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BRYANT WELCOMES THE PRE-BUDGET REPORT .... Top
(December 2, 2004 - News Released from the office of Chris Bryant)

Chris Bryant, Member of Parliament for the Rhondda, has today welcomed Chancellor Gordon Brown’s pre-budget report and news of how well the economy’s performing.

On a day where inflation is at 1.2 per cent, unemployment is down to 2.7 per cent, interest rates are at 4.75 per cent, growth in the economy is at a rate of 3 per cent, and living standards are rising at 3 per cent, this is the best combination of low inflation, low unemployment and rising living standards for decades.

The pre-budget report builds on this economic success by announcing a range of measures aimed at helping hard working families and pensioners.

Chris Bryant says “Labour’s management of the economy is the most successful in living memory, as the figures show. The Rhondda is benefiting enormously, with unemployment now down by 56 per cent since 1997. This means that the Government can announce a range of measures which will continue to help hard working families and pensioners in constituencies like the Rhondda. Parents want to be able to balance their work and family life and I want to ensure that they have real choice to do so. That’s why I am backing Labour’s plans to extend paid parental leave to nine months from 2007 on the way to extending it to a full year. So for all parents in the Rhondda, there’ll be real choice and freedom in deciding how best to balance work and family life, especially in the first year of their baby’s life. And to do more to meet childcare costs for working families on modest incomes, Labour will meet up to 80% of the cost – up to £175 a week for the first child and £300 for two children.

For pensioners aged 70 and older, the Chancellor announced a £50 payment to help them with their council tax bills next year. Around 7135 pensioner households in the Rhondda will get the £50 extra payment next year. I welcome this pre-budget report as it demonstrates that Labour is on the side of hard working families and pensioners, and that Labour is the party of economic strength and stability.”

Rhondda Cynon Taff County Borough Council will this week deliver another of its key commitments to local people. One of the top five commitments of the new administration, of an Anti-litter Champion to spear head the already visible work to improve our environment has been appointed.

The Leader of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Councillor Russell Roberts, has confirmed Councillor Andrew Morgan (Mountain Ash West) as Rhondda Cynon Taf’s new Anti-Litter Champion. As promised, the Champion will work alongside Deputy Leader Councillor Anthony Christopher, charged with co-ordinating Council staff, and will champion the need to clean up our streets, promote recycling and above all keep Rhondda Cynon Taff tidy.

County Borough Councillor Andrew Morgan will chair a soon to be appointed committee that will work to ensure our local environment is maintained. County Borough Councillor Russell Roberts said: “We pledged to deliver an Anti-Litter Champion charged with promoting the need to tidy up our local environment. I am delighted to be able to appoint Councillor Andrew Morgan to this important role.”

Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Environmental and Sustainable Development, Councillor Anthony Christopher, commented, “We are already making major inroads on this issue and dramatically improving our local environment. The hard work on this issue has been evident across the county borough over the last few weeks particularly in the areas where our pilot ‘Blitz’ initiative has taken place, in Ferndale and Aberdare. As the Cabinet Member responsible for this area, I will be ensuring that this service is maintained and the investment needed is delivered. I am pleased to be able to work with Councillor Morgan who will champion the need to raise public awareness of the role they can play in maintaining a safe and clean local environment.”

Councillor Andrew Morgan, said, "I am extremely pleased at being appointed as the new Anti Litter Champion for Rhondda Cynon Taf and look forward to playing a key role in cleaning up the County. The decision by the Leader to appoint a Councillor to help co-ordinate and review the clean up campaign shows that the environment is high on the new administration’s agenda. With the new Street Care programme and the Town Centre Blitz's we are already making a difference".

Councillor Andrew Morgan will formally take up his role on Tuesday where he will visit the Streetcare Blitz team in action in Tonyrefail, together with Leader Councillor Russell Roberts and Better Public Services Cabinet Member, Councillor Eudine Hanagan.

NEWS FROM THE LOCAL COUNCILLORS .... Top
(December 2, 2004 - Issued by Treherbert Branch of the Labour Party)

We wish to thank people for their support and for the confidence shown in us since being elected on 10th June this year. We have been pleased to take up issues on behalf of more than 150 individuals so far, and we have had some success in making representations to improve safety, to address environmental issues, and to make life just a little easier for people. Works done or in hand include:

- Road repairs at Brook Street.
- Handrails at Bryn Henllan
- Overgrowth cut back in several un-adopted back lanes.
- Enforcement actions taken against those who flout planning conditions, and who contravene environmental protection.
- Gullies have been unblocked.
- Nuisance neighbours have been tackled.

We have called on the police to enhance their presence and patrols in the area until the anti-social behaviour troubles at Bute Street and its environs have been resolved.

In 5 years, Plaid Cymru commissioned reports about the traffic flow problems through Treorchy – but they did nothing to tackle them. At a recent meeting of the Area Regeneration Committee, we proposed priority action to relieve the problems.

‘Street Care’ services were starved of investment by the previous Plaid Cymru controlled Council, but this Labour Council has committed itself to tidying up our streets and radically improving our environment. Actions that are already being taken include the provision of new equipment, a zero tolerance approach to the causes of litter, retention of seasonal staff, new litter bins, project teams and street care blitzing.

The Council have also stepped up the number of prosecutions of those responsible for fly-tipping, litter, graffiti – and of dog owners who allow their pets to foul the streets and parks. We welcome these prosecutions in the hope they it will discourage future such offences.

We have been determined to facilitate the return of the Ladies’ Bowling Team to Treherbert Park in time for the new Bowling Season. Efforts are now in hand to identify suitable alternative accommodation for the Meithrin Playgroup, which has been occupying the Bowls Pavilion.

Plaid Cymru are saying that (had you not thrown them out of office) they would have extended kerb-side recycling to Treherbert in 2004/5. However, they did not allocate any funds for this in the budget that we inherited. We are able to report that the roll-out to the remaining one third of RCT (including the Treherbert Ward) will happen – but probably not until next October - subject to our bid for money to the Welsh Assembly being successful. [We are pleased, though, that paper recycling will soon be re-introduced at the Civic Amenity Site at Treorchy.]

The Labour Council has allocated funding to implement the plan to introduce a 20 mph zone and other traffic calming measures around Penyrenglyn Primary School. Public consultation will now be held, with the scheme being implemented early in the New Year.

Many thanks to those who responded to our consultation about the Stoney Field in our September 2004 Newsletter. There was overwhelming support for the proposal that the Council should dispose of the field; only two people voiced objection. We argued that Treherbert Park should benefit from the disposal of the Field and we are currently negotiating funding for the purpose.

We continue to be told about things that residents requested long before we were elected. Following our representations, this central railing is now in place to assist elderly residents walk between Bute Street and Mount Libanus Street.

The Members of Treherbert Labour Party have opposed the proposed closure of Treherbert Infants’ School - and Rhondda’s Labour MP Chris Bryant has expressed his firm wish that “this excellent school remains open”.

We say that it does not make sense to strip Treherbert of a highly regarded asset during a time of regeneration and renewal in our area, and at a time when more investment has been ploughed into education - by Labour Governments at Westminster and Cardiff Bay - than at any time in history.

Councillors Kevin Morgan and Jeff Williams have also made representations to the Cabinet, urging them not to accept the recommendation of the Education Officials but to allocate additional monies to assist the school’s difficult financial situation. We await the Cabinet’s decision, which is expected before Christmas.

634 houses will be in a lower band; 37 houses will be in a higher band; 2063 houses will be unchanged.

Treherbert Labour Party congratulates your Labour Council on having already implemented, or begun to implement, 20 of the 38 manifesto promises made during the Council elections campaign – just six months into a four-year term of office.

UNDER LABOUR

- There are 2 million more people in work since 1997
- Employment is up 232,000 over the last year – there are more people in work than ever before
- Unemployment is down by 670,000 since 1997 – the lowest for 29 years
- Lowest inflation for thirty years

BRYANT ON 'BETTER DRUGS' .... Top
(December 2, 2004 - News Released from the office of Chris Bryant)

Chris Bryant, Member of Parliament for the Rhondda, has called on the Government to move faster on a number of issues to help in the battle against drugs. While welcoming the new Drugs Bill in the Home Affairs debate on the Queen’s Speech yesterday, Chris highlighted some of the specific issues that the Government need to address in order to help people get off drugs and to cut drug crime.

He stated that the figures need to be correct when talking about drug users and drug-related deaths, more focus needs to be put on education of drug issues, waiting lists for users who need drug treatment need to be cut, and small time drug dealers need to be tackled.

Chris Bryant says “I welcome the new Drugs Bill as it will give the police powers to test people they’ve arrested for drugs. Criminals with a drug dependency problem will then be able to be given the right treatment from the moment they enter the criminal justice system. They’ll be able to get off drugs and be steered away from petty crime to feed their habit. However, we need to get the figures right if we are to make sure we know the real nature of the problem and can target the resources at the right areas. Also, coroners need to get the new advice that the Government promised two years ago on how to record a drug-related death. Different coroners still report drugs as death-related in different ways around the country.

We also need to get the waiting list for drug treatment down. This is starting to happen in the Rhondda, thanks in no small part to the new treatment centre in Llywnypia which is a great success. We have cut the waiting lists for treatment from 2 years to 4 months. But I want to see that figure come down to a couple of weeks at most. Small-time drug dealers need to be dealt with to destabilise the supply of drugs at the local level. Many people know where the local drug dealers are in the Rhondda but the police target their resources on the larger, regional dealers instead. If we take out the local supply then it’ll be harder for users to get their drugs.

We need better education on drugs so children and parents are able to talk openly about the problems of drugs, and not just confine education to the classroom. Openness about drug problems will help our communities overcome the scourge of drugs. In Sweden, every parent of a 13 year old child is sent a pack of information on drugs each year so that they can start a proper open and informed discussion with their children. Education has to start at home and I urge the Government to consider a similar move.”

JOLLY HOCKEY STICKS .... Top
(December 2, 2004)

Hockey is about to hit Rhondda Cynon Taff - a newly appointed hockey specialist has been appointed to develop our local players. The Hockey Development Officer for Rhondda Cynon Taff, Judith Powell, will have responsibility for developing the sport in the county borough.

Among the objectives of the new appointment are to set up an Under 11 league so that local schools in the area can compete against each other and also against other authorities in Wales. Development of an under 13 and under 15 league, allowing young players to progress to local senior clubs will also be a key aim. Residents will also have the opportunity to be trained to coach and umpire through the new initiative. The new position is being funded in partnership between Rhondda Cynon Taff Council, the Welsh Hockey Union and the New Opportunities Fund.

New Hockey Development Officer, Judith Powell, commented: “Initially, I’ll be targeting local primary schools to give children between 7-11 a chance to play the sport. Many people view hockey as being a girls sport, but this is far from reality. You only have to watch the Olympics to realise it’s very popular and competitive as a men's sport.”

Debbie Austin, Welsh Hockey Union National Development Manager, said: “The appointment of a hockey officer in Rhondda Cynon Taff will support the work currently being undertaken by the Sports Council for Wales Dragon sport team. Hockey participation rates at Under 11 level within the borough are already higher than the National average, and with the support of a hockey specialist, there is now a real opportunity to further develop the sport. The aim of the programme is to provide local opportunities to participate and play regardless of ability. I know Judith will be an enormous asset to the sports development unit.”

TREHERBERT ON TV - MARY STRINATI .... Top
(December 9, 2004 - News Release from ITV1 Wales)

The mines and the factories may have disappeared from the South Wales valleys but some things stay the same - Mary Strinati’s café in Treherbert still sells frothy coffee, sweets and cakes to faithful locals who rely on it as a meeting place.

55-year-old Mary, whose father Camillo ran the shop before her, is looking to retire, but says her customers won’t let her. “Where else would they go?” she said. Her eatery is the subject of Thursday’s programme in the series GREAT WELSH CAFES.

Mary started work in the shop 34 years ago. In those days they opened at 6am to catch the early morning workers and closed at 11 or 12 at night.

“It was very good money in those days. The men used to queue up to buy cigarettes and sweets in the morning. We had eight double deckers of workers parked on the hill. Since all the mines and factories have closed down our trade has gone down too. We take only half the money we used to take 20 years ago.”

GREAT WELSH CAFES is presented by Arfon Haines Davies and produced by Kathrine Miles and Gwenda Richards. The executive producer is John Welch. Thursday (December 8), ITV1, 2:30pm: "Great Welsh Cafes'.

BRYANT CALLS FOR JOBS TO STAY IN THE RHONDDA .... Top
(December 7, 2004 - News Released from the office of Chris Bryant)

Chris Bryant, Member of Parliament for the Rhondda, has today called on the Government to keep Jobcentre Plus jobs in the Rhondda.

Speaking at a Westminster Hall adjournment debate on incapacity benefit in coalfield communities, Chris urged the Government to reconsider its plans to relocate Jobcentre Plus processing jobs. The plans would mean that around 85 positions would be moved from the Rhondda to Caerphilly or Merthyr Tydfil.

Chris Bryant says – “The Rhondda is joint second highest in the country for the percentage of people of working age on incapacity benefit. Even though the Rhondda has a historically low workforce-based unemployment rate of 2.5 per cent, it seems to me to be an own goal to deprive the area of 85 good government jobs, indeed some of the only government jobs we have, when we have such a high proportion of people of working age on incapacity benefit.

These jobs will be going to places like Caerphilly and Merthyr Tydfil, constituencies with similarly high levels of people of working age on incapacity benefit. However, I urge the Government to rethink its plans to take jobs out of any of the top 25 constituencies for people of working age on incapacity benefit, most of which are coalfield communities like the Rhondda.

The Rhondda is right at the top of that list bar one, and we need as many quality jobs as possible. It is difficult enough when private sector jobs, such as those at Chubb, leave the area let alone public sector ones. I will be doing all that I can to urge the Government to reconsider its plans.”

BRYANT ON "INCAPACITY BENEFIT" .... Top
(December 7, 2004 - News Released from the office of Chris Bryant)

Chris Bryant, Member of Parliament for the Rhondda, has today called on the Government to do more to help incapacity benefit claimants who want to return to work to do so.

Leading a Westminster Hall adjournment debate entitled ‘Incapacity Benefit in Coalfield Communities’, Chris said that the Government must do more to build on its successful Pathways to Work scheme.

Coalfield communities, along with other former industrial communities such as shipbuilding, form a list of the top 25 constituencies for the percentage of people of working age on incapacity benefit. The Rhondda came joint second with 21 per cent. Chris’ message was to urge the Government to target these sorts of communities to help those on incapacity benefit who would like to return to work do so.

Chris Bryant says – “Everyone who wants the chance to work should be given as much help and encouragement as possible to do so. I welcome the Pathways to Work programme with its job-focused interviews and £40 per week return to work credit, and the news that the scheme is to be extended following the Chancellor’s pre-Budget report is particularly encouraging. Almost twice as many claimants were helped into a job this August than last August and the programme has helped one in ten claimants join the New Deal for Disabled People.

However, more resources need to be put into mental health provision. The main reason people give for claiming incapacity benefit is that they suffer from mental and behavioural disorders. Poor mental health, poor self worth and being out of work can all too easily compound a vicious circle of depression. Counselling would be more advantageous for patients with mild to moderate depression rather than GPs prescribing them anti-depressants, which can become potentially addictive. Drug treatment services also need extra investment, and the new service in Llynypia is a step in the right direction.

Musculoskeletal problems are the second biggest reason why people are on incapacity benefit. Again, we need further investment, this time in our health services, so people are able to get the correct medical help and are then able to get back to work. We also need earlier job-focused interviews so that people can discuss how to manage their illness so that they are not permanently excluded from the job market.

In my experience, people aren’t looking for handouts. They want a chance to work, to provide for themselves and their family and to retire in dignity. They want support when they need it, and it is the job of the Labour Government to remove every obstacle that prevents people with illness and disability from finding and enjoying a satisfying job with a decent living wage. I believe these measures will go some way to help achieve this.”

BRYANT SUPPORTS IDENTITY CARDS .... Top
(December 15, 2004 - News Released from the office of Chris Bryant)

Chris Bryant, Member of Parliament for the Rhondda, has welcomed the Government’s plans to introduce an Identity Card scheme, as announced in the Queen’s speech last month.

The Identity Cards Bill is currently going through Parliament and should be on the statute books by the general election. The Bill will set up a National Identity Register and will issue ID cards containing an individual’s biometric data to all UK citizens.

Chris Bryant says: “I welcome the Identity Card scheme as it will protect us from identity theft and identity fraud, and will help tackle illegal working and illegal immigration, organised crime and terrorism, as well as fraudulent access to public services. Right across the world there is a drive to increase document security with more secure biometric passports, and ID cards will build on this. 80 per cent of the cost will cover the new biometric passports that we will need to travel abroad in the future. The remaining 20 per cent will bring the benefits of an ID card scheme. Support amongst the public is high, at around 80 per cent, and it will only become compulsory if Parliament gives its consent to do so. ID cards will only hold basic information such as an individual’s name and address, as well as fingerprints, iris and facial recognition, and the information held will be fixed by Parliament.

We live in a free and open society and ID cards will help protect our freedoms. If we can secure our identities then they can not be exploited by those who would do so for illegal ends, and consequently our civil liberties will be strengthened. Having one ‘gold standard’ form of ID will make life so much easier, for example when opening a bank account or using a free public service, which is why I believe the scheme will be of benefit on so many levels.”

The Identity Cards Bill had its first reading in the House of Commons on 29/11/2004 and will have its second reading on 20/12/2004.

Establish the National Identity Register.

Create a National Identity Scheme Commissioner to have oversight of the whole scheme, including provision of information from the Register.

Provide powers to issue identity cards.

Ensure checks can be made against other databases to confirm an applicant’s identity and guard against fraud.

Set out what information would be held and what safeguards would be put in place

Enable public and private sector organisations to verify a person’s identity by checking against the National Identity Register, with the person’s consent, to validate their identity before providing services.

Create new criminal offences on the possession of false identity documents, including genuine documents that have been improperly obtained or relate to someone else.

Include enabling powers so that in the future access to specified public services could be linked to the production of a valid identity card.

Provide a power at a future date for it to become compulsory to register and be issued with a card, including penalties against failure to register.

However, it would not be compulsory to carry a card.

NOISE NOT ENTERTAINMENT .... Top
(December 22, 2004 - News Released from the office of Chris Bryant)

After an investigation by Rhondda Cynon Taf Council, the owner of a public house in Taff Ely has been prosecuted for continuous breach of entertainment laws. The licensee of the Swan Inn, Taffs Well, has been found guilty of illegally allowing entertainment to take place on the premises when no licence was in force to do so.

Licensee Kimberley John Morgan, aged 48, of Swan Inn, Taffs Well, was fined a total of £350, while his daughter, Jody Rhiannon Morgan, aged 23, of Swan Inn, Taffs Well, was fined a total of £150. They were also ordered to pay costs of £289.92 to the Council.

The magistrates heard that the Council’s licensing and environmental health officers received complaints from local residents of unlicensed and loud music. Licensing officers had been in regular contact with Morgan to explain the type of entertainment that could be held in the absence of an entertainment licence.

As a result of this, an application for a public entertainment licence was made by Morgan, but this was refused by the Council’s Licensing Committee in March 2004, as it was considered that the premises was unable to comply with the audibility clause. However, officers continued to receive complaints regarding music noise and alleged unlicensed entertainment.

In April 2004, officers inspected the property and found that Morgan was out of the country and, in his absence, the premises was being managed by his daughter. Officers found unlicensed music was being played on the premises. In defence, Jody Morgan stated that she was left the bar to go upstairs and when she came back down there were five members of the public playing music. It was also said that the licensees had also attempted to sound proof the building in order to comply with the licence criteria. However, these efforts had proved ineffective.

Summing up, the magistrates considered it significant that the Council’s officers had engaged in significant liaison with the licensee to prevent an offence occurring. Still, Morgan was unable to demonstrate that he had appropriate control mechanisms in place to prevent the offence occurring. Despite being fully aware of residents concerns and complaints, he displayed a disregard to his neighbours.

Rhondda Cynon Taf Council’s Cabinet Member for Safer Communities and Housing, Councillor Paul Cannon, commented: “The purpose of the legislation is to protect the safety of patrons of premises where legal entertainment is held, and to also protect the community where entertainment venues may be situated in close proximity to residential properties. In some circumstances, as with the Swan Inn, the premises may not be suitable for the holding of public entertainment. Having refused the licence, our priority is to protect the interests of residents in order and to maintain a fair trading environment.”

Treherbert Art Society celebrating the success of year with resident artist Mohamed Hamza and project development Sian Hamza.