November
Glyn Davies
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29/11/06 TORY AM BACKS GREATER LINKS BETWEEN IGER AND WELSH UNIVERSITIES Glyn Davies AM for Mid and West Wales has backed the development of a stronger partnership between the Institute of Grassland and Environmental Research (IGER) based in Aberystwyth and the research base in Welsh Universities. Glyn Davies was speaking at a conference held at the Winter Fair at Llanelwedd alongside the Director of IGER, Professor Chris Pollack and the Chair of the Countryside Council for Wales, John Lloyd Jones. Commenting during his speech Glyn Davies, who is also Chair of the National Assembly's Environment, Planning and Countryside Committee, said: "IGER is a hugely important employer in rural Wales and it is vital that we make as certain as we can that the institution prospers. IGER currently provides 280 well paid jobs in a part of Wales where it is extremely difficult to attract manufacturing or financial services jobs. Also, if the National Assembly is to develop as a serious political institution it needs a strong research base within Wales , particularly to support the development of policies to meet the challenge of dealing with climate change - IGER is well placed to deliver the research that will be needed by the Assembly Government. I accept that IGER has to change and work more in partnership with others in the future - the question is with who? I very much hope that IGER develops its partnership with Universities in Wales - rather than with other research stations in England. The Assembly Government must remain watchful that agricultural and environmental research is not taken out of Wales. "
27/11/06 TORY AM WARNS THAT MASS CLOSURE OF SMALL SCHOOLS IN POWYS IS "ALL BUT INEVITABLE" Glyn Davies, Welsh Conservative AM for Mid and West Wales is predicting that the inadequacy of its financial settlement from the Assembly, the 'mass closure' of primary schools in Powys is now all but inevitable. He is predicting that every primary school of less than 30 pupils or with over 40% unused capacity will be proposed for closure - and he expects the County Council to announce the first phase of its programme of closures before Christmas. The background against which Glyn Davies was speaking is the continuing debate over the Assembly Government's Budget and its funding for education - added to the Assembly Government decision to require a '1% efficiency saving' in this years Revenue Support Grant allocation to Powys. Commenting after discussions about the problems facing Powys County Council Glyn Davies said: "I warned last year the Powys County Council was intent on closing 'up to 40' primary schools - and I have no reason whatsoever to change my prediction. The continuing financial squeeze being put on the Council by the Assembly Government together with the recently adopted 'school reorganisation' policy of Powys County Council make 'mass closure' of primary schools all but inevitable. I am sure that both the Council and the Assembly Government would prefer to delay closure proposals until after the Assembly election next May - but I understand that a decision has been taken that the financial pressure on the Council is too great. I would be extremely surprised if there is not an announcement about the first tranche of closures before Christmas. I do not want to see our small schools being closed. I will do what I can to persuade Councillors to keep or small schools open. But I accept that there is irresistible pressure on our County Councillors - and I fear the worst."
27/11/06 TORY AM STUNNED BY PLANNER'S CLIMBDOWN OVER NEW SUPERMARKET FOR NEWTOWN Glyn Davies, Welsh Conservative AM for Mid and West Wales has expressed his great surprise following the huge u-turn by Powys planners over proposals for a new supermarket by Lidl UK on the J T Hughes garage site, Llanidloes Road, Newtown. Until a few days ago the Council was maintaining its implacable opposition to this development - and has forced the developer to take their proposals to the National Assembly because of the Council's refusal to determine the planning application. At last month's Planning Committee meeting the Council's officials reasserted their opposition to the Lidl development and put before Councillors a strategy to take forward its continued resistance. Now, in a surprise move, the Council is recommending approval at next Friday's monthly meeting. Commenting on the Council's about turn Glyn Davies said: "I am absolutely stunned by the Council's total u-turn on this issue. For many months the Council has implacably opposed Lidl UK's supermarket development proposals - both on highway grounds and because planners believed that any new retail area in Newtown should be located on its own Smithfield Road site. The Developer has been forced into a lengthy delay and has had to appeal to the National Assembly at great cost. The Planning Authority has now totally capitulated and will grant planning permission for the new supermarket this coming Friday. I anticipate that Councillors will be asking questions about any liability for costs - and also about the competence of the consultants which have been have been retained by the Council to give advice on retailing matters. It is vital that we can all retain confidence in the planning system. This comprehensive u-turn must lead to some searching questions."
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