It's time to make National Park's democratic (Kirsty Williams AM )

Cymraeg
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Kirsty Williams AM <info@kirstywilliams.org.uk>

It's time to make National Park's democratic

June 25, 2008 9:00 AM
By Kirsty Williams AM in B & R Express on Thursday 12th June 2008

As National Park Residents, we know all too well that the realities behind the rolling Beacons and breathtaking views that so entice visitors to our area, are the same as those of any living and working community. Like any other area we need jobs, homes, services, and facilities for young people. Yet we often cannot make those decisions about whether or not to repaint our house or build an extension without coming into contact with the National Park Authority. So surely if they can play such a significant role in of our lives they should open, transparent and accountable.

There have long been vocal calls from within Brecon and Radnorshire for directly elected representatives to sit on the Authority's board alongside the Assembly appointed members, and my colleague Roger Williams and I have supported these demands, which are indeed part of Liberal Democrat policy. Yet the Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) continues to refuse to look at this more democratic and representative system, despite its clear success in Scotland. Some 75% of the Authority's total revenue comes from the WAG and a large percentage of the remaining balance from the local authority, this is all taxpayers money and so surely they should have greater say over who is in charge of spending this money. Whilst we of course have some very good representatives on the National Park Authority they are appointed, not elected, and as such do not provide a direct link between the residents of the park and the Authority. Direct Elections will promote local accountability by allowing residents to put themselves forward for election and by enabling residents to engage in an important democratic process which will elect those who will take decisions directly affecting residents' quality of life. If people are unhappy with the service being delivered, residents should ultimately have the final say via the ballot box. This is why I am calling for powers to be drawn down from Westminster to allow Wales to legislate to address public concern about a democratic deficit on such Authorities.

While the Conservatives profess to support greater democracy within the parks in the Assembly and in Westminster, they have acted to do just the opposite on the ground in Brecon & Radnorshire. Legislation requires nominations to the Park Authority from Powys County Council to reflect the political balance of the council as a whole, but a clause allows for the council to decide by unanimous vote to set aside the political balance requirements. At a recent Powys County Council meeting the Welsh Lib Dem Group proposed just such a vote, in order to ensure that the council's nominations would come from wards wholly or partly within the Park, rather than from as far away as Montgomeryshire. Despite the Lib Dem proposal having strong support from the Powys Independent Alliance it was unsuccessful due to opposition from the Montgomeryshire Independents and all of the Conservative Group bar one. Only selecting councillors from within Park wards would have been a positive step forward for democratic representation and it is estimated that up to £10,000 per member per year could be saved by electing local representatives. It is clear that further legislation is needed to address the issue of local representation and to make future safeguards against political interests being put before true democracy in this way.