Wales - Excessively Bureaucratic?

[Warwick-Watcher]

BBC report today mentions that the Welsh Assembly may consider consolidating some of the Twenty Two (!) councils after the next election (2016).

Population 3 million, so one council per 150,000 people. No wonder government is the largest employer in the Principality!

How about just 3 councils - North, Mid-Wales and South?

Of course they also need the Assembly with 60 members as well as 40 Westminster MPs. Get the Westminster MPs to do the local assembly stuff in Cardiff and scrap the AMs.

Layer upon layer of bureaucracy. Why do we need it all when the note rent now makes much day to day admin redundant/carried out remotely.

Not picking on Wales particularly, but it shows the waste in government.

[Si1]

I think you'll find it's 'investing in social justice for the working classes' - important jobs these upper middle class bloodsuckers

[scrappycocco]

What you saying - cuts? They'll sell it as effecting ordinary people not scumsucking trough eaters losing their jobs. Will never happen, the system is corrupt and this is what we have.

[Mr. Miyagi]

Yes far to many, should go back to the old Counties and suspect they will.

[MrPin]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/7702913.stm

This is where the money goes! Unfortunately Idris was "out of the office" that day!

[2buyornot2buy]

You think wales is bad check out Northern Ireland.

26 councils. 600 councillors.

108 assembly members.

18 MPs.

Population 1.8 million.

Edited April 19, 2013 by 2buyornot2buy

[MrPin]

You think wales is bad check out Northern Ireland.

26 councils. 600 councillors.

108 assembly members.

18 MPs.

Population 1.8 million.

Good point! Obviously, the smaller the area, the more politicians you need per head of population?

[Butthead]

Can I perhaps suggest that the Elephant in the room here is that neither Wales nor NI pay for their own bureaucracy? It's easy to decide to have a bloated public sector when someone else is picking up the tab (see the EU for further proof).

Stop the subsidy from Whitehall, increases local taxes as necessary to pay for Welsh/NI excesses, and things would come to a head very quickly.

[DEATH]

I am glad I have a Councillor, MP, MEP and PCC.

Imagine the horror of life with just one representative or none of them and just voting via an app.

I have sleepless nights about it.

[The Masked Tulip]

Can I perhaps suggest that the Elephant in the room here is that neither Wales nor NI pay for their own bureaucracy? It's easy to decide to have a bloated public sector when someone else is picking up the tab (see the EU for further proof).

Stop the subsidy from Whitehall, increases local taxes as necessary to pay for Welsh/NI excesses, and things would come to a head very quickly.

Welsh nationalists do not see it like that. They actually will point out that Wales pays more to the Exchequer than it receives from London and, in that simple term, they are right.But try to get them to understand that there is a difference between real earned income from foreign sources and income which is effectively printed money going around and around in circles.... and you fail...

[Caius]

Welsh nationalists do not see it like that. They actually will point out that Wales pays more to the Exchequer than it receives from London and, in that simple term, they are right.But try to get them to understand that there is a difference between real earned income from foreign sources and income which is effectively printed money going around and around in circles.... and you fail...

They have something in common with their British nationalist counterparts then. Furthermore TMT......in case you haven't noticed, I'll point out to you that the Labour party, which is a Unionist party and therefore British nationalist, has been in power in Wales since devolution. In fact, they have been the most popular amongst the Welsh electorate for the best part of a hundred years and look where that has got them. Not sure what your reason is to attack what you call Welsh nationalist are? Maybe you can explain?

And Warwick-Watcher......Wales is a country and a nation and not a principality. We're not still in the middle ages.

[The Masked Tulip]

They have something in common with their British nationalist counterparts then. Furthermore TMT......in case you haven't noticed, I'll point out to you that the Labour party, which is a Unionist party and therefore British nationalist, has been in power in Wales since devolution. In fact, they have been the most popular amongst the Welsh electorate for the best part of a hundred years and look where that has got them. Not sure what your reason is to attack what you call Welsh nationalist are? Maybe you can explain?

And Warwick-Watcher......Wales is a country and a nation and not a principality. We're not still in the middle ages.

Nah, I can't be bothered. Lovely day. Blue sky. The shorts may even make their first appearance of 2013. Have a lovely day.

[Caius]

Nah, I can't be bothered. Lovely day. Blue sky. The shorts may even make their first appearance of 2013. Have a lovely day.

I knew that would be the case because once one scratches the surface of your anti-Welsh opinions.....there is nothing left. Usually, just baseless, crude prejudice. Sorry to be so nasty. But you've just proven it yet again.

[The Masked Tulip]

I knew that would be the case because once one scratches the surface of your anti-Welsh opinions.....there is nothing left. Usually, just baseless, crude prejudice. Sorry to be so nasty. But you've just proven it yet again.

Don't live like this. Life is too short and too precious to have such an insular mindset. Explore the unknown possibilities of existence.

[Mr. Miyagi]

I knew that would be the case because once one scratches the surface of your anti-Welsh opinions.....there is nothing left. Usually, just baseless, crude prejudice. Sorry to be so nasty. But you've just proven it yet again.

Behave Caius.

[SHERWICK]

I am glad I have a Councillor, MP, MEP and PCC.

Imagine the horror of life with just one representative or none of them and just voting via an app.

I have sleepless nights about it.

Worse than Death!

[Caius]

Nah, I can't be bothered. Lovely day. Blue sky. The shorts may even make their first appearance of 2013. Have a lovely day.

It's just seems a little strange then that you are now a couple of hours later than the above post, posting on another thread. Don't catch too much sun. :-)

[The Masked Tulip]

It's just seems a little strange then that you are now a couple of hours later than the above post, posting on another thread. Don't catch too much sun. :-)

What? Are you stalking me? Is there a tax-payer funded team of Welsh nationalists tracking me.

Not that it is any of your business but I am out and about cycling and, at the moment, have popped into Mumbles library to have a surf on-line, chat with some friends and then, in a few minutes, I will be off for a Joes ice cream on the prom.

FYI, I will be have a double vanilla cone with some chocolate sprinkles on top.

[Mr. Miyagi]

Back on topic, as a Welsh local authority employee I can say that the WAG has been trying to implement closer working and the sharing of services since the last the election. As turkeys don't vote for Christmas this approach has been somewhat ineffective. I suspect the news story is either a statement of intent or a shot across the bows to local authority management to implement the sharing of services or face reorganisation.

From a personal perspective, I favour complete reorganisation, even if it means sometime down the line I'll be forced to apply for my job under a new organisation.

[Caius]

Back on topic, as a Welsh local authority employee I can say that the WAG has been trying to implement closer working and the sharing of services since the last the election. As turkeys don't vote for Christmas this approach has been somewhat ineffective. I suspect the news story is either a statement of intent or a shot across the bows to local authority management to implement the sharing of services or face reorganisation.

From a personal perspective, I favour complete reorganisation, even if it means sometime down the line I'll be forced to apply for my job under a new organisation.

Thee will be a reorganisation. They're already talking of a Cardiff City Region which I think is almost a certainty and will incorporate South and Mid Glamorgan and probably Gwent too. Thee are also too many health boards. And we could also do away with the 40 MPS in Westminster and just have the AM's and then the EU MP's. Cameron wanted to cut the number of MP's in Wales by a quarter but Labour don't want that. And the Libe Dems have refused to support ti too so we are stuck with them all for a while longer.

[Mr. Miyagi]

Thee will be a reorganisation. They're already talking of a Cardiff City Region which I think is almost a certainty and will incorporate South and Mid Glamorgan and probably Gwent too. Thee are also too many health boards. And we could also do away with the 40 MPS in Westminster and just have the AM's and then the EU MP's. Cameron wanted to cut the number of MP's in Wales by a quarter but Labour don't want that. And the Libe Dems have refused to support ti too so we are stuck with them all for a while longer.

City region not going to happen, if there is reorganisation (WAG are sending mixed messages) it will probably be a variation on the old historic counties read Gwent, Mid/South/West Glamorgan etc.

As for getting rid of Westminster MPs no no no, more likely is we lose the MEP's. The people of Wales are British and will never accept assimilation as a region in to a federal E.U

Edited April 20, 2013 by Mr. Miyagi

[Caius]

City region not going to happen, if there is reorganisation (WAG are sending mixed messages) it will probably be a variation on the old historic counties read Gwent, Mid/South/West Glamorgan etc.

As for getting rid of Westminster MPs no no no, more likely is we lose the MEP's. The people of Wales are British and will never accept assimilation as a region in to a federal E.U

Don't bet on it. The majority of the Welsh classify themselves as so. It's a small minority who classify themselves as British. A larger minority in Wales classify themselves as English. They may prove to be a problem when we have a referendum. In England, around 70% classify themselves as English. Even there, British is a minority feeling of ethnicity. The Welsh who consider themselves to be British are misguided because British is more or less synonymous with being English. But even they (the English) are now becoming more proud of their Englishness despite massive doses of Brutishness by government and media over the last couple of years. But they are a bit slow.

Regarding the City Region. It is likely to come into existence.

[Mr. Miyagi]

Don't bet on it. The majority of the Welsh classify themselves as so. It's a small minority who classify themselves as British. A larger minority in Wales classify themselves as English. They may prove to be a problem when we have a referendum. In England, around 70% classify themselves as English. Even there, British is a minority feeling of ethnicity. The Welsh who consider themselves to be British are misguided because British is more or less synonymous with being English. But even they (the English) are now becoming more proud of their Englishness despite massive doses of Brutishness by government and media over the last couple of years. But they are a bit slow.

Regarding the City Region. It is likely to come into existence.

That is nonsense unless you're some fire breathing Welsh language speaking nut job

Edited April 20, 2013 by Mr. Miyagi

[MrPin]

Caius is obviously more extra Welsh, than my Welsh relatives and friends who are only Welsh, and rather proud of it!

[Mr. Miyagi]

Caius is obviously more extra Welsh, than my Welsh relatives and friends who are only Welsh, and rather proud of it!

No, he is a nut job who thinks the E.U will save us from our own socialist nightmare.