Caerphilly councillor hits back at ‘negative’ comments about Tour of Britain
Published in News on Monday September 19th, 2011
Cllr James Fussell, ward member for St Martin's
A Plaid Cymru councillor who represents a Caerphilly town ward has hit back at “negative” comments posted on Caerphilly Observer about the recent Tour of Britain cycle race.
On Wednesday last week, hundreds of people lined the streets of Caerphilly town to witness the final leg of the fourth stage of the national cycle race – featuring 96 of the world’s best cyclists.
You can read the original comments here.
Councillor James Fussell, who represents the St Martin’s ward, said: “I was disappointed following the outstanding success of the Tour of Britain cycle race to read negative comments about our town, which I’m very proud of.
“I do apologise for wanting to revel in the hwyl that the race brought to Caerphilly. But I was quickly brought back to earth by comments seeking to run down the town and that is disappointing.
“Clive Elsbury was astute in acknowledging the need for inward investment on, what, I believe, is the former Ness Tar plant site, now owned by Walters. But, unfortunately, no funding is currently available for remediation of brownfield sites from national government and there is no appetite in current climate from the private sector for such large scale investment with no return.
“Caerphilly town centre has a vacancy rate of 11%, compared with 19% last year and Blackwood is less than 10%. Newport, as reported in the Western Mail, is 26% while the Welsh average is 15% and UK average is14.5%.
“It’s quite apparent that our towns are bucking the trend even though it is tough on the high street. Caerphilly’s fortunes have fared better recently since the lifting of the large development blight, and the redevelopment of former Co-Co’s (which wouldn’t be happening if Independent councillors had had their way and the site had been demolished).
“Many of the shops are home grown and independent and offer a varied choice for residents. We even have an original Peru clothes shop and Cup Cakes recently opened. Mention has been made of planning law and the facts are that competition is not a reason to refuse any valid application, even if it’s another betting shop, fish and chip takeaway or charity shop.
“I’d appeal to people to stop talking down our town but I’m not holding my breath because that’s the only thing some critics know and that’s very sad.”
I was wondering when our ward councillors would try and take the credit for Wetherspoon’s coming to Caerffili. This development has nothing whatever to do with the council, it is a wholly privately funded initiative.
The Independent councillors, he mentions, have in fact been supportive of J.D. Wetherspoon and their investment. They have been in contact with the company since before building work began. It through their efforts, and that of some residents, that the pub is named in honour of a sporting hero and freeman of this town, Malcolm Uphill.
Plaid councillors wanted to call it the ‘Owain Glyndwr’, who never once came to this town, or the ‘Wooden Spoon’. Thankfully pub names are not under the control of councillors, unlike the playing fields at Crescent Rd. which are now named after an Anglo Welsh warlord with no connection to the town.
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I was glad to see the Proms in the Park venture, despite its unfortunate cancellelation, and also glad to see the Tour of Britain in Caerphilly, but the damage caused to the Owen Glyndwr fields by both events is disgusting, in one area the ground ahs been churned up by vehicles and in another the temporary flooring is still in place a week after the event. This will damage the gras and need reseeding , all beacuse the Council are too in efficient to clear up after them.
But my main gripe with the Council and Councillors is the disgusting problem with parking in the centre of Caerphilly. As a resident,who chooses to live in the town centre, as a family we`ve been townies since 13th century Haverfodwest, and hate the sticks, I think there is too little space provided for residents parking, I find it very difficult to park in the residents only areas, because no one takes any notice of the parking restrictions, and shoppers, and others, are too lazy to use the car park provided for them. There are no Parking Wardens and we are left with a free for all when it comes to parking. In addition, in most towns, the parking spaces are marked for individual cars, perhaps Caerphilly doesnt have the paint, this makes more efficient use of the parking spaces, because I find that in many cases three cars are parked where theres room for four, and if you park over the lines you get fined. I dont really believe in Party Politics when it comes to things like parking, but I remember the late great Plaid activist and poet Harri Webb who said, if you want people to vote for you fix their drains, so please can fix the state of the Owen Glyndwr Fields and the parking, or we may all vote Ratepayer.
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Here we go again, James Fussell having a go or rather a dig at the Independents (If this was upto you James Fussell it would still be in a right old state) at least the WI Ladies and the Independents pointed out something that needed to be done to the Co.Co building and in honour of Malcolm Uphill who they are also raising funds for a Plaque to be situated in Caerphilly at least this guy was from Caerphilly not like some around here so bear in mind James Fussell I have had enough of your childish and crude remarks made to these independent guys KC
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Quote from an election leaflet by the Independent’s from 2009 “…and I call for the Demolition of this building (CoCo’s) once and for all.” The same leaflet called the building a “Dangerous Structure”. A further leaflet by the Independent’s said “will leave no stone unturned until this building is demolished”!
Perhaps the readers of this site don’t realise that Richard Williams is the Independent candidate who failed to get elected in both 2008 and 2009. Perhaps they also don’t know that his election agent was Trefor Bond.
I refer Andrew Davies to my earlier comments.
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If Welsh Nationalist supporters want to bandy around “the truth” about Co-Co (AKA Lawrence House) I am more than happy to oblige.
The solution, promoted by the Plaid Cymru ward councillors, was to ‘cloak’ the building, naturally at tax payer’s expense. The building would then be covered by advertising, the revenue from this going to the absentee owner of the building. This is all recorded in council and town management minutes.
I have always said, both as a candidate and town resident, that this building should have been remediated, as is happening now, or demolished. The many local people I have spoken to, over a period of several years, agreed with me. I fully support JD Wetherspoon’s investment in the town, a far better result than the council’s desire to cover the structure with adverts.
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No apologies for pointing out that the election leaflet clearly states “..together with Richard Williams we well leave no stone unturned until this building is DEMOLISHED” Quite clear me thinks! At no time proffering an alternative unlike local County Councillors who at least tried to encourage several positive uses of the building. Now Williams is supporting the opening of a pub in the very building he wanted only to demolished. Just what Caerphilly needs, another drinking hole right next to people’s homes.
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Does Andrew Davies comments mean he is supporting his Plaid Cymru colleagues in their support for this pub in the town, or, is he against it due to its close proximity to residents homes?
His comments are just a little ambiguous, what exactly were the ` alternative uses` his plaid colleagues proposed for this site, I know of no such proposals, and I try to keep abreast of things which interest me in this town including the activities of local politicians and their efforts on my behalf as a citizen of the town, does Andrew have the confidential ear of Plaid Councillors?, or, does he have inside, hands on, knowledge of internal council confidences?, which if that is the case, I think should remain just that, confidential.
The disrespect Andrew Davies demonstrates in his published comment in respect to Richard Williams do little favour to his political cause and that of his colleagues. This is just the disingenuous attitude citizens have come to expect from some local politicians
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Andrew Davies, I have already clearly stated what the ward councillors wanted. This can be found in the minutes of meetings. Not a good alternative use at all.
I take it from your ‘drinking hole’ comment that you, and the ward councillors, disapprove of the Wetherspoon improvement? Or am I getting confused by contradictions? I am sure that the WI members and the public I met at a demo outside this building are perfectly well aware of what I really said in 2008-09. I am pleased, by the way, that you keep the election leaflets. I will add some more to your collection, should I stand next year.
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Despite comments from the usual negative thinking folk it is fact that Caerphilly town shops have a vacancy rate of 11%, compared with 19% last
year. The Welsh average is 15% and UK average is14.5%.
Commendable facts.
It would appear that someone is doing a good job by being positive thinking in contrast the those sniping and whinging losers.
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Yes I read the leaflet that the Independents put out to either demolished or do something with regards to the Co.Co building as it was a eyesore. Plaid Cymru would have just left it standing in a disrespectful state of repairs and have someone killed. As the Plaid Cymru guys of Caerphilly town council have been under Caerphilly for the last 9 years and what has been done to Caerphilly nothing !!!! The town centre has basically got worse in fact with roadworks, where’s the free parking for shoppers and we have more Bookies shops then in the whole of god knows what town nothing that brings in the shoppers. If it were left to Plaid we would still have a deralict Co Co building with a plastic building wrap around it! Independents 1 Plaid 0 KC
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Rattled or what, Andrew Davies seems to be doing the rattling for the Plaid Cymru Councillors, never heard of him, not in local politics anyway.
Come on Andrew inform us all what these Councillors have ACTUALLY done for this town in the last four years, we all know what they DIDNT do in the period before that because the Independent Candidates in the last election told us in those leaflets you so preciously keep, probably filed under “we nearly lost this one”. We all know that there is only one winner in our current voting system but those who “get in” by the skin of their teeth, and I have just looked up the election results for the last election, in this town, alluded to, should show humility and gratitude not hostility and aggression, people will remember!!!!!!!.
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Clive Elsbury is probably , again, quite correct in his agreeing with the occupancy rate for shops in the town, published by the plaid cymru ward member James Fussell, but, of course, that figure can only be a snapshot taken at any one time, sometimes it is higher sometimes it is lower, and the clear fact is that pubs, bookies, estate agents, amusement arcades, hairdressers, and travel agents all contribute to that ” occupancy ” situation.
Again we see in these comments a certain “aggression” to anyone who has the cheek to question the wisdom and political spin spewed at a time of approaching local elections by those responsible for stewardship and good governance of Caerphilly Town i.e. those elected to do so.
I wonder if the “agressive” and “disrespectful” style of some comments on this page which have been highlighted, are a sign of the style next years local elections will take, in the electorate deciding who should represent the town on Caerphilly CBC, I think the Labour Party have a view on that, and we may find it will not be a two horse race as in the last election which so offended Plaid Cymru Candidates.
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Regarding COUNCILLOR FUSSELL`S, outburst over the CO,CO BUILDING’
I BELIEVE HE HAS A SELECTIVE MEMORY.
HE WISHES TO TAKE ALL OF THE CREDIT BUT NONE OF THE RESPONSIBILITY
FOR THE BLIGHT THAT WAS PUT ON THE TOWN FOR YEARS
TO BLAME THE INDEPENDANTS IS A TRAVESTY OF THE TRUTH.
THEY SUPPORTED THE W I. AND THEIR DOOR IS ALWAYS OPEN NOT JUST AT
ELECTION TIME,
I BELIEVE HE HAS CAUGHT ELECTION FEVER OR COULD IT POSSIBLY BE INDEPENDANTITIS
THE NEXT ELECTION WILL BE INTERESTING.
BROWN BOOTS
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I really like Monty Pythons Life of Brian, especially the “What did the Romans’ ever do for us” sketch. So I summarise a few achievements Plaid councillors have orchestrated within Caerffili town and basin:-
1.New Library facility at old post office site Twyn (planning already in)
2.Employed town centre manager 2004 committed to supporting traders old and new.
3.Established Medieval Christmas market 2008.
4.Road and Footpath resurfacing continuous.
5.Took control of Twyn Community centre 2002 and enhanced each year since.
6.Invested in Pentrebane Street Café Quarter 2009/10 and ongoing.
7.Established Caerffili Independent Retailer Association 2005.
8.Fireworks display set up and marshalling only by Plaid Councillors.
9.Christmas Light switch on again only Plaid Councillors.
10.Proms in the Park and Tour of Britain go without question
11. Free 2 hour parking over Christmas……
No claim is made for Wetherspoons as they have been looking at Caerffili town for over 2 years. Interest was in the old post office but it was not big enough, Brinsons acting as the agent introduced the Cocos site to Wetherspoon.
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Is that it??? Comparing themselves to Romans, the term fiddling when Rome burns come to mind.
Where are the measures taken to enhance the lot of the residents of the town, i.e. the people who vote in our politicians????
What action have Plaid Cymru taken to support the residents of the town in respect to horrendous parking problems in the town.????
What action have Plaid Cymru taken to deal with the horrendous and health effecting air quality issues in and around the town, except of course talk about it????.
What support have Plaid Cymru given to the Trutees of the Malcome Uphill memorial Trust set up by townsfolk to honour Malcome Uphill who is a freeman of the Town. Wetherspoons are honouring him of course, but, what action have our Councillors Plaid Cymru taken???
I could go on , and on, and on, and on.
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for once I must agree with Trefor Bond, reading James Fussells list of what the Councillors have done for us,one element is missing, the residents. The Councillors seem to want to do a lot for the traders, who dont live in the town centre, but little for the residents who do live there, and also vote there. I thought Abraham Lincoln spoke of Government for and by the people, not for the transient traders. Cardiff Road has had problems ever since the Castle Court Centre opened and has had along history of decline, but unlike, say Cowbridge, or Abergavenny, there been no effort to create a rebirth of Cardiff Road with upmarket specialist shops, just the institutionalisation of urban decline, with a growth of Charity Shops, Betting Shops and Takeaways. What about an Independent Residents Assocation to help sort out our problems, which are many, and their and are ignored. Parking is one, but a recurrent problem is litter from the takeaways that are coming to dominate Cardiff Road, and, of course, no one has mentioned noise pollution from the late night pubs and their customers.
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My Cousin lives in the Caerphilly Town Centre and he is not very happy with the achievements of the Plaid Councillors from the point of view of the residents of the TownCentre.
These are as claimed
1.New Library facility at old post office site Twyn (planning already in)
2.Employed town centre manager 2004 committed to supporting traders old and new.
3.Established Medieval Christmas market 2008.
4.Road and Footpath resurfacing continuous.
5.Took control of Twyn Community centre 2002 and enhanced each year since.
6.Invested in Pentrebane Street Café Quarter 2009/10 and ongoing.
7.Established Caerffili Independent Retailer Association 2005.
8.Fireworks display set up and marshalling only by Plaid Councillors.
9.Christmas Light switch on again only Plaid Councillors.
10.Proms in the Park and Tour of Britain go without question
11. Free 2 hour parking over Christmas……
Of the eleven only two, Nos 4 Road Resurfacing and possibly 5 the Twyn Community Centre,but even thats doubtful, could be described as for the benefit of the Town Centre Residents, the remainder seem to be biased toward the Retailer Nos 2, 3, 6, 7, 9 and 11. The rest could not be described as for the benefit of the Residents, such as the firework display and Proms in the Park, and of course that old red herring the New Library, which will be smaller than the existing, and harder to access, unless the users park in the residential side streets.
The current bunch of Plaid Councillors seem to be a right-wing bourgeois political movement a mixture of English Tories the Poujadists in France in the 1950s ,who flourished most vigorously in the last years of the French Fourth Republic, and articulated the economic interests and grievances of shopkeepers and other proprietor-managers of small businesses facing economic and social change. The tragedy is that while they follow this policy, the residents of the town centre, who the Councillors should be backing, are sidelined, to suffer parking problems, traffic congestion and an increasing flood of Nail Bars, Tattoo Parlours and Takeaways.
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Thank you Ron James, I, for one, had forgotten about the Nail Bars, Tattoo Parlours, and Takeaways, to add to the list of Banks, Building Societies, Travel Agents, Amusement Arcades, hairdressers, bookies, and pubs. I note Mr Fussell lays claim to establishing the Caerphilly Independent Retailer Association, perhaps this tells a story????. I understand the Town Centre Manager is also the Town Centre Manager for Blackwood and Bargoed, both towns of considerable on-going regeneration and success,so nobody can blame him, or would want to blame him, for any critisism of lack of initiates, or failures or demise Caerphilly Town. But, the current situation has been claimed as a SUCCESS by the ward Councillors, I would ask by what Measure this claim is made.
These APPEAR to be the successes to the town which are laid claim to by the Plaid Cymru Councillors who represent the ward. I am waiting for the list of things, the successes, and the improvements, these, ratepayer paid for, elected representatives have gained for the residents, the residing citizens, who are major financial stakeholders in the town. When did they last hold a public meeting to consult the towns residents on their successes? on their initiatives, or indeed, to ask the residents what their expectation are for an improved town centre environment. Answers, I suspect on the back of a postage stamp.
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Just a point Trefor, the use of CAPITALS and ??????? is the equivalent of shouting.
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PS I forgot about the pawn shop, reflects Caerphilly`s vibrant town centre
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Having just walked past the soon to be opened Malcolm Uphill Public House, I wondered is it not time to celebrate the achievments of a Caerphilly boy and stop squabbling?. If we can celebrate the Tour of Britain Cycle Race, why not unite behind success on a faster form of bike, and celebrate, belatedly, a local hero?.
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