Edna Mopbucket's been on. I thought she'd deserted me. We had a row over the abortion issue, where she's always banging on about it being a woman's choice, and she slammed the phone down when I said I thought the legal time limit for an abortion should be brought down to 20 weeks. Anyway she's been cleaning at Powys Council's 'Kremlin' in Llandrindod Wells today, and has been listening in at a few keyholes in the education department. And I'm the only one willing to listen to her prattling on.
Edna's got relations in Howey, and was very upset because the discussion was about the Assembly Minister's confirmation that Howey Primary School is finally to close. And there was a lot of talk about how supportive the Minister is about the School Modernisation Programme, which Edna always refers to as the School 'Closure' Programme. So its a green light for closing our small schools. Which makes it all the more interesting that the Lib Dems in Brecon and Radnorshire have been in begging the Council to suspend this closure programme. Hmmmmm. A few weeks ago they were in favour of it - and now they want it deferred for two years (til after the General Election). Could there be a bit of panic creeping in about the security of Roger Williams' position as an MP.
Problem for the Lib Dems is that they are desperate to act as if they are in partnership with the biggest 'Independent' group, the Powys Independent Alliance - despite the bizarre all group 'Board' system that currently runs the place. Together these two groups form a majority on the Council, and have just done a deal which ensured that a Lib Dem was elected the Council Board's Vice Chairman, while the Powys Independent Alliance provides the Chairman. So the Chair, Michael Jones and the Vice Chair, Les Davies both come from Brecon and Radnorshire. Montgomeryshire nowhere in sight. I'm sure its not true, but Edna reckons the Lib Dems were still laughing - until they realised that the more they are seen to be in charge, the more they will have to shoulder the blame for school closures. Which puts poor old Roger in the 'at serious risk' category. No idea whether this is true, but its great to have Edna back with this sort of gossip.
2 comments:
It is exactly the same situation in Carmarthen County Council except that it is Labour and Independents that are in alliance.
See John Dixon's blog, Borthlas, on this.
Alan - not quite the same I think. In Powys there is an Executive Board on which all groups serve. Ther would be denials all round if my assertion was put to either the Powys Independent Alliance or the Liberal Democrat group. I'm depending on Edna for much of my info about what is going on behind the curtains.
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