Torfaen Democratic Forum

This website was created in the interests of democracy in Torfaen.

From The dictionary

Democracy n., pl. -cies.

1.Government by the people, exercised either directly or through elected representatives.
2.A political or social unit that has such a government.
3.The common people, considered as the primary source of political power.
4.Majority rule.
5.The principles of social equality and respect for the individual within a community.

but a better and more complete definition, is perhaps best made using the words of Abraham Lincoln in the Gettysburg Address

... government of the people, by the people, for the people........


Comments on this Blog and the website http://www.torfaen4us.co.uk/ (Torfaen Democratic Forum) are invited here.

I copy below a seies of comments from another thread, which are better followed up here....

not a plaid supporter anymore said...
It is my opinion that the change of time is to restrict opposition attendence. The Labour/Plaid coalition have come close to losing a vote sometimes, when one of theirs is otherwise engaged (pulling pints at Glastonbury is a recent example of Plaid Councillor Fiona Cross)Plaid continue to vote with Labour in every vote. Plaid are laughed at by the Labour group & come the next election, will be disposed of. They will have cooked their goose with the general public because of their turncoat behaviour.I voted for Plaid Cllr Rees BECAUSE he knocked my door & told me we needed to get the Labour group out of power. He then manouvers Plaid into receiving paid jobs for supporting Labour. DISGRACEFUL.....it has & will not be forgotten. EVER
19 September 2009 22:13

Torfaen Voter said...
It shows the rubbish standards this whole joke of a website has when they hold up an anonymous comment as a cause for an elected councillor should respond to. This comment could have been made by anybody, it could have been made by the people behind this website, we have no way of knowing. If a constituent has a grievance, the councillor can be contacted leaving their name and contact details. It is not democratic to assume that this website should demand a response from Councillors based on unverified comments on a blog. This website speaks for the authors behind it only, not the people of Torfaen.
21 September 2009 13:07


Frazer said...
Dear Torfaen VoterOne absolute guarantee I can give you is that the comment you refer to was not written by the people behind this website nor do we know where it came from! However, if you critisise this comment for being anonymous, and yet do not give your own name, how can we take you seriously? The comment was made by someone and in the interests of free speech I will not remove it. Similar comments have been made before, on this website and in the Argus. I have invited a reply from the Plaid Leader, not demanded it. I believe it would be unfair not to invite or allow him to comment.Over to you, are you prepared to reveal who you are?
21 September 2009 20:14

Torfaen Voter said...
The point is that I am not calling for a response from a Councillor. You are taking upon yourself to be some white knight, when in fact you are merely talking for yourself.Your advice to that person should be to do what every citizen can demand, a response from their democratic representatives. If they have a grievance, they can make it known properly.They do not need the help of a hysterial website such as this.
21 September 2009 22:04

Frazer said...
Dear Torfaen VoterYou offer no opinions on the subject of this thread, or indeed any other subject mentioned on the website, you just seem to want to deny people, including myself, the right to make our opinions public. Feel free to praise the democratic processes in Torfaen and defend the actions of the leading labour/Plaid/Independent Coalition; they have in the most part chosen not to defend themselves, either here or in the Press. Do you really think all the concerns of the voters of Torfaen can be resolved by writing to their councillors? Do you think it wrong for anyone to publically challenge the actions of a councillor or a council? Are you happy with the way TCBC is run?Can I also ask "not a plaid supporter anymore" if he has contacted his councillor on this matter, and what sort of reply did he get?
21 September 2009 23:47

Torfaen Voter said...
“Can I also ask "not a plaid supporter anymore" if he has contacted his councillor on this matter, and what sort of reply did he get?” Which you should have done from the very start. I don’t defend anyone, I don’t know anyone involved, but many people in Torfaen are fed up of this whining and bleating by an obsessive pretending to talk for anyone other than themselves.If you have such a big problem with the current crop, stand yourself, put up or shut up.

Hopefully future comments on this matter will be posted below.

St James Field, Car Park Planning Application

Following much activity on the Grumblesheet about this application, culminating in a Meeting in Pontypool on Monday 14th of September, we hope that discussion can continue here, and allow the Grumble Sheet to discuss other matters. Please comment on this blog topic for matters concerning St James Field.

Fuller details can be found below and here

Essentially, Park Est have applied to put an 8 place car park in the rear of St James vicarage in 2008 and were refused below taken form council's minutes:

IT IS RECOMMENDED: Refuse
The proposal involves the substantial hard
surfacing of a visually important wedge of green space.
The scheme would
significantly harm the setting of the Grade II listedSt James’ Hall, St James’
Vicarage and the adjacent Pontypool Registry office andadversely impact upon the
visual amenities of the local townscape and Pontypoolconservation area.
The
removal of the mature ash tree would also have a negativeimpact upon the
character of the conservation area.
The proposal is thereforeconsidered to
be contrary to Policies H1, H3, G1 A & Biv of the Torfaen Local Planand
conflicts with the advice of Planning Policy Wales (Paragraphs 6.5.7 &
6.5.15)and Welsh Circular 61/96 (Paragraphs 11 & 70) in relation to the
setting of listedbuildings and conservation areas.

The council asked Park Est to reduce to 3 spaces and they agreed, hence the new application. At no time did the council consult with residents before they entered into this mitigation. Under delegated powers the council approved the demolition of the rear brick addition and the refurbishment works inside. The new application is to remove the existing garden to the rear of the nursery and put in a car park, remove the rear garden of the vicarage and build a play yard for the nursery.
In order to achieve all this 3 mature healthy trees, numerous shrubs and hedgerows and grassed gardens will be removed. The residents all objected on grounds of loss of visual and residential amenity. The family who live in the vicarage have objected and are fearful of being evicted by Park Est. Mrs Helen Greenwood has emailed and said she has made her objections to Park Est and is VERY fearful of being evicted. At no time did the council consult with the family or the nursery on these new plans and they are angry and on our side. None of the residents received a letter regarding this application and have agreed to state this under oath. I have sought representation from Fred Wildgust, who refuses to assist. I have sought representation from Paul Murphy who is proactive in reducing CO2 emissions and will assist as best he can. Pontypool Community Council have strenuously objected.

Please click the link below to comment further