Freedom Central » Peter Black

Uncertain future of Digital Technium is costing Swansea jobs

Freedom Central — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 12:45:40 +0000

The Welsh Liberal Democrat Assembly Member for South Wales West, Peter Black has questioned the future of Swansea’s Digital Technium after information he obtained by way of a Freedom of Information request revealed that since mid-August 2011 only renewals of existing leases in the building have been accepted despite widespread business interest in the Technium. All existing tenancies come to an end in 2013, with a number ending in January and February this year. Only one new lease has been granted since April 2010.

With just over 50% occupancy the Technium has proven itself to be an excellent base of high-tech business and is currently recording a surplus of income over expenditure. This amounted to £35,000 in the 2010/11 financial year and £23,000 between April and October 2011. But uncertainty over the future of the site has already cost jobs.

The Minister’s decision to end European funding for the University of Wales Prince of Wales Innovation Scholarship scheme last year without putting any alternative scheme in place has already seen plans for an IT development centre, which would have created up to 100 jobs in the city, axed.

Mr. Black further understands that despite this, New Zealand Company, Pingar was still prepared to expand its activities within the Technium but was refused a lease and consequently is now looking to relocate to Cambridge, taking several hundred new high-tech jobs with it.

Mr. Black said: “Techniums were built at great public expense and it seems wasteful in the extreme to allow them to become vacant white elephants at the point where they have become profitable and are in demand. I am particularly concerned that the current lengthy review of their purpose and the moratorium on new leases that has arisen out of that is deterring new investment and jobs from coming to Wales, and Swansea in particular.

The Minister for Business, Enterprise, Technology and Science needs to act urgently to safeguard high-tech jobs and profitable businesses based in Swansea by ending the uncertainty over the Digital Technium’s future and instigating a viable replacement for the POWIS scholarship scheme. Swansea and Wales as a whole cannot afford to lose ground to other areas of the UK when competing for high-tech business.

Concern at rise in workload for District Nurses in ABMU Health Board area

Freedom Central — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 06:58:30 +0000

Figures released to the Welsh Liberal Democrat AM for South Wales West, Peter Black, show a decline in the number of District Nurses in Swansea, Neath Port Talbot and Bridgend, whilst at the same time the number of clients dependent on their services has increased by nearly one fifth.

In Bridgend the number of qualified district nurses fell from 69.64 whole time equivalents in 2008 to 67.47 by April 2011. Over the same period the number of clients being cared for by the service rose from 4592 to 5435.

In Neath Port Talbot qualified staff went from 74.49 WTE to 67.08, with the client base increasing from 3195 to 4418. Whilst Swansea’s qualified whole time equivalent staff dropped from 94.981 to 86.481. Their client base remained relatively steady, rising slightly from 3127 in 2008 to 3427 in 2010.

Commenting on the figures, Mr. Black said: “Despite the fact that ABMU Health Board have said that they are investing in community services and changing the skill mix of staff so as to meet demand, these figures still show a significant increase in workload for District Nurses and the Health Care Workers who work with them.

“At a time when the Welsh NHS is seeking to get people out of hospital and provide more care for patients in their own homes, these trends are very worrying. My concern is that these increased workloads will take their toll on the health of District Nursing staff and increase stress levels.

I am certainly supportive of the move towards more community medicine and patient independence where appropriate, but we have to have confidence that there is sufficient investment in the relevant services and support staff so as to deliver that safely. I hope that ABMU can give those assurances.”

Successive Labour governments have failed to tackle the housing crisis

Freedom Central — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 05:44:37 +0000

The Welsh Liberal Democrat Shadow Minister for Housing, Peter Black has commented on Welsh Government figures showing the number of homeless households in Wales between July and September 2011 increased by 15 per cent on the same time last year.

These figures also show that the use of temporary accommodation has continued to increase since December 2009. At the end of September 2011, there were 2,695 households in temporary accommodation, an increase of 2 per cent on September 2010.

There was an increase of 29 per cent of households having to use bed and breakfast accommodation when compared to the same period last year.

Peter said: “A staggering 1,845 households in Wales were categorised as homeless. Not only is this up 15% when compared to the same time in 2010, but it is an increase of 25% when compared to 2009.

“Homelessness levels are at their highest level since 2006, which is why the Welsh Liberal Democrats agreed for a further £18 million to be spent on housing in the budget negotiations. The Welsh Labour government should now work with housing associations to bring in extra private finance so that even more affordable homes can be built. We need many more new homes built, but only last week figures showed there has been a lull in new house building. Over the last decade successive Labour governments have failed to provide enough homes for the people of Wales. Their housing legacy is that of failure resulting in a huge housing shortage.

“The stats show there is still a constant stream of bed-and-breakfast accommodation being used to house homeless families, including a 7% increase of families with children. The impact of temporary housing on the health of these families, both physically and mentally, can be devastating.”

Delay of year before elections in Ynys Mon is ‘unacceptable’

Freedom Central — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 06:39:36 +0000

Peter Black AM and Aled Roberts AM have written to the Local Government Minister urging him not to delay elections in Ynys Mon.

The Minister faces a decision whether to delay the elections for a year so they can happen based on the new boundaries, or he can hold them in May 2011, based on the current boundaries.

The Board of Commissioners has recently published its budget proposals for the Island. These proposals include a £3.4 million cut to vital services and a council tax increase of 5%; making the Island’s council tax one of the highest in Wales.

Welsh Liberal Democrat Shadow Local Government Minister, Peter Black, commented:

“We do not believe that delaying the elections by a year would be an appropriate response for ensuring a thriving local democracy in Ynys Mon. If any Council is in the need of democratic renewal, it is Ynys Mon.

“It is our judgement that the boundaries are not the reason for the political challenges facing the county. There are many County Councils which consist entirely of single-member ward Councils which do not face the same political difficulties, and there are multi-member ward councils which do not operate effectively.

“Given that an additional budget would have to be agreed by an unelected board, should the elections be delayed, we have concluded that the elections should take place as soon as is practicable.”

Assembly Member for North Wales, Aled Roberts, added:

“The Commissioners’ budget will not be subject to democratic approval, despite it having far reaching consequences for the people of Ynys Mon. Likewise, if the Board of Commissioners are in place for another year, this will require them to produce another budget which is likely to cut public services further and incur a further council tax rise. Once again these huge decisions will not be subject to the democratic process.

“It is imperative that we are told what progress has been made by the Commissioners on the identified task of democratic renewal. The people of Anglesey are in no different a position to the other electors of North Wales; they are entitled to have local services provided by a locally elected Council whose members and officers are accountable for their actions and decisions.”

Welsh Liberal Democrat response to Boundary Commission’s Anglesey proposals

Freedom Central — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 16:27:26 +0000

The Local Government Boundary Commission for Wales has today published its draft proposals for the future governance of Anglesey. The plans, which are due to go out to consultation, are likely to mean May’s council elections will be delayed.

The local authority is currently being run by Welsh government appointed commissioners due to the authority’s poor performance in the past after years of political infighting.

Welsh Liberal Democrat Shadow Minister for Local Government, Peter Black, however has called for more urgency:

“We very much welcome the Boundary Commission review as we believe it will help to revitalise this beleaguered Council.

“However, a delay of a year before elections are held on the Island is unacceptable. If any Council is in need of democratic renewal it is Ynys Mon.

“We need to return to normality at the Council as soon as possible and that means handing it back to democratically elected Councillors in an ordered way.

If May 2012 proves impractical as a target to hold these elections, then I would favour September or October 2012 as a compromise.

“The minister cannot allow the disenfranchisement of local electors to continue any longer than it needs to.”

Aled Roberts, Assembly Member for North Wales, added:

“It is imperative that we are told what progress has been made by the Commissioners on the identified task of democratic renewal. The people of Anglesey are in no different a position to the other electors of North Wales; they are entitled to their local services being provided by a locally elected Council whose members and officers are accountable for their actions and decisions.

“The length of time it has taken to publish this review must also be called into question. The Welsh government intervention took place back in March 2010, why has it taken so long for this announcement to be made?”

Opposition parties unite to oppose draft budget

Freedom Central — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 22:10:20 +0000

The three opposition parties in the National Assembly for Wales, the Welsh Liberal Democrats, Plaid Cymru and the Conservatives have agreed to table a joint amendment opposing the Labour Government’s draft budget. It reads:

The National Assembly for Wales…

Declines to support the draft budget of the Welsh Government for 2012-13, laid in the Table Office on 4 October 2011 by the Minister for Finance, on the grounds that it does not adequately address:

a) The financial pressures faced by the National Health Service;
b) The worsening economic crisis;
c) The financial pressures faced by schools to meet the needs of disadvantaged children; and
d) The financial pressures on capital projects.

Peter Black, Welsh Liberal Democrat Finance Spokesperson said:

“We have agreed to table a joint amendment to Labour’s draft budget because we don’t feel that this is the right budget for Wales.

“Labour’s priorities are all out of synch with the needs of the people of Wales and this budget will do nothing for our economy, our schools and our NHS. Their plan to deal with the current and deepening economic crisis is lightweight and does little to inspire confidence in our business sector.

“We want a budget that will work for the people of Wales and the Welsh Liberal Democrats will continue to talk and listen to other parties so that we can deliver what is in the best interest of Wales.”

‘Vetting rules for school bus drivers must be consistent’

Freedom Central — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 05:05:20 +0000

The Welsh Liberal Democrats have called on the Welsh Government to ensure that all bus drivers are officially vetted before they are allowed to operate school bus services.

It has recently been revealed that Arriva is being excused from rules which require local bus companies to provide a Criminal Records Bureau report on drivers of school buses.

The company, which is the biggest public transport operator in Wales, has not been forced to vet drivers on a number of routes in North and Mid Wales carrying pupils and students. Most Welsh companies have been ordered to provide a Criminal Records Bureau report on each driver, but Arriva have been exempt from these checks, according to Anglesey Council, due to the widespread nature of Arriva’s business.

Peter Black, Welsh Liberal Democrat Shadow Local Government Minister, commented:

“The Welsh Government needs to be looking at this as a matter of urgency. It is imperative that all companies have their drivers CRB checked if they are to be operating a bus service for school children.

“There is Welsh Government guidance on this important issue, but this guidance is clearly not being followed. It is completely unacceptable that Arriva are being excused from conducting these CRB checks. I will be writing to the Minister as we need to know what he will be doing about this; we also need to know how widespread this problem actually is.”

Aled Roberts, Assembly Member for North Wales, said:

“There can not be one rule for a bus company and then another rule for all the others. I understand that Arriva are operating an across country service, but local authorities need to collaborate to agree consistent standards and also to share and maintain a database of approved staff.

“Currently a number of bus drivers in North Wales have not had the relevant background checks, which means the safeguard guidelines are not being adhered to. CRB checks are vital as there is a need to prevent unsuitable people from working on a daily basis with children.”

Welsh Lib Dem highlights how Minister is abandoning Swansea

Freedom Central — Sun, 25 Sep 2011 10:09:10 +0000

The Welsh Liberal Democrat Assembly Member for South Wales West, Peter Black has expressed his concern at the decision of the Welsh Minister for Business and Enterprise not to allocate one of the new Enterprise Zones to the Swansea area.

Mr. Black was speaking in light of the announcement last week that five new themed Enterprise Zones would be set up with additional incentives for business in Cardiff, Ynys Mon, Ebbw Vale, Deeside and St Athan.

Mr. Black commented: “I am very disappointed indeed that the Minister has failed to acknowledge the need for one in Swansea. The Welsh Government has once more let the City down in its support for our economy.

“The creation of an Enterprise Zone in Swansea around the high technology and engineering work coming out of the Life Science Institute at the university and proposed for the second campus would have proved a major benefit in attracting high quality, well paid jobs to the area. That the Minister has not recognised this is disappointing and raises questions about her commitment to these projects.”

Call for UK Government policy on shale fracking

Freedom Central — Sun, 31 Jul 2011 08:51:15 +0000

The BBC report that the shadow UK Energy Minister Huw Irranca-Davies has called for the UK government to devise a policy on shale gas. There is potential for multi-million pound reserves lying under south Wales but it is claimed that an extraction method called fracking causes pollution and could lead to earthquakes.

Fracking began in Blackpool this year but has been suspended while a review looks into any link with two recorded earthquakes.

Mr Irranca-Davies said the UK Government must embed shale gas in its wider energy policy. “The reason is that if you look at anything else, whether it’s nuclear, whether it’s oil industry, whether it’s wind and renewables or even tidal they all fit within a proper coherent policy structure. Whereas, with shale gas, we have the risk it will take us unawares.”

Mr. Davies’ remarks reflect similar calls by the Welsh Liberal Democrat Assembly Member, Peter Black.

Referring to proposals to extract shale gas at St. John’s Colliery in Maesteg, he said: “In my view this is serious enough to suggest that any operation in the Maesteg area should be suspended indefinitely until more is known about this process and its impact. Any possibility of contaminated water supply or seismic activity as a result of drilling is unacceptable and must be clearly dealt with before this work can begin.”

Assembly Member calls for action on adult qualifications scandal

Freedom Central — Sun, 24 Jul 2011 05:05:12 +0000

The Welsh Liberal Democrat Assembly Member for South Wales West, Peter Black has called for action after a survey carried out by the University and College Union showed that than one in every seven adults of working age in Swansea, Neath Port Talbot and Bridgend do not have a qualification.

The analysis, from UCU, reveals ‘two Britains’ divided between the educational haves and have nots. It ranks the 632 parliamentary constituencies in England, Scotland and Wales according to the percentage of working age people (16-64) who have no qualifications.

A total of 252,200 or 13.3% of adults in Wales do not hold any qualification, more than the 11.3% which is the UK average. Only Northern Ireland (20.4%) has a worse record than Wales. However, when the results are analysed by Welsh region, the South Wales West Assembly seat has 48,300 or 14.63% unqualified adults, above the Welsh average. The three poorest performing constituencies are Aberavon on 17.9%, Ogmore on 16.8% and Swansea East on 20.6%. Neath is also worse than the Welsh average with 13.8%.

Mr. Black said: “The only way that our region is going to grow economically is if we have a skilled and enthusiastic workforce that is attractive to investors from elsewhere and to local entrepreneurs alike. This survey carried out by lecturers’ trade union UCU shows how far we have to travel.

“The situation that this piece of research highlights is not one that has come about in the last year, but highlights the way in which Labour have been content to let education standards slip behind the rest of Britain over their years in charge. What is needed now is action to put the situation right in our region and across Wales as a matter of urgency.”