Conwy, for some reason. Here in Carmarthenshire there are currently no councillors who describe themselves as Conservatives, but 27 Meryl Independents of whom David Cameron would be very proud.

Over in Llandovery, Plaid candidate Pat Racher has started recording her election experiences in a nicely written blog, which you can read here.

The campaign in Llandovery is a gentle affair compared with the sparks flying in Cilycwm ward next door. Here we have a three-way fight between veteran Tom Theophilus, blogger Jacqui Thompson and a Tory would-be squire who spends his time hunting the wastes of northern Carmarthenshire when he is not being a barrister in London.

The Tory candidate is Master of the Emlyn Beagles, whose website describes this part of the world as follows:

the Country is principally mountain and moorland, with some more cultivated areas around Newcastle Emlyn and Cilycwm.

Tom Theophilus, now not far off his 80th birthday, has been a councillor for over 30 years. His election material makes no mention of the fate of Ysgol Pantycelyn in Llandovery, an issue which many local people will be worried about, but instead concentrates on attacking Jacqui Thompson and her husband for complaining about his role in a local planning application back in 2009.

Tom, who is chair of the powerful Licensing Committee, has also got into a spot of bother with Plaid Cymru for claiming that he has the support of Plaid. He does not, but that did not prevent him from making it up.

Cneifiwr has been taking another look at travel expenses claimed by county councillors, and will treat you to a more detailed run through next week. Suffice to say that Tom Theophilus and two others consistently claim significantly more than anyone else. His travel expense claims for the last three years average £2,350 per year compared with a grand total of £60 over three years for Cllr Siân Caiach from Llanelli.

Finally, back to Llangynnwr where Elwyn Williams has a good chance of taking the seat for Plaid. His Independent opponent is David Watson. Mr Watson works for Swansea council and lived in London before moving to Wales. A Cockney Jack, perhaps! Anyone interested in following the election there can subscribe to Papur y Plwyf (The Parish Paper), which is available in Welsh and English to anyone who e-mails
papuryplwyf@hotmail.co.uk






6 comments:

Jac o' the North, said...

The Emlyn Beagles website is written in the style of someone trying to make a newly-discovered and rather backward country attractive to English gentlemen still at home. Rather quaint.

Whoever wrote it obviously has trouble with the outlandish names of the indigenes. 'Tyssul' and 'Tyssyl' appearing in the same paragraph.

Anonymous said...

Are you aware the Y & U keys are next to each other?

Might just be a missed typo.!

Anonymous said...

bit pricey fifty pence an hour parking in llandovery. and the co-op applying for an extra hour to sell alcohol.

Jac o' the North, said...

Ah, I see! It was incompetence rather than disdain.

Anonymous said...

Having read your 'Papur y Plwyf' issue of the 14th April 2012, I note that there is outright promotion of the Plaid Cymru candidate Mr Elwyn Williams at the above election.

For example, you state in your paper:-

1) Plaid were a credible third.(in 2004)
2) Only 29 people need to change their vote to capture the seat. (for Plaid)
3) Canvas return are positive (for Plaid)
4) Time for change at County Hall (to Plaid)
There is then an substantial endorsement by the local MP Mr Jonathan Edwards, (with photo) where he calls the Plaid candidate, a hard working community councillor and well respected.
The other candidate Mr David WATSON receives no such endorsement, however you highlight his background as being from London and working in Swansea, giving the impression that he is an 'outsider'.
Papur y Plwyf is headed as 'an electronic newspaper covering events and personalities in Llangynnwr'.
As we approach the County Council election why not state in your editorial that you are supporters of Plaid Cymru, so that the electorate know where you are coming from, otherwise please make your reporting even handed for both persons contesting this election, we shall have to wait and see, IS PLAID WORRIED ?????,Watson, is doing well so the say, what you see is what you get....

Anonymous said...

Well the only poll that counts was the poll on Thursday. I'm sure Plaid would like to have more frights like the one in Llangynnwr - turning a independent majority of around 50 to a Plaid majority of just under 200. It would seem that Papur y Plwyf has its finger closer to the pulse than your last blogger who thought that Watson was doing well.