Found on the doorstep whilst canvassing and What happened next

Going around door to door I have heard from many households - here’s a personal summary of what I have learned.

CONTENTED

Most people are very contented and appreciative of what we have.

Since writing this I have been active in doing stuff about what I have found, eg we had powerful meetings on roads and planning out of which action plans were formed...

PLANNING

I have heard harrowing planning tales, complaints are surprisingly widespread and heartfelt.

ROADS

A life-threatening issue is the A487 coming into Newport. One side is terrifying, the other approach has space for a wonderful cycle and walking track on the verge. There have been many accidents, near misses and deaths over the years.
The meeting set the ball rolling to remedy this, but to keep it rollong one needs to keep nudging, shoving, kicking if needed. 

AND PARKING

The payment system in the car park puts people off shopping in Newport .

Visitors to the health centre struggle to get tickets due to health problems and it is expensive for health staff.

It is not easy to park for a few minutes outside shops due to congestion and yellow lines, so again shoppers go elsewhere.

Old or disabled visitors cannot park so they cannot visit friends and relatives. Cars are parked so residents cant get out easily or park themselves .

DOG POO

Dog poo is not a petty issue. Young children living in town cannot run freely along the paths because of it. Dog owners dread a ban as has been imposed elsewhere and want bins and signs instead.

HOMES AND HOLIDAY HOMES

Our children cannot afford homes to rent or buy in their community. People with land who want sites for their children to build cannot get planning.

Estates of homes for sale are being forced onto the town in places and at prices that are deeply unwelcome.

A large proportion of our housing has been changed into holiday accommodation or second homes meaning streets with only a few residents in them.

Over half the homes which are lived in have only one adult, a much higher proportion than the average!

Allotments

The whole of the Uk is getting allotments, but it feels as if we in Newport are not allowed them.

Youth hopes

Young people would like their own place to gather, somewhere to go.. They also would like some form of transport in the evenings, and to be able to afford to do more bus travelling. In the longer term they want to feel they have a future in their community with a chance of work and a home here. These highly important needs tend to get ignored because young people cannot or do not vote, and they have no money or influence.

Work

I have not heard many complaints about lack of work. Retailers businesses are not secure and deserve more support. Ideas for improving local buying and for apprenticeship schemes which could include retail and for community share offers to support businesses are being discussed.
 

Social Needs

People do not complain but I can see the huge weight of suffering of caring for an aging population with too few young people to help. I have seen people brought to despair and ill health by lack of sleep caring for a close relative, and others left alone with their disability and illness. This is a silent problem because of our uncomplaining tradition, illness and old age are no-one’s fault.

The next county council

It is no secret that the county council needs a major change. I am in touch with candidates all across the county, not just Plaid candidates who share a commitment to bring honesty and fresh life to the council. We are not afraid to speak our minds or take on supposed authority, we plan to work together once elected. We will not be ineffective because we are not going in as ‘independents’! Although the tradition has been for the independents to be invited to form a 'ruling group' for which the price is silence and subservience, there is a revulsion against this which is quite widespread. Pembrokeshire needs its Spring.
 

Plaid

The Plaid manifesto is practical and far reaching, but by no means exhaustive.

Plaid is into being positive. We are called on by Leanne Wood to ‘do politics differently’ campaign positively showing what can be done as well as the problems. We are asked to avoid attacks and blame as a means to get votes. To Be the Change!

Notes below are long.. for Action points Go to the End

ñ       changed a lot in 30 years, a lot of people like being against something

ñ       leanne – planning big topic through Wales, what can we focus on?

ñ       SD can overrule existing LDP and policy, this is on the table as a short term proposal. Need to change it so not yes or no, need consultation process with planers helping

ñ       NP won't publish guidelines when people put in app don't know how to get it right and likely that planners will decline as doesn't meet venecular guidelines which not published – this is verging on human rights issue – obey invisible rules!

ñ       Issues not uniqe to Newport, must be same all over the park

ñ       Lack of culture of deference to applicant, in Snowdonia national park this has changed to culture of deference and support.

ñ       NP should be elected but council committee leave it to officers so electing officers is not enough

ñ       Appointed members ok as have some knowledge, if elected may be worse as they wouldn't know anything. Very inconsistent as they make it up as they go along

ñ       The Park says over 80% applications succeed, this hides those put off applying at early stages eg pre-ap. 

ñ       A tax of £25,000 for a new build and other regulatory costs pushes development out of the range of locals and working people

ñ       Plaid has many architects and lawyers who could team up to monitor how parks behave

ñ       also money, if have money then get what you want as can appeal etc

ñ       have to know how to talk to each planning officer

ñ       sustinability not included

ñ       renewbles not supported

ñ       NP view area as a tourist playground but don't try to support local businesses, lots shut down, no jobs for young people so leave. 50%+ holiday homes, people retire here. Huge houses bult and not clear if planers can see what impact houses will have once built. Instead of them trying to help get negative

ñ       too much trusted to council officers

ñ        too many holiday homes, need to be controlled

ñ        should be change of use if holiday home

ñ       takes time, should double council tax and use the surplus to buy homes to rent to locals when come on market

ñ        planners reference TAN's that suit their case

ñ       elected committee – we need to collate consensus in the area and take on the system rather than individuals appealing individually. Culture of NO. many want to make plannning app but know answer is NO and costs too much to appeal. Building regs are very clear and can ask for exemptions = good. Planning officers say can take to appeal but expensive

ñ       Leanne I'm launching a Sustainable communities commission, planning part of this. Invite all to get involved / contribute to it. Plaid commission for plaid manifestos, need robust polices for elections. We need expertise from inside and outside Plaid.

ñ       should be able to speak to planers about ideas and work out route forward rather than submit something then get a NO

ñ       parks should be even handed when reporting on apps. Evidence in favour eg petition is minimised or not reported to committee. Conservation officers have limited role but could cover whole NP.

ñ       Petty and absurd rules which take no account of carbon costs, eg requiring tons of concrete instead of none

ñ       live in culture of expert, officers don't view themselves as public servants so councillors defer to them

ñ       maybe set up campaign group, achieveable goals, input into ongoing consultations

ñ       Environment bill which is in preparation seeks pilots newport could be used. Need to get park committee members to speak to public

ñ       committee members not allowed to speak to people about their apps, if they do prevented from speaking or voting at committee. This twists the term 'declaring an interest' which is means financial or personal gain to meaing showing any interest in the application before the meeting!

ñ       Delegated powers in other area of Wales: committee know in advance which will be delegated and how officers recommend determining so they can ‘call in’ the decision if important. Is this how it works in Park? If refused the officers should explain why to committee

ñ       can town council do more, need sensibel advice on what will make a planning app ok, need planners involved

ñ       vol committee?

ñ       NP councillors need to be elected directly not from councillors, one from each area, and to include specialists eg in design, eco building

ñ       To get a change we need to make a furore

ñ       In the past Newport town council developed its own local planning policies. Park said ‘Marvellous, just what we want’ and completely disregarded them.

ACTION POINTS
Suggested Conclusion – Some Actions to be taken by new CountyCouncillor

ñ       Review operation of delegated powers (as suggested above)

ñ       Investigate training for committee and officers to instill culture of yes with guidance, providing support and deference to applicants, respect for working countryside, family and cultural continuity, and needs of the future – sustainable development

ñ       Investigate legality of secret rules – no published guidelines, validity of officers making up the guidelines, remove any barriers to evolving published guidelines working with the communities – link this to communities evolving their own planning policies.

ñ       Review how committee members are chosen, to include critics of park, those with appropriate skills and those directly elected by their communities (community appointees?)

ñ       Change the requirement for up front expense of surveys before applying. Instead give permission subject to surveys to avoid waste of money to applicants.

Challenge the misuse of 'declaring an interest' and show that there is no legal justification for preventing members taking part if they have shown interest in the situation by learning about it before the meeting

ñ       Investigate potential for Newport to be trial area for new approach to regulations described in Welsh govt green paper ‘Sustaining a Living Wales’