Loose Change should equal real change but it won't.

This week the Wales Eye website published an article that highlighted the continuous slew of fiscal mismanagement in Rhondda Cynon Taf CBC. The article demonstrates that senior officers and councillors have allowed RCT to willingly waste over £1m a year on failed IT systems; empty buildings and poor property purchases yet cut services for the vulnerable. Do we not have Scrutiny Committees that should function to stop such reckless abandon with the Council’s budget?

These issues were first raised here and further investigated by the investigative journalism site which resulted in council insiders suggesting that the Social Services IT project is “an embarrassment” and that "We know the public think we have wasted their money but it is nothing to do with us - it is those in charge.”. Despite the publication of the article none of the wider press, including Media Wales, reported on the matter. The press normally lap up stories of public service waste but not on this occasion for some mysterious reason. Indeed, Media Wales are all too happy to publish stories about a passenger fumbling with himself on a train to Treherbert, but do they publish a good investigative article that clearly shows discrepancies between the Labour Cabinets claim of prudent budgeting and the stark reality that the financial void has been caused by poor management? Clearly not.

Nevertheless I and several others shared this article via Twitter to make the wider public aware of the hypocrisy. However, despite many efforts to contact our esteemed political classes in RCT and Westminster regarding the article, no representatives from the parties have replied or given any indication that this article will trigger any sort of investigation into those responsible for the colossal waste and abject failure with regards to the issues raised.

The lack of communication is a clear signal to the electorate: It doesn’t matter how poor those in RCT perform and how obvious you make it to people, we will not listen nor take action. We are above the lowly voters and shall not hold those in the wrong to account.

I asked last night if it is time for those who are disillusioned with the ongoings in RCT to meet up and plan a way forward. Some may think this is a fool’s errand but I believe that you can only push the people of RCT so far. Many were brought up with the faith that Labour will always fight for the working class and with a shield of integrity, defend those who are most vulnerable. Unfortunately the unpalatable truth for some is that Labour will no longer stand shoulder to shoulder with their working man and the shield has been used to bluntly attack those in need. The time for change is approaching and I sincerely others will want to meet and find our way forward to hold those in power to account and fight against the savage cuts imposed by the Labour Cabinet.

Ysmaliwr