Lib-Dem MS Jane Dodds calls for voters to have say over misbehaving politicians

Published

5 months ago

July 2, 2024

VOTERS should have a right to remove misbehaving Senedd members from office between elections to restore trust in politicians from all-time lows, a committee heard.

Jane Dodds, the Lib-Dem MS for Mid and West Wales, called for the Senedd to adopt a similar system of recall to the UK Parliament.

Ms Dodds won a 2019 by-election that was triggered by a recall petition after Chris Davies, the former Brecon and Radnorshire MP, was convicted of two counts of expenses fraud.

She lost her seat to the Conservatives’ Fay Jones three months later in a general election called by Boris Johnson, before winning her Senedd seat in 2021.

The former MP pointed out that the then-prime minister would himself have been prone to a recall petition, suggesting he stood down for that reason.

Giving evidence to an inquiry about accountability, which is considering whether Wales should follow Westminster, Ms Dodds said: “For me it’s about democratic accountability.

“It’s extremely important to people, I feel, to have that democratic deficit addressed.

“That is if their MS has committed serious misconduct, they should have the right to express a view as to whether they want that person to remain in the role.

“We need to be more transparent about the way that we do it and much clearer because we’re at an all-time low with trust in us. And this, for me, is a step in the right direction.”

The Lib Dems’ leader in Wales added: “I wasn’t in Westminster long. The behaviour I saw though … most of them could have had a recall petition triggered given it was Brexit time.

“It was shocking the language and the behaviour.”

Ms Dodds raised concerns about the six-week window for people to sign recall petitions coupled with a by-election, saying the public was fed up with such a long campaign.

She told the standards committee that electoral registration officers in Powys struggled to find recall petition signing stations due to the six-week window.

Ms Dodds said 19% signed the 2019 recall petition, the only one to be held in Wales so far, with by-elections triggered by hitting 10% – a threshold she felt was “about right”.

Natasha Asghar, a Conservative member of the committee, asked if Westminster has got recall right or whether there need to be tweaks for Wales.

Ms Dodds said the first-past-the-post electoral system lends itself to by-elections but the Senedd faces a challenge implementing recall under a fully proportional system.

The Lib Dem said Westminster got elements of the reforms right “but I think the power, for me, is still not with the people or with a democratic representative body”.

She raised concerns about having to wait on the Conservatives to trigger the 2019 petition, warning: “There was still a waiting game. For me, it shouldn’t be down to the political party.”

Vikki Howells asked about Westminster’s recall criteria: a prison sentence of less than 12 months, a suspension of 10 days or more, or an expenses-related conviction.

Ms Dodds told the committee chair she agreed with the criteria but suggested other triggers, such as deception, could be included in Wales’ system.

Ms Howells raised concerns about MSs changing allegiance post-election, with more than 10% of members switching party at least once in the previous Senedd term.

Ms Dodds argued against a right of appeal on recall: “People know the standards expected … as with a contract of employment, if you breach that then you know the consequences.”

She called for the “very high” 12-month custodial sentence threshold, above which Senedd members are already automatically disqualified, to be changed.

“Any custodial sentence, suspended or not, should be the trigger,” said the Lib Dem, who reiterated her party’s position that imprisonment should be rarely used.

Mark Drakeford, the former First Minister, said witnesses have called for recall decisions to be subject to approval by a vote of the whole Senedd.

Ms Dodds told the committee the UK Parliament does not vote to trigger a petition as she questioned suggestions the Senedd could have a greater say.

She warned a Senedd vote, whether a simple majority or a two-thirds supermajority, risks politicising the process.

Ms Dodds suggested such a veto would be unacceptable: “To have the standards committee putting a vote to the Senedd is not putting it in the hands of the electorate.”

Peredur Owen Griffiths asked how a recall system could work under Wales’ closed-list electoral system which will see people voting for parties rather than candidates in 2026.

Ms Dodds said closed lists present a challenge but it would be straightforward to replace an unseated MS with the next name on a political party’s list of up to 12 candidates.

She cautioned that the electorate will have no say in the ordering of candidates on lists unlike under the single transferable vote, her preferred electoral system.

Pembrokeshire free school transport call to be heard at County Hall

Published

13 hours ago

November 22, 2024

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

A CALL to allow school pupils from Johnston and Tiers Cross access to free school transport to the nearby Haverfordwest high school is to be heard by councillors next week.

Due to a change in catchment areas the pupils are no longer able to access free transport to Haverfordwest, instead coming under the Milford Haven catchment area.

A petition calling for the reinstatement of the former catchment area to access free transport for pupils to Haverfordwest was recently started in the county.

The e-petition, which ran from September 18-November 1 on the council’s own website, attracted 351 signatures, meeting the threshold for a debate at the relevant Pembrokeshire County Council overview and scrutiny committee, in this case the Schools And Learning Overview And Scrutiny Committee meeting of November 28.

The petition, started by Kirsty Coaker, reads: “We call on Pembrokeshire County Council to change Johnston and Tiers Cross School Catchment back to Haverfordwest.

“Children of Johnston and Tiers Cross are now ineligible for free school transport to Haverfordwest High due to the areas no longer being in ‘catchment’.

“Both Johnston and Tiers Cross are Haverfordwest postal codes and are classed as Haverfordwest, yet the school catchment is Milford Haven.

“Please help our children access suitable transport to and from secondary school.”

The e-petition will now be considered at the November 28 meeting.

Climate

Pembrokeshire group plans for larger community wind turbine

Published

13 hours ago

November 22, 2024

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

A NORTH Pembrokeshire group which has raised more than £76,000 from its community wind turbine for local projects is hoping to expand with a bigger turbine.

In an application to Pembrokeshire County Council, Abergwaun Community Turbine Ltd, through agent Machynlleth-based Dulas Ltd is hoping to get permission for a larger turbine to replace the existing Abergwaun Community Turbine.

The proposed turbine, in a pasture field at Trebover Farm, to the south of Fishguard, would be 67m tall, the existing 2015 one being 45 metres.

In supporting statements, parent company Transition Bro Gwaun said: “The Community Climate Fund (CCF) is the mechanism by which Transition Bro Gwaun (TBG) is fulfilling our ambition of funding projects in Fishguard, Goodwick and across North Pembrokeshire, using income from the community wind turbine.

“The core themes for grants are climate change mitigation and adaptation, enhancement of biodiversity and improvements to community resilience through promotion of community engagement and resource sharing.”

In 2015, TBG raised its 50 per cent share of capital funding for the project by means of loans from 28 local individuals and four community groups, contributing a total of £286,500, the other 50 per cent contributed by landowners Parc-y-Morfa Farms Ltd.

The statement added: “Profit generated by sale of electricity from the turbine is split 50:50 between TBG and Parcy-Morfa Farms Ltd through the jointly owned trading arm, Abergwaun Community Turbine. By the end of 2022, all loans had been repaid, allowing the launch of TBG’s Community Climate Fund. This year we have awarded our third round of grants bringing the total amount granted to £76,036.”

In 2022, £15,274 was awarded to seven projects, including Fishguard Sports AFC to install solar panels on their clubhouse as part of their Tregroes Park development, Ysgol Bro Gwaun for their Increasing Biodiversity and Bees project, and Nevern Valley Veg / Llysiau Cwm Nyfer to install a solar powered vegetable irrigation scheme.

In 2023, £39,85 was made available for seven projects, including Sea Trust Wales to part fund the installation of solar panels on the Ocean Lab roof and to produce a display on solar technology, Letterston Memorial Hall to part fund the installation of an air source heat pump heating system, and Fishguard and Goodwick Rugby Club to install solar panels on their clubhouse.

2024 awards of £20,917 were made to six projects, including Theatr Gwaun to insulate their loft to reduce heating loss, Parc Cerrig Growers for developing a rainwater harvesting system with a pond to irrigate their allotments, Caerhys Organic Community Agriculture for an electric cargo bike for delivering organic vegetables in the Fishguard and St Davids areas, and Nevern Valley Veg to develop wildlife ponds and rainwater harvesting for food production.

The supporting documentation concludes: “The repowering of the existing turbine at Trebover would require a limited increase in turbine size which would result in a very limited change in landscape and visual effects in comparison to the existing Trebover turbine.”

The application will be considered by planners at a later date.

Business

Call to end ‘fad’ of ‘school dogs’ in Pembrokeshire

Published

19 hours ago

November 22, 2024

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

A CALL to end the ‘fad’ of permanent ‘school dogs’ in Pembrokeshire for their benefit and the befit of the schools, instead using visiting ‘therapy dogs’ is to be heard next week.

Pembrokeshire County Council’s Schools And Learning Overview And Scrutiny Committee meeting of November 28 will consider a public submission by Robert Thomas – who works with therapy dogs – on the subject of school dogs.

The submission reads: “My definition of a school dog is one that spends long periods in the school and is managed and owned by school employees not outside assessed and insured visiting therapy dogs who stay for an hour with a competent handler.

“The welfare of many dogs in schools in Pembrokeshire has been compromised over the last few years and we are concerned that the rise in the popularity of school-owned or teacher-owned dogs is an animal welfare issue.

“I can think of several school dogs in Pembrokeshire where it has gone wrong for the animal.”

He cites examples of ‘school dogs’ the county, where he says they have had to be removed, with the animals being unsettled, barking and even nipping on occasions, showing “a lack of understanding of animal welfare”.

His submission adds: “We have done some work with the Animal Welfare team at the Welsh Government around licensing this field, a consultation was completed in March 2023, currently awaiting the outcome.

“It has become a fad across the country and many dogs spend all day in schools supported by staff members who have another job to do. It feels like PCC does not have a policy overarching animal welfare policy in schools to protect dogs from being seen as staff members and there purely for human benefit, not the dogs.

“Dogs need to rest and sleep during the day and not in school. The visiting therapy dog model works best as the impact is greatest and the welfare of the dog is managed externally. If the dog is there all the time that can diminish the impact, and the novelty can wear off for the pupils.

“In my experience schools should concentrate on teaching and leave the therapy dog introduction to those that have the expertise in animal welfare.”

The submission will be considered by committee members at the November 28 meeting.