Tuesday, October 07, 2008

Edna wants a ticket.

Regular visitors will know that a part-time agency cleaner named Edna Mopbucket has taken to telephoning me with bits of gossip. Its not always coincidence that she happens to be in the right place at the right time. Occasionally, I suggest where she might hear something of note, and she has a word with her boss to arrange it.

Yesterday, at my suggestion, she arranged to be cleaning somewhere near the room where the Conservative Assembly Group will be holding their 'annual meeting'. According to David Williamson in the Western Mail, there could be an attempt to oust William Graham from his position as Chair of the Group. David seems to think there is a split in the Group - and William is a bit miffed that we all know that this little set-to is taking place at all. He doesn't seem to realise that this is just the sort of gossipy thing that generates some public interest in Assembly politics. A bit of division never did any harm. Disagreement and democracy are healthy, if they can be managed without blood on the carpet. I still think the leadership contest between David Davis and David Cameron brought great benefit to the Conservative Party - not that I would put the bout between William and Paul Davies quite in this bracket.

Problem for Edna will be the high levels of security being deployed to stop her listening in. She tells me that the Group's 'bouncer', Paul Morris is being put on guard, and that keyholes are going to be taped over. Wouldn't surprise me if the venue is changed at the last minute, or the vote is deferred to a time when there is no danger of Edna listening in. As I said immediately before my cataract operation three years ago "We shall see".

UPDATE - Its clear that there was so much concern about Edna listening in that a compromise was reached beforehand to avoid and discussion leaking out.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Was Edna anywhere near County Hall in Llandrindod Wells today? What did she think about the board discussion re the not going to happen review of street lighting?

Glyn Davies said...

I'm told there was a good old dust up about this, but no action was taken. To be fair, the Council has already decided to review its decision in a few weeks time. The one question that I would like clarified is how much its costing to turn these lights off. I'm told it involves two men and a van and quite a lot of time.

Anonymous said...

Question is, can the review come quick enough to satisfy people? Because if my source is correct it's not intended till the end of the year, it will take time to complete and then recommendations need to be made, voted on presumably etc etc, which lets be honest is going to take some considerable time after christmas and there are people who have been waiting for a resolution to this ridiculous issue since beginning of september.

Can anybody save the public?

Glyn Davies said...

anon - I believe that the review was to have taken place sometime next year - but then I saw Gwilym Evans, the portfolio holder announcing that it would be at the end of the year. I now hear that Sarah Millington, a young Conservative councillor intends to submit a motion to the next full council meeting later this month calling for an immediate review.

Anonymous said...

I think there will be several motions to council on this issue from all parties.
The Liberal Democrat Group have submitted one already.
It was a Lib Dem member that tried to get this decision changed at the Board meeting. (supported by one member of the Conservative group and the Labour member.
I also understand that Lib Dem Councillor, Liam Fitzpatirck, who is Vice Chair of Principal Scrutiny Committee has also requested that this decision be taken to scrutiny as soon as possible.

Anonymous said...

So no call in to principal scrutiny then. A valiant attempt from Cllr Fitzpatrick, perhaps Cllr Millington's and the Conservative groups motion will be more successful!