The Last Days of Llareggub

Holding out for a (Constitutional) Hero

noreply@blogger.com (Jon) — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 16:11:00 +0000

The office has been abuzz with constitutional excitement over the past few weeks and aspirations of a strengthened civic society in

Wales

. Each Welsh political party submitted their evidence to Silk 2 and even the UK Government had a go at it, with their submission on Thursday morning being excitedly torn through at the Positif office, our team were rejoicing like children on Christmas day. However once they peeled back the wrapping of page one, they were quick to realise it was more akin to a pair of socks…plain ones at that. After 114 pages of regurgitatingthe history of devolution and an overview of the current settlement, there wasn’t a glimpse of much vision, just a reflection on how the current system was functioning to their content and a quite marked lack of appetite to change anything of significance. So, in order to save you time this is a summation of possible devolved competences hidden within the document and willing to be handed over:

Residual rail responsibilities (Rail franchising)
Teacher pay and conditions

Don’t get too excited about the pay and conditions, the Welsh Government and Teaching Unions really don’t want to touch this with a barge poll. The submission even suggested that the M4 and major trunk roads could be shared between the Westminster and Cardiff Bay, so take that pair of fairly drab socks you’ve been given and remove one. There was absolutely no mention of shifting away from the absurdly complex conferred powers model to one aligned with the 1998

Scotland

and Northern Ireland Acts for parity, and there was an outright rejection of any changes to energy generation in

Wales

, two areas that have been a relatively uniting factor in Welsh party submissions.

The submissions to Silk by the opposition parties in Wales and the Welsh Government couldn’t be more different, each contribution offered some version of devolved powers significantly beyond the current arrangement. Plaid and the Welsh Government perhaps were a little too aligned with their contributions. Betsan Powys recently questioned whether Carwyn Jones’ Government were ‘Out-foxing Plaid’s USP’ following Plaid conference in Beaumaris, and if you were to put their Silk contributionsside by side you will see Carwyn is flushing out competition and vision from Plaid.

One thing this Silk episode will throw up is tension. The Labour Party is still yet to respond to Silk 2 and there is still some deep seated resentment within the party over the progression of devolution. This tension is also represented across the Conservative Party, with the Assembly group’s evidence making for an unexpected read and incensing Montgomeryshire MP Glyn Davies who tweeted "over my dead body" with regard to Energy devolution above 50MW. And then, of course we have the Liberal Democrats, the junior UKcoalition partner whose apparent policy advocates a federal system of governance within the UK, but their influence was nowhere to be found in the UK Government’s evidence.

We could only wish this was going to be a slippery slope to a common sense settlement, but with the UK Government setting out their stall for devolution, it appears we are more on course to a crawl to a sensible settlement with a desperate need for Ed Miliband to engage with the constitutional debate and take up the gauntlet in 2015 rather than resting on ‘One Nation’ rhetoric. In all honesty, we have higher hopes for Bonnie Tyler at Eurovision.

Summary of Key Contributions to Silk Part 2 by Welsh Political Parties

noreply@blogger.com (Jon) — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 12:29:00 +0000

Welsh Government	Evidence Paper Recommends a move to the Reserved Powers Model through the creation of a new Government of Wales Act, similar to the original settlement provided via the Scotland and Northern Ireland Acts (1998). For: Policing, community safety and crime prevention, including Anti-Social Behaviour Orders; in order to strengthen joint working with devolved services and reduce offending; Water; to fill gaps in the current settlement so that the Assembly has legislative competence in relation to all water matters, and to align competence with the England and Wales geographical boundary; Vulnerable adults and children; to clarify and extend competence including in relation to taking children into care, fostering and adoption (public child law); Road safety and powers to improve public transport; including powers over speed and drink driving limits, bus and taxi regulation; Ports; to ensure that we maximise the economic development potential of Welsh ports; Licensing of alcohol and late night entertainment; in order to promote public health and community safety; Administrative Justice in relation to devolved areas; including arrangements for complaints and redress; The administration of elections in Wales; including Elections to the National Assembly for Wales and local authorities; Taxation; powers consistent with the Silk 1 recommendations to enable the Assembly to legislate on devolved taxes. Joint Executive Responsibilities with the UK Government: It is also calling for the devolution to Wales, of executive responsibilities in the following areas, to take effect from times agreed between the Welsh and UK Governments: The consenting of large scale energy generation (except nuclear power) and related energy infrastructure – to enable locally sensitive decision making and consistency with other planning powers which are already devolved; The youth justice system – in order to promote innovative approaches to prevent young people from offending, and join up with already devolved children’s services; Minister of the Crown functions within the Assembly’s devolved legislative competence. These should in future be discharged by the Welsh Ministers; Responsibilities for the appointment of the Welsh member of the BBC Trust, and also the Chair and members of the S4C Authority, to ensure that Welsh interests are represented in these crucial institutions; Civil contingencies – to confirm the Welsh Ministers’ current de facto leadership and co-ordination role in civil emergencies and clarify accountability; Certain marine matters, where powers currently exercisable only in relation to the Welsh inshore area should be extended to encompass the Welsh offshore area. Against: Devolution of the UK’s constitutional fundamentals; Foreign Affairs and Defence; Home Affairs matters such as National Security, Immigration and Emergency Powers; Most macro-economic and UK internal market matters; Social Security, maintained within Westminster’s exclusive remit. Employment rights and Health and Safety matters. Charities and Charity Law Land Registration. Legal and Political Jurisdictions: Not considered appropriate at this present moment, but should be a natural transition to a jurisdiction in due course.
Welsh Conservatives	Evidence Paper Further Power Considerations: Energy Generation up to 50MW Tentatively suggested control over Renewable Obligation Certificates (ROCs) Supportive of joint governing arrangements with the UK Government for public broadcasters Public Holidays Healthcare for Military Personnel to NHS in Wales Equality of Opportunities, with a UK Government repeal mechanism Against: Devolution of Policing following the introduction of Police & Crime Commissioners, however tentatively accepting the need for greater exploration in this area. Legal and Political Jurisdictions: Not considered a priority as capacity appears to still be held within the current system Other considerations: The lack of a revising chamber for the Assembly was a pertinent issue and should be explored by the Silk Commission. Severn Bridge; the group acknowledged the bridge’s potential economic importance to Wales and recommended the commission explored devolution of bridge tolls Rail network; the group response suggested this required greater exploration however they were satisfied with current arrangements
Welsh Liberal Democrats	Evidence Paper Recommends a move to the Reserved Powers Model similar to the original settlement provided via the Scotland and Northern Ireland Acts (1998). For: Policing and Prisons Energy Generation greater than 50MW. Full control over Local Government elections, including electoral reform. Community Infrastructure Levy Speed limits and Road Safety Bank Holidays Licensing of Water Fostering for Vulnerable Children Against: Devolution of broadcasting, however maintained a preference for closer governing links between Welsh Government, BBC, S4C and Ofcom. Legal and Political Jurisdictions: Accept broadly the need for a separate legal jurisdiction Recommended the development of a joint legal training regime Open to the devolution of Criminal Law in the longer term Other considerations: Reiterated calls for Barnett formula reform Increases in the size of the Assembly to deal with additional pressures
Plaid Cymru	Evidence Paper Recommends a move to the Reserved Powers Model similar to the original settlement provided via the Scotland and Northern Ireland Acts (1998). For: Policing and justice system Natural Resources; allowing Wales to exploit its own natural and mineral resources for social, environmental and economic gain. Energy; powers devolved over all energy projects throughout Wales and associated marine areas. The Crown Estate; agricultural land and mineral rights, these include the seabed out to a 12 nautical mile limit, within which it is responsible for issuing leases for wind farms. Transport; rail infrastructure, ports, airports, speed limits and the regulation of buses and taxis Jobcentre Plus Broadcasting; democratic deficit could best be remedied by the full devolution of broadcasting to the National Assembly for Wales National Public Services; devolve responsibility for public employees Electoral arrangements; Assembly constituency arrangements and local government elections should be devolved. Food Standards Agency Maritime Coastguard Agency Legal Jurisdiction: A legal jurisdiction for Wales should be established as soon as is feasible. This would require the establishment of a Welsh court and tribunal structure. Other considerations: Any further devolution of responsibilities would need to be accompanied with sufficient funding. Plaid Cymru believed this should cover all costs associated with transfers, including those relating to the central administration of newly devolved functions.

High Hopes

noreply@blogger.com (Jon) — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 00:17:00 +0000

**Disclaimer**

I can honestly say apart from my passive aggressive tweeting, I am not one to publish personal feelings in the ethereal world of the internet, however I feel this one off blog may be appropriate as I have not been able to vent out properly, this is just another avenue to try and make myself feel a little bit better.

My dad was taken in to hospital on Saturday 19^th November 2011 after falling off his bike (those that know him may note the irony of this), after spending my Friday night tripping the light fantastic in Aberystwyth and enjoying some time with friends I found out the news the next day. As with all things Antoniazzi, my sister gave me a pre-emptive call to say there was nothing to worry about, my mother didn’t want me to end my weekend early. Fortunately due to a friend tripping and damaging her ankle the previous night, there was more imperative to get back to South Wales.

When I arrived at West Wales General Hospital, I found my dad in his regular good-humored mood and apart from the serious discomfort from three broken ribs things looked relatively good. His ETA back home would be 48 hours later with some strong painkillers.

I’m not going to go in to every detail of the events that led up to my father’s death, but give you a bit of insight in to my thoughts.

Hope is a strange and wonderful thing; seeing the positives in a situation has always been one of my strongest traits. I had unfaltering hope even through some of the most difficult points in dad’s hospital stay, even when we were on the edge of tragedy. (It is probably a sign of great naivety that this attitude is my default position for everything)

Dad and I managed to have plenty of one to one time over his weeks in hospital, we would chat politics, daytime TV and life. I had plenty of job interviews and as many rejection letters to follow. For me this was a real confidence killer, but dad with total faith and complete hope kept on saying ‘Just keep on being you’.

Dad’s five week hospital ordeal was a nightmare for my family and I believe that it was made so much worse because hospital staff failed to communicate with us about his condition on a regular basis. When we were confronted with shocking ward conditions, when a consultant refused to talk us through dad’s condition, even when my dad went days without proper medical support…I stupidly kept saying it will be ok. I naturally thought that we were in a situation that would eventually have a positive outcome. When dad suddenly died it was the single most devastating experience of my life.

Without trying to depress anyone, I struggle to comprehend a few things:

Just after his accident, my father pleaded with paramedics to be treated at Morriston Hospital following a very bad experience in 2006 in West Wales General; due to their strict boundary briefing this was a request that was refused.
If the same circumstances were to hit a family on low income, how could they afford to travel 100 miles a day? (based on 2 visits); the petrol cost, the work impact, the physical and mental exhaustion.
Even in dad’s final week of life, we were informed that he would be out soon…but we couldn’t meet with his consultant to discuss his condition.

On the day he died ‘mystery consultant’ placed a ‘Do Not Attempt Resuscitation’ (DNAR) notice on dad’s file…without telling my mother, without consulting my dad (who had full capacity). Is this humane?

Dad was re-categorized from High Dependency Care to general ward care in his final week because the hospital could not manage the surge in pre-Christmas operations… not too great for a hospital that is meant to be the central hub for the health board.

The events that took place over five weeks have taught me very important lessons in life, strengthened my family and shaken my faith in the NHS. Is the stuff that happened justifiable? Am I being over the top? Or do we have a local health board that just can’t manage?

I’m sorry for writing this awkwardly worded blog. I am not trying to be a grief monger in any way, just trying to put in to words something which is almost impossible to write…everyone suffers personal hardship and tragedy, mine is no different.