A Personal Message.

The only thing I would ask is that you hear the truth before you judge. Please read on.

Here goes. I was a faithful member of the Labour Party for about 16/17 years. I was elected to RCT as a Labour member in 1995. I saw them waste £26 million in 'reserves' (that's your money that they had in the bank) over just 3 short years. I saw services failing from lack of money but top bosses increasing in number and with astronomical salaries. (Nothing’s changed there then!) I saw my Ward (this Ward) treated like a backwater whilst money was lavished elsewhere. I was told to 'toe the line' on decisions even though they were made with the people who elected me (that’s you of course) relegated to about 3^rd or 4^th down the priority list. These and so many other things led me to 'cross the floor' and join Plaid. They were going to offer a bigger, better, brighter future, or so the promises went. I was re-elected as a Plaid member and truly thought things would improve for you. They didn't.

I was the first Chairman of RCT after we had abolished the post of Mayor with all its gold chains and enormous costs. I never once wore the Mayoral Chains and actually wanted them sold off (as I remember there are around 11 or 12 of them!) and the money put to better use. I was blocked from doing that time and again. There were three chauffeurs and three cars when I became Chairman. Within weeks there was only one of each – but not for me! (Two chauffeurs were redeployed and the cars sold off.) I used my own car to travel from event to event until the fuel pump packed up. Only then did I have to use the one remaining official car for the last 3 or 4 appointments. I gave them change back out of my Civic budget (which I had reduced from approx. £250,000 to £20,000) at the end of my year and at the same time raised £30,000 for Meningitis Research. It had hit our kids in RCT very badly at the time. I made sure my year as Chairman was an investment and not an expense. It’s all too easy to be all too easy with other people’s money. I can’t do that. It’s hard to earn but easy to waste. Especially when it’s not yours. I even found £3,000 worth of booze stashed away. You had paid for that! Party pints for the boyos.

I was told that you (out of public funds entrusted to me) had to pay for wreaths on Remembrance Day for (believe it or not, but true) the two main trades unions; and all 75 Councillors on all 54 Wards! I refused and made them pay for their own. Why shouldn't they? I bought six (two for each area) on behalf of you, the people, out of my RCT budget and paid for my own out of my own pocket. All this was done in close consultation with the Royal British Legion and their Regional Commander Colonel Tony Davies. Why should you have to pay when people can afford to pay for their own? I have the greatest respect and deepest gratitude for those who died for us (and still do) but think that others who 'say' they feel the same should show it and buy a wreath themselves. Actions speak far louder than words.

One of the main whingers (of course) was Cllr. Russell Roberts who had claimed almost £45,000 in allowances and expenses in the 3 previous years and when he was Mayor managed to get through about £278,000 of public money in one year.

This is the same Russell Roberts who was on the front pages the other day. “4 Jobs Roberts” who currently ‘earns’ (if you can call it that) just short of £100,000 out of the public purse and pocket! I was branded a ‘skinflint’ at the time when it was actually they who were the skinflints by having to be shamed into buying their own! A wreath at the time cost just £13. I think they could afford it don’t you? Disgracefully, but typically, this was used to score some very nasty, cheap political points at the time but when the truth came out they were shown up for what they are. If you send me to that Council Chamber the risk for them is that it will happen again, and they really don’t want that! They want sheep not shame. I have never courted controversy but I have never run from it either.

No need to believe me out of hand. This is all in the Pontypridd Observer and Rhondda Leader archives at the local Library. Yep - I took my allowances, but if you look overleaf there are a couple of examples of how I used to spend them. If I had left it with RCT the money would have simply disappeared in to some useless black hole (or deep pocket) without the people on my Ward seeing any benefit at all. I would rather spend it on them myself. So I did. No doubt you’ll be told otherwise but the evidence speaks for itself. The expenses I gave away came out of my own pocket either as cash gifts or bought goods. I made sure that the money went where it would be better used (to the people of my Ward in the main, but others too) so that it didn’t remain in the coffers of RCT where it would be wasted. Give it to those who deserve it, trust them and they’ll spend it right.

My year as Chairman came to an end and to my disgust my Plaid successor decided that she would go back to wearing the Mayoral Chains of Office and using the chauffeur driven car. I complained bitterly but they wouldn’t listen. We had cut the post of Mayor and got rid of the gold frippery and huge associated costs only to have it all return just a year later. To this end I refused to enter the Council Chamber if those chains were worn. I was expelled from Plaid for that particular sin. From then on it became 'same old, same old' and it was really difficult to see the difference between Plaid and Labour and because of that RCT went back to Labour in 2004. That was the year I gave up my seat.

Now me, having been a member of Labour and Plaid is painted as a negative (traitor and not to be trusted etc.) but it's not really a negative at all. In fact the exact opposite – it’s a positive. Because I've been on the 'inside' and know only too well how the party machines work and how the party hacks and spin doctors twist and distort reality I know how to fight them. That would be to your distinct advantage. I know how they work and how to get the best I can for you. And I have never been a member of any ‘”LibDem Alliance”. When? What day was that on? I must have been asleep or something! Utter rubbish.

Well, I'm still no sheep to be herded around by any party political machine unlike others who just nod along. I am outspoken and will tell you how things truly are warts and all. More importantly, I will tell them in the Council Chamber how things truly are warts and all and if they don’t like it well that’s hard lines I’m afraid. Truth hurts sometimes.

You see in reality I’m not YOUR worst nightmare; I’m THEIR worst nightmare and that’s why they’ll tell you anything but the truth! They will do and say anything to keep me out of that Council Chamber. They are petrified I will once again expose them for what they really are. Mind – I have to get there first! I need your help to do that.

I won't be knocking on your door and bothering you with this. The Labour Candidates the local AM and MP probably will though. Big guns rolled out in desperation to try to defend the indefensible and prop up a broken system and to ask you to vote for their party mates. A sort of “Please vote for the same old same old.” “They are wonderful people really.” “Look what they’ve done to the pavements and roads blah blah blah.” Repairs really well timed just before an election strangely enough too! And (the best one of all) “It’s really to do with the cuts from this Tory/LibDem Government not them!” In small part that’s true but if less went to waste on enormous salaries and inflated allowances for the top dogs more could be spent on the people. If wages are cut for Carers or School Dinner Ladies or Bin Men then all should be cut – especially those at the top! They blame anyone and everyone except themselves. Hell’s fire, they think we’re so, so stupid! Please don’t let them mug you any longer.

If you want to contact me to talk about the above or anything else that I believe in and want to do for you just ring me. Leave a message and if I can't answer I will get back to you as soon as I can. I’ll come to you if you want.

So please don't believe the distortions, the lies and the worm-tongued nonsense that you will be fed in leaflets poked through your door or even on your very own doorstep and especially what’s in the ‘Labour Herald’ propaganda sheet. Ask me for my side and you'll get it straight away. There are no lies here and anyone can check out what I’m telling you at any time. It’s all a matter of public record. You need to be made aware of the truth so you can see that there are some that have almost no idea of what that is.

Graeme.