May 2008
Election Day is always an anxious time, particularly for candidates. I thought throughout the recent local campaign candidates of different parties (and some of none) got on well with each other, a tolerance which shows we have a strong local democracy even though we could and should have had a much higher turnout.
One of the features of recent local campaigning is the strength of feeling about local environmental issues from flooding in Briton Ferry, the proposed Biomass Plant in the Docks and wind farms in Glyncorrwg. I believe strongly that we need to build on this renewed civic pride and encourage our newly re-elected Labour Council to continue to improve our local environment through such excellent strategies as its newly launched Clean Air Charter. As President both of Brunel Dock Regeneration Project and the Welsh Miners' Museum I know how hard volunteers work to better their communities.
I spent Election Day visiting widely contrasting communities beginning with the White City in Old Aberavon, currently benefiting from a major regeneration project but still facing a lot of challenges especially for young people. I then spent a couple of hours in Velindre which has a strong sense of community and a great desire to improve local facilities with the Labour campaign for a new community centre. I believe this would spearhead a wider campaign for a refurbishment of the whole town.
My last visit was to St David's Park and Eglwys Nunydd with my friend Stan Mason, activist on the Older People's Council and now returned once again as a Labour Councillor for Margam. Concerns in each of these widely differing localities were remarkably common: cleaner, safer streets and better opportunities for young people.
My day was not over. My wife, Mair and I went in the evening to the Open University in Cardiff for the launch of a book on the life of one of Wales' greatest writers, Raymond Williams. My friend, Dai Smith has written the 'Warrior's Tale' which tells of the need for us to strive to be better citizens not just consumers. That, I think, had been the story of the day.
