Y Comisiwn ar Bwerau a Threfniadau Etholiadol Cynulliad
Cenedlaethol Cymru
|
Yr 2il Cyfarfod Cyhoeddus a gynhaliwyd yng Nghyffordd
Llandudno
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Ddydd Mercher 26 Mawrth 2003
|
COFNOD O GWESTIYNAU A SYLWADAU YSGRIFENEDIG
|
| "Will attendees be allowed to propose and vote on the
proposition that the Assembly should be closed down?" |
| "Will a box be added to the voting form whereby the
voter may show his/her intention to wind up the Assembly?" |
| "So far the Assembly has failed the N. Wales population
regarding support grants compared with the monies spent
on S. Wales". |
|
Leslie G Ager
|
| "A notice advertising a public meeting
to be held at the Conwy Business Centre on Wednesday,
26th March 2003 appeared in the Western Mail
last week. |
| A question raised in the advertisement is very LEADING
question and could be deemed as entirely inappropriate
in this context and in a notice of this sort. |
| Has the Assembly got the powers it needs to deliver
for Wales? This is the first point raised in the notice.
This suggests that it does not have suitable powers and
that this is its failing. This also suggests to the reader
that the Richard Commission is canvassing view points
which are pro more powers for the National Assembly for
Wales. |
| This is very unfortunate and calls for a future wording
of notices of this kind. |
| There was a very narrow vote for an Assembly for Wales.
– an Assembly with limited powers- at the referendum.
The National Assembly cannot have greater powers by stealth.
Wales cannot have a Parliament through the back door. |
| The National Assembly for Wales is in its infancy and
needs to prove that it can operate effectively within
the powers it has. This it has not demonstrated. Wales
is a small country sharing a long border with England.
We are historically and geographically linked and the
continuing calls within the Assembly to BE DIFFERENT FROM
ENGLAND, for WALES TO HAVE ITS OWN this and for WALES
TO HAVE ITS OWN that are risible. |
|
Margaret Bird
|
| "Why is the policy of "Traffic Calming"
not a priority in Wales? We live on the border of Shropshire,
where every village has 30 mph speed limit, a lot of them
have red warning road strips, white road markings and
signs, - yet here in Peuley we cannot get the speed limit
reduced, past 2 schools. The Senior school has 12 buses
loading and unloading on the road outside the school as
well as parents’ vehicles and children walking. |
| We have been trying since 1995 to get traffic calming
in this busy village, but with no joy. We would like to
know why the policy of the Welsh Assembly is different
to England? |
| I don’t know if this is an applicable question
for your consultation, but these are the important questions
for our part of Wales. |
|
Eileen M Edwards
|
|
Clerc, Cyngor Cymuned De Maelor
|
| "I wish to make a submission for the immediate
abolition of the Welsh Assembly. I do so on the grounds
that it is inefficient, ineffective, costly, incompetent
and quite frankly an embarrassment to Wales. |
| The fact that they discuss totally irrelevant issues
such as the Iraq war is a national disgrace and the expensive
and ridiculous hole in the ground which is to be a symbol
of incompetence if ever built is breathtaking in its arrogance
and waste. |
| The Assembly is totally irrelevant to North Wales and
people in droves that I speak to want it abolished. |
| As for granting extra powers, they cannot work effectively
with the powers they have at present and under no circumstances
should any additional powers be granted without a referendum
which should have two questions and be binding |
| Should the Welsh Assembly have additional tax and law
making powers? |
| Should the Welsh Assembly be abolished? |
| My own preference would be to go back to the Welsh Office
system of governance although I would be prepared to accept
a Council of Members of Parliament and local authority
appointees who would not be paid any extra. |
| Let us put the money wasted on this Assembly to better
use for the people of Wales and lets abolish a tier of
government which is totally unwanted, unloved and without
purpose. |
| I call on the Commission to realise that my view I believe
is representative of the silent majority within Wales
whom I speak to daily many so indifferent to the Assembly
that they cannot be bothered to make submissions others
are afraid especially in some Welsh areas to speak out. |
| However, I strongly believe that this view is gathering
pace and that the people have had enough of this exercise
in false and ego building democracy. |
|
D Elwyn Jones
|
| "In view of the fairly widespread public indifference
and even hostility towards the Welsh Assembly, would matters
be improved where the Assembly to be given more powers
such as raising some money of its own through a special
tax in Wales? |
| "The Assembly already has enough powers to get on with
though I think there is a case for it to have some money
of its own by a special tax in Wales". |
|
Silvan Jones
|
|
Wedi ymddeol
|
| "My personal views are that the Welsh
Assembly should have stronger powers and decide on policies
which best suit Wales. |
| I have lived in countries the size of Wales (eg New
Zealand, Ireland…..) and have good knowledge of other
countries. As a former Spanish teacher, I taught Spanish
political history. |
| I do not believe that strong component parts of a whole
weaken the ‘whole’ but rather, strengthen it". |
|
Gwyneth Kensler
|
| "As I campaign for a fully accessible and
barrier free environment for all, how can the National
Assembly for Wales use it’s powers to insist that
Local Authorities comply with the Disability Discrimination
Act 1995, including Part III, 2004. Also can it award
funding to help speed up the Local Authorities comply
with the Disability Discrimination Act and all it’s
parts making it a fully accessible place to live in Wales". |
| "The National Welsh Assembly has given Wales it’s
own identity in Britain. |
| I would like the National Assembly for Wales to gain
legislative powers to improve this identify and strengthen
the resolve that we do things differently in Wales. The
implications of this are Members of Parliament become
part of a ‘Focus Group’ within Westminster to
monitor and promote the Welsh way of doing and looking
at legislation. |
| Numbers of Assembly Members should go up to 80 and ensure
a true percentage from North and South. There should also
be a North Wales Assembly Building in the area, the site
Chosen by the people of North Wales and not imposed by
the South. |
| Election stations must all be fully accessible by 2004
to comply with Part III of the Disability Discrimination
Act, 2004, and in all formats to allow people with disabilities
to take an active part in any election. |
| To end on a good note, I am also the Vice – chair
(North), of Scope Cwmpas Cymru, Scope in Wales, and we
gained devolved structure three years ago from Scope Nationally.
This has enabled us to access funding from the Assembly,
National Lottery (Wales), and European funding to support
and expand services in Wales for people with Cerebral
Palsy and other disabilities. This being a direct result
of being a ‘Welsh’ Organisation and a member
lead. |
|
Barrie Mee
|
|
Cydlynydd
|
|
Grwp Mynediad Sir Ddinbych
|
| A ydy'r Comisiwn yn rhagweld y bydd canlyniad
yr Ymgynghoriad yn arwain at roi mwy o bwerau i Gynghorau
Cymunedol? |
| Does the Commission envisage that the outcome of
the Consultation will lead to awarding more powers to
Community Councils? (Translation) |
| Dylid trosglwyddo mwy o bwerau o Sant Steffan i'r Cynulliad,
o'r Cynulliad i'r Cynghorau Sirol ac o'r Cynghorau Sirol
i'r Cynghorau Cymunedol. |
| More powers should be transferred from Westminster
to the Assembly, from the Assembly to the County Councils
and from the County Councils to the Community Councils.
(Translation) |
|
Godfrey D Northam
|
| "Now that the invasion of Iraq has commenced
do you consider this will affect the future funding for
the National Assembly of Wales". |
|
Jean A Roscoe
|
|
Cynghorydd
|
| "Would members of the Commission agree
that the Assembly’s lack of powers has led to the
cynical attitude towards it from a large section of welsh
people, who look on it as little more than a debating
chamber, believing that its still very much Westminster
that dictates what happens in their lives?" |
| "It is early days yet and I do believe that the Assembly
is working hard to find its feet and attempt to improve
things for Wales. However it is only with the necessary
power that you can change things and that is recognised
by the people, many saw the Assembly as a sop compared
to the Scottish Parliament. |
| It was made a laughing stock in the beginning when the
subject of GM crops was discussed. Again it was illustrated
very recently, when it briefly discussed the Iraq crisis
and the First Minister said this is not a decision for
this place". |
|
Tony Tobin
|
|
Wedi ymddeol/Cynghorydd Sirol
|
|
Conwy
|
| "In my opinion, the only meaningful change
that could and should be made to the Regional Assembly
for Wales is total abolition. Is this included in the
Richard Commission frame of reference, please, or is this
a viewpoint to be dismissed out of hand?" |
|
John R Walker
|
| "I was present at your public meeting at
Llandudno Junction on 26 March, but did not speak. I am
an Independent Member of Conwy County Council and Abergele
Town Council. I am also a member of the Executive Committee
of the Wales Association of Community and Town Councils
and in this capacity have had considerable contact with
Assembly civil servants. |
| I full support the Assembly and would like to see its
powers and responsibilities extended. Many Home Office
functions should be transferred to the Assembly. Since
the creation of the Assembly, civil servants are far more
open and approachable and this has been of great benefit
to local government. |
| My greatest disappointment with the Assembly to date
has been its failure to significantly improve the road
links between north, south and west Wales. This would
help to break down many barriers and make Wales a more
inclusive society. |
| The electoral system needs changing. At present the
emphasis is on the party rather than the individual. Membership
of the Assembly should be increased, say to 80n or even
120, with all members representing smaller constituencies.
There should be one member for each constituency. Electors
should be asked to rank candidates, eg. 1, 2, 3 etc. This
would considerably assist in the election of independent
members and produce a less confrontational approach to
Assembly politics. Interest in political parties, is in
my opinion, falling but not necessary in policies and
public issues. |
|
Richard G Waters
|
| "Articles 263, 264 & 265 of the Maastricht
Treaty, relate directly to the carve up, with the 15 EU
Nations being split into 111 new "euro regions". Instead
of giving us back some Welsh pride, the National Assembly
really is nothing more than an EU scam to make it easier
to control and rule us all, directly from Brussels. |
| Furthermore, the Assembly has shown itself to be just
another talking shop, filled with career politicians,
all on the gravy train – They can’t even agree
o the needs or the simple cost of an Assembly building
in Cardiff. What have we got so far? Surely the most expensive
hole in the ground in British history! Some of them are
even campaigning for another building in North Wales!
Who is going to pay for it? We will of course! –
Yet even more precious Welsh money is going down the drain. |
| The money that the Assembly squanders should be put
to better use supporting badly needed investment in Wales,
increasing spending on our NHS, Schools, Police and Employment.
Small businesses must be freed from yet more regulations
and political costs, so that they can create employment.
This will increase our self-pride and well being. |
| WE SAY SCRAP THE ASSEMBLY AND GIVE GREATER POWERS TO
THE EXISTING LOCAL AUTHORITIES – BRING DEMOCRACY
CLOSER TO THE PEOPLE! |
| This is my view as well as the views of the UNITED KINGDOM
INDEPENDENCE PARTY WALES." |
| "When the English regions come to being will we all
then be governed and finance directly from Brussels thus
lose our democracy, and democratic process?" |
| "Far too much money is spent on this, basically a talking
shop. It is not achieving anything. Wales has been conned
to be nothing more than one of the 111 euro regions Brussels
has devised all to the better for us to be governed and
dictated to by unelected bureaucrats. We should abolish
the Assembly and have another referendum on the true reason
for the Assembly". |
|
Elwyn Williams
|
| "ONID YW ERBYN HYN, YN HOLLOLEGLUR NAD
YW Y CYNULLIAD YN GALLU GWEITHIO YN EFFEITHIOL NAC YN
EFFEITHLON AM NAD OES GANDDO NEMOR DDIM PWERAU –
WEDI’R CYFAN, HEB HAWLIAU I DDEDDFU FEL SENEDD YR
ALBAN, OFEREDD YDYW CEISIO CYFLWINO DEDDFAU EILRADD FEL
Y PROFWYD GYDA GWERTHY ‘CIG AR YR ASGWRN’ –
ER ENGHRAIFFT? |
| Translated from Welsh |
| "Isn’t it totally obvious by now that the Assembly
cannot work effectively and efficiently as it has hardly
any powers at all – after all, without the right
to legislate like the Scottish Parliament, attempting
to introduce secondary legislation – as seen with
selling meat on the bone, for example – is futile?" |
| YN FY MARN I, MAE’N RHEIDRWYDD SYMUD AR FRYS ER
RHODDI HAULIAU I’R CYNULLIAD GREU A CWYFLWYNO DEDDFAU
ELFENOL (PRIMARY) ER MWYN GWELLA LLYWDRAETHU YNG NGHYMRU
AC ER MWYN ATAL Y CECRU AIR YMOSODIADAU GEIRIOL PARHAUS
O DU CELYNION Y CYNULLIAD SY’N DWEU ‘NAD YW’N
DA’I DDIM AM NAD OES GANDDO RYM’. |
| Translated from Welsh |
| "In my opinion, it is essential to move urgently to
give rights to the Assembly to create and introduce primary
legislation so that it can improve as a government in
Wales and to put an end to the arguments and the verbal
attacks from enemies within the Assembly who say that
it is good for nothing as it does not have power". |
|
Owain Williams
|
|
Cynghorydd, Cyngor Sir Gwynedd
|
| "The positive discrimination in favour of Welsh
in job advertisements, etc., in Wales contravenes European
Human Rights Legislation". |
|
Francis Charles Wykes
|
|
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