The lists of candidates for county borough and community council elections for Neath Port Talbot are on the council's web-site. There is a surprising number of uncontested wards, more than in 2008 if memory serves. I am not at all deprecating the contributions that Colin Morgan, Hugh James, Scott Jones or Arwyn Woolcock have made to the council, nor the regard with which they are clearly held in their communities, but it is a sad sign for democracy that nobody in Briton Ferry, Cymmer or Brynamman felt able to give electors there a choice.
It is also noticeable that are fewer young Labour candidates than one was led to expect. Rumours were circulating in the members' room last year that Labour was forcing many of its veteran councillors to stand aside to make room for a new generation, but it appears that the new generation has backed down.
3 comments:
Unfortunately, in Bridgend County, there are some Five uncontested seats, this is down to the Lib Dems and Tories not having the gumption to get off their backsides and venture North of the M4.
The Bridgend Lib Dems I have found are very disappointing in their attitude to the Valley's
Nor are there many Independents putting up (except those who have been deselected by Labour). It's sad. Local councils spend many millions a year. You would think there would be more concerned citizens who want a say in that.
If this is typical of the young Labourite, then it was clearly wise for the Neath Port Talbot commissariat to stick with the old guard.
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