The first responsibility of any government is the protection of its people, from threats internal and external. Yet with its ‘no border’ policy not only is the ‘Welsh’ Government putting at risk the survival of Welsh identity, it also risks the lives of individuals, too many of whom have died at the hands of criminals who would not have been allowed entry to any country with a government mindful of its primary responsibility.
So in this post I shall deal with some of the more notorious cases from recent years. Or rather, just those I happen to have noticed, or were brought to my attention. Had any of these individuals you’ll read about below sought entry to Canada or Australia they would have been laughed at, and then turned back to England.
First, and before getting down to the gruesome and the repulsive, let’s look at some less serious cases, some almost humorous. Such as the woman in this story, who is obviously some kind of nutter drawn to large and aggressive dogs that she clearly cannot control. Which explains why, for a while, she wrought havoc in the corner of Ynys Môn where she lived. In addition to the two American bulldogs mentioned in the link, she also kept a Dogue de Bordeaux aka Bordeaux Mastiff or French Mastiff. (Shown left.) All nice cuddly poochie-woochies.
UPDATE 06.05.2015: The woman at the centre of this story may have had good reason to be in Wales, and in need of ferocious dogs. For as this report tells us she was a central character in a particularly brutal murder.
UPDATE 29.09.2015: She has now been jailed for 21 months.
Staying with animals, here’s the case of a couple who moved from the south east of England to a former pub in Gilfach Goch, where they kept animals in appalling conditions. When asked why they kept so many animals, suffering because they were obviously incapable of looking after them, the husband simply replied, “Why not?”.
Or how about Reginald Gill, who claimed he could cure women of cancer by groping them. Then there was Heather Stokes, who shouted “Welsh bastards” at a group of workmen who had the temerity to slow her regal progress. More recently we have had a case of four hippy women living near Tregaron charged with preventing the lawful and decent burial of a man who had been dead for four and a half years in order to keep claiming his disability allowance and pension credits. One of the accused is the deceased’s wife! We can safely assume that the late – though regrettably unburied – Geoffrey Sturdey, was a lot lighter than the 880 pound teenager who was moved from Kent to Aberdare. It took thirty people to get her from her social housing property into the ambulance when she needed to visit her local hospital. Now we must move on to the more serious cases.
One I dealt with a couple of years ago was that of Colin Batley, paedophile and English patriot. His sexual tastes were known before he came to Wales, they may have been the reason he and his gang left London, but Grwp Gwalia Cyf of Swansea was quite happy to house these creatures and to inflict them on Kidwelly. Despite being warned of his behaviour in 2002 Carmarthenshire social services did nothing. Here are some more peripatetic pervs, this time from Wolverhampton. A father and son act, Barry Ford and Craig McKellar, jailed at Mold Crown court last December for a total of 28 years. Here’s another, named Brian Sturley from London; this bastard was molesting kids in Swansea.
A really weird, and disturbing case, is that of a couple living in Ceredigion. Glynn and Julie Seabridge (left) are charged with neglecting their eight-year-old son so badly that he died of scurvy. Who, in Western Europe, dies of scurvy in the twenty-first century! (Update January 29, 2015.) What no one is saying is that these two are not Cardis at all. If my information is correct, they almost certainly moved from Stoke-on-Trent (see right, click to enlarge). And if other reports reaching me are correct, then the Potteries seems to be the source of an increasing number of our problems. Note the walking sticks in the photo. It’s amazing how many of these bastards turn up for court appearances sporting walking sticks or crutches. Are judges or juries fooled by this? Now we must move up a level, for regretably we also have to suffer an influx of murderers.
George Johnson (below left) was jailed in Wolverhampton in 1986 after killing someone in their own home for just £3. Some time after being released he moved to Rhyl (where else?) and there – high on drugs in 2011 – he killed an eighty-nine-year-old woman for £25. Another avoidable tragedy was the rape and murder of sixty-seven-year-old Irene Lawless in Llanllwni, Carmarthenshire in 2011 by Darren Jackson of Kent..
More recently Wales received unwanted global publicity over the murder of little April Jones of Machynlleth. The media tended to overlook the fact that Mark Bridger was born in Surrey, the son of a London cop, and moved to Wales after getting into trouble over possession of a firearm, theft, and obtaining property by deception. It seems he was packed off to Wales, where no one knew him, to ‘make a fresh start’. I’ve known a few like him – camouflage clothing, they usually carry a knife, and tell stories of having served in the SAS or the Foreign Legion. Bullshitting weirdoes no country should ever allow in. But it seems most towns and villages in rural Wales nowadays have their resident nutter in combat trousers.
Finally, in recent days we’ve been reading about the tragedy of three generations of the same family killed by Carl Mills, an alcoholic psycopath from Manchester who decided to give himself a change of scenery in Cwmbran. Perhaps another ‘fresh start’. Read the reports. Did no one realise the danger these people were in from this unhinged, alcoholic degenerate? Take a look at him – he could have stepped straight out of Deliverance! (‘Is that Central Casting? – send me a weird, inbred-looking hillbilly type’.) Or am I being my usual intolerant, judgemental and reactionary self? Well, if any smug leftie out there is nodding in agreement, he or she might care to remind themselves that before this bastard killed three generations, including his own daughter, he even threatened to dig up the child’s stillborn twin. This is one sick fucker!
What have all the misfits, paedophiles and murderers involved in these recent cases got in common? Answer: none of them had any good reason for being in Wales. Many were brought here or encouraged to move here by social housing providers, unscrupulous private landlords or other ‘agencies’. Or simply because Wales is a soft touch. For these people making a fresh start does not mean reforming, it does not mean changing their ways, it simply means the luxury of being able to carry on with the same behaviour in communities where they aren’t known. Which is bad enough, but why are there agencies in Wales helping them?
We must have more control over who comes to Wales because it has now become, quite literally, a matter of life or death. People are being killed, children are being raped, communities are being disrupted and made to live in fear, because the ‘Welsh’ Government is failing in its primary responsibility to the Welsh people.
The first scumbag, Frederick Lawlor, is both a murderer and a paedophile. After killing his partner in Rochdale, and burying her body in the cellar of the house they shared, he moved to Abergele, where he used a 13-year-old-girl for sex with dozens of men. It’s unclear if he came to Wales of his own volition, but the anonymity provided by the north coast’s ‘fluid’ population is a big attraction for individuals like Lawlor and the agencies looking to relocate (i.e. dump) dangerous individuals.
Among those convicted for abusing the girl was Freemason Raymond Ketland, who claimed to have been asked, by a fellow Mason in the group already abusing the girl, “do you want to have a bit of fun?” Ketland is yet another who’d recently moved to the north coast, but he hadn’t been relocated by any agency, for Ketland was a former Birmingham detective. Ketland takes us into the murky and constantly overlapping worlds of Freemasonry and the police, dealt with extensively by Paddy French at Rebecca.
Moving down to Ceredigion, we find David Thomas Clapton. In order to get near children Clapton set up a charity, Harvest Trust, and arranged holidays for English kids in the Welsh countryside. To show his love for children, Clapton also became a foster parent, accepted as such by Cyngor Ceredigion. One worry here is that in just a few years Harvest Trust received hundreds of thousands of pounds in grants and donations. From where? The Cambrian News article I link with is wrong when it says that Harvest Trust sent no accounts to the Charity Commission after 2009, here’s a link to the 2011 accounts.
Finally (until the next update) we shall look at the case of Gavin Benit who, as the prosecution lawyer said at his trial, “likes to have sex with under-age girls”. This little ‘weakness’ first attracted the attention of the police while Benit was living in his native Oldham. Although his offences against a 13-year-old girl took place there, by the time he came to trial in Manchester, in September 2008, Benit had moved to Colwyn Bay. He was sentenced to four years in prison. This month he was sentenced at Caernarfon Crown Court to 10 years for raping a 15-year-old girl in Colwyn Bay. Or as BBC Wales says: “The rape took place at a Colwyn Bay hotel where he was placed in a flat”. “Placed in a flat” by whom? My guess is the Probation Service (for Englandandwales). I further speculate that the Probation Service moved him to Bae Colwyn some time between his arrest and sentencing in 2008.
At least the BBC had the balls to say that Benit had been “placed” in Colwyn Bay, but other elements of the ‘Welsh’ media either infer that the guilty are Welsh, or state it outright! Take the Daily Post, which said that Benit is “from Rhyl”, and also mentioned the Colwyn Bay connection. Yet while the Daily Post also mentioned Benit’s previous conviction it refused to say that this was in Manchester, and that Benit was then living in Oldham. Worse, is this coverage from Trinity Mirror’s WalesOnline which, in reporting the 2006 convictions of four others involved in the Lawlor case, begins thus, “Four more Welsh monsters are facing jail . . . “. Looking at the names of the four men convicted, one, from Wrecsam, is clearly Welsh . . . but the other three, from Prestatyn, Colwyn Bay and Rhyl? WalesOnline has no way of knowing their nationality, so why call them Welsh?
Even though it was established in court that Lawlor, Benit, et al are English the ‘Welsh’ media are not allowed to report that fact because in colonial Wales the description ‘English’ can only be used in positive contexts. The only exception, or ‘safety-valve’, is the sporting arena or some other triviality. Among the other directives for our colonial media is putting the best possible gloss on the English connection. This of course is difficult in a third world country unless we natives are blamed for all that’s wrong and our masters given credit for the little that is good. The dumping of English criminals in Wales shows how this works in practice. 1/ Ignore the issue. 2/ When cases come to court report on them but never mention the English origins of the convicted, and certainly not the routes by which they arrived in Wales. 3/ If you really want to go for broke, then – and with no evidence beyond addresses – describe the convicted perverts as Welsh – better yet, “Welsh monsters”.
The Housing (Wales) Bill I have dealt with in my most recent posts will, if implemented, make the existing situation even worse. For it forces Welsh housing associations into accepting any murderous, child molesting scumbag from across the border. (Though many of them need no persuasion.) The problems the north coast has experienced up to now will be nothing compared to what the Bill promises. It will be time to rename the Costa Geriatrica the Costa del Pervert.
UPDATE 25.01.14:
The case of London gangster Joland Giwa turning up in Newport seems to have surprised a lot of people, including local MPs and others. It’s as if they were unaware that hundreds, possibly thousands, of murderers, paedophiles, ex-cons, substance abusers, etc., are either being encouraged to move to Wales or being given no choice in the matter and dumped here. Here are a few other cases I’ve noted since I wrote the original post. (Though before moving on, let me make it clear that, unlike others dealt with in this post, I am not aware that Mr Giwa has committed any offences in Wales.)
UPDATE 19.06.2015: Joland Giwa has been sentenced to four and a half years in prison for robbing a Newport bookmaker’s office. Despite it all, I feel a certain sympathy for the boy (unlike the others dealt with here), I don’t think he ever had a chance to make more of his life. We are no nearer knowing who decided to move him to Wales.
On 9th April 2018, the Liverpool Echo tells us that 44 year old Barry Boschen, of Benhill Avenue, Sutton, London was sentenced to 12 months in prison and a 10 year Sexual Harm Prevention Order by Chester Crown Court. He had travelled to Runcorn after pleading guilty to engaging in sexual communication with a child. He was apprehended at a fast food restaurant in Runcorn where the offender had arranged to meet the 15 year old victim, after the victims mother blocked him in the car park until police arrived.
https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/runcorn-mum-blocked-child-pestering-14509284
Then, the North Wales Daily Post, on 1st March 2019, tells us that by August of that year, he was in Wales. He had failed to report to the police where he was living and was arrested at Fairbourne near Dolgellau close to a building used by teenagers. He was found to have ‘groomed’ another juvenile using Snapchat, and possessing an indecent image of a teenage girl. He is now returned to prison.
https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/sex-offender-jailed-after-using-15906944
Why, Where and How was this Londoner living in North Wales when he was released early after the first conviction? Especially as Probation Service officers were worried about the risk he posed to teenage girls.
That “nutter” that was accused of not being able to control her dogs and being a large accessory to a murder, was taken away from her family over a bull. When her dogs were placed in the dogs home, or whatever you wish to call it, the options was to put them down or pay £23,000 in which she paid for. So let’s get it straight, if she could not control or care for her dogs, would she of paid it? The farmer that had shot two dogs, both of which were puppies, had also shot a ‘French mastiff’ which was not involved in any attack. The farmer had always been asking to buy the land that she owned of her at a rediculously low price, when denied he did not stop there. He continued in pressuring the offer stating he would “get rid of [them]” he had, on several occasions, walked into the property that did not belong to him. Sheep continuously was placed on the land and he was aggressive towards the family, holding a gun to the mothers face in front of her children. The farmer is a disgusting human. Despicable in fact, and should have been arrested himself. The woman stated as a ‘witness’ was a drug dealer to young teens and young adults, witnessed by many. The welsh side to the story were agrivating, and no one enjoyed their company or presence. Ever.
The woman named “michaela” was a drug dealer, but was accepted to be a witness. I’m surprised she could lay her eyes on anything with them rolling about her head.
I just read the following and then did a search
Gwynedd paedophile handed himself in after being fooled by internet warning scam
http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/gwynedd-paedophile-handed-himself-after-8278099
Lo and behold, it appears that this bloke is from Ilford, Redbridge
https://www.facebook.com/nigel.batterham.7
I’m afraid that Blaenau is becoming something of a dumping ground, probably because it’s an out-of-the-way town with cheap property. The question is, did he move there of his own volition or was he moved by some agency?
It seems he has now been driven out of town. https://jacothenorth.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Batterham-1.png
I attended a meeting recently organised by Denbighshire County Councillor, Peter Owen, and 2 police officers regarding the concerns of residents in Dyserth, near Rhyl. Members of the public who live at Maes Glas and Maes Esgob were complaining bitterly about the, in their words. scumbag families that were being moved in from other areas, some of whom were dealing drugs and intimidating local families. I wonder who is responsible for housing these people in a small welsh village ? I am also concerned about Denbighshire Councils plan to allow 99 houses to be built in this small village on land that they own and intend to sell for 2 million pounds. There are plenty of houses for sale and for rent in the village already so where are these new residents to come from ?
Who owns the properties in which these problem families live? The thing to remember is that there’s good money to be made by councils and housing associations from taking in ‘difficult’ tenants. They get far more from the authority getting rid of such people than they would from a law-abiding local. Of course, they don’t have to live with the consequences.
As for the new housing, given the proximity to the A55 these are almost certainly for commuters to Chester, Merseyside or Manchester. Building in north Wales takes the pressure of Cheshire and maintains property values in places like Wilmslow. I have seen Wrexham properties advertised as being in ‘West Cheshire’.
It’s because welsh people are broke, and live of other countries, therefore the millions and millions brought in by these ‘troubled’ yet extremely rich families is despised by people like the ‘welsh’…
‘Scumbag families’ from different areas. I feel as if calling families with young children scumbags is a very low action placed by welsh people. They have very much to say about other counties and areas, however feel to call police when called names such as ‘sheepshaggers’ the disses thrown to each side of the fence should be dropped, and if the welsh don’t realise there actions in titling other countries then they should realise it won’t work as great for them x
I have read your posts and i agree with them there is a problem, this problem is very serious and is a danger to us all, if anyone of us is unlucky enough to encounter a situation involving a goverment housed criminal engaged in what is termed serious antisocial behaviour by the mps,the assembly, civil servants, and housing providers in(both the social and private sector) make no mistake our lives are at risk, the mps, welsh assembly, police and others know this and know of meany cases were persons have not lived through the antisocial behaviour of others.
welsh statutory instrument 2001 no 607(w30) persons in priority need wales order created antisocial behaviour and drugs problems in wales in my oppinion at least in the social sector, then buy to let and private lets made the situation the same in privately owned housing.
When I was working in Colwyn Bay I had course to visit the Norfolk Hotel, which was used to house people withe drug and alcohol problems, when I commented everyone seems to have a scouse accent I was told they are here to get them away from a bad environment, I pointed out, Colwyn Bay is now a bad environment. Deafening silence.
See Mark Drakeford’s research http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/children-care-numbers-wales-rising-2017537 but with the unfortunate conclusion of providing more services, a bit of systemic analysis about how many come to Wales might generate more creative solutions. Housing mobility in social housing is undoubtedly a factor but in future, I fear that we will be hosting those families who have to leave London and the South East due to changes in housing benefit and it is likely to be in the privately rented sector at least in the first instance. There is then a huge impact on social services, the health service, education etc. It is very unfair that those LAs least able to cope are being given even more problems. Unfortunately in Wales, all we do is react and listen to pious platitudes from politicians about human rights rather than the responsibilities of citizens. And I say this from the point of view of being a life long Labour ‘sheep’.
Think we could also look at the disproportionately high numbers of children in the care of local councils, the huge cost of their care and the proportion with the same background as described above. Nobody has the bottle to speak about this problem, or the numbers of English children placed in Wales, both groups causing stress to a fragile system. Small councils add to the problem, few have much of an overview of what is going on. Added to which there are a number of private agencies now owned by private equity companies who make money from this parlous situation.
That’s the problem with this and so many other issues – people are afraid to speak. Ever since the mauling given to Seimon Glyn, Gwilym ab Ioan and, most memorably, IWJ on QT by Glenys Kinnock, people prefer to pretend the problem isn’t there.
I was born and brought up on Anglesey and it breaks my heart to see the once thriving market town of Llangefni reduced to some sort of suburb of Liverpool or Manchester. The dishonest council accepted thousands of pounds for accommodating “problem” antisocial families. Crime rates rose. The strong Welsh community broke down, and now the charity shops and kebab bars supply the needs of the methadone swigging inhabitants.
Do you have any idea of the amounts involved, and when these deals were done? I would appreciate any further information. If you prefer, mail me directly at editor@jacothenorth.net.
http://ukpaedos-exposed.com/
Another worrying aspect with regards to Benit is that the Daily Post actually state (twice) that he is ‘from Rhyl’. In much the same way that the media referred to Mark Bridger as being ‘from Machynllyth’.
I’ve archived the original page in case they change it.
http://archive.is/IpQQM
It might be a good idea to provide a permanent link to this page for easy reference, I’ve shared it quite a few times and it needs updating as it highlights both the dumping of criminals and the covering up by the media.
Also archived his tweet too
http://archive.is/L3ZCh
The DP mentions the previous conviction but still can’t bring itself to say that this was in Manchester. I will link with your archived page. In fact, I plan to re-write the post; take out the ‘recommendations’ and stick with proven cases.
I have also put something up in my sidebar (which I’ll improve when I get a chance). There are a few cases I’ve noticed that make me suspicious but I can’t find any references to these bastards’ origins. So I’m going to ask for information.
Outsiders commiting a disproportionate number of crimes in rural Wales ……. absolutely. Are we allowed to talk about it though?
A cursory look at the crime data for Pembrokeshire, Ceredigion, Carmarthenshire and Powys and Jac’s migration table does not appear to reveal a link between crime rates and the level of migration. But it is troubling to see that the area with the highest level of violent crime in Wales is North Wales Central – not what you would expect for a coastal region with a rural hinterland but a phenomenon seen elsewhere in the UK eg Blackpool, Brighton.
http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/crime-stats/crime-statistics/period-ending-march-2012/rft-recorded-crime-tables-2011-12.xls
Whatever one’s view is on this matter, it is nevertheless important to acknowledge that the great majority of migrants to Wales are decent, law-abiding people, many of whom make important and sometimes vital contributions to their adopted communities.
It’s not whether there is a link between settlers and crime – that’s not the argument. The argument is that they are known dangerous offenders who are being deliberatley resetlled here.
I think Jac’s piece was about both.
Sorry there we are:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-23127096
That’s an interesting question by Robin. I can remember a guy told me some stupid statistic regarding crime in the Dyfed Powys area. It was a few years ago so I won’t try to recall it. But it could have been from what officers were telling him from their own experiences.
O/T
Just looking at Betsan Powys’ blog which she no longer writes and there’s this statement with regards to the Silk commission:
“But does there come a point at which devolving policy levers in the form of specific tax powers instead turns into handing one part of the UK what could be seen as an unfair competitive advantage over another?”
Looks like we’ve run into a wall now and Carwyn Jones’ hopes of Airport tax might be a non-starter. The Airport might well be another black hole in that case. It’s just becoming more an more obvious, that we won’t get out of the economic hole we find ourselves in without independence. Rant over.
Jac
You provide us with an intriguing hypothesis and, I must confess, that whenever I see or read a crime story in Wales I automatically fall into the trap of seeking to ascertain the origins of the perpetrator. Are immigrants to Wales more likely to be criminals than the indigenous population? Hopefully, a statistician somewhere is doing the maths.
I am convinced that a disproportionate number of the serious crimes committed in Wales are committed by persons who were not born and bred in Wales. From reading my local paper, and other local papers, I know that too many of the minor offences, dealt with in magistrates courts, are also committed by riff-raff being systematically dumped in Wales.
This influx may be good money for social housing providers and private landlords, but I think it’s about time someone tried to calculate how much these people are costing Wales. Even if someone just did a wild guesstimate it might force the hand of officialdom to give out some figures, and make politicians admit we have a problem. The first step to remedying any problem is recognising it.
It’s an old mantra, which I first coined well over a decade ago. At the time I was one of Plaid Cymru’s vice presidents and the chair of Plaid Cymru in Ceredigion. Reeleing in horror the Plaid hierarchy (Cynog Dafis, Elin Jones,Simon Thomas, Ieuan Wyn Jones, Little Tom Cobbly et al – with a few notable exceptions) set about kicking me out of their National Executive Committee – whilst trying to distance themselves from the “racist” (that was a bit of a joke as I was married to a scouser – hardly the actions of a racist!). Plaid Cymru Ceredigion followed suite and I resigned from the party because if there’s one thing I can’t stand is spineless hypocrites. No change there then.
What did I make public? The mantra was, that I thought “Wales was becoming a dumping ground for England’s “ODDBALLS, SOCIAL MISFITS & SOCIETY DROPOUTS”. Today I believe it more than ever and I’m saddened that my observation is now being proven more so than ever.
At the time I also muted the same as Jac has mentioned, that no other “normal” or sane country would tolerate such a situation. I used Switzerland as my example at the time – but Australia & Canada fit just as well. Try getting into Switzerland without being a professional. having a job to go to, have a clean record & above all you must have tens of thousands deposited in a Swiss bank. Fail on any of those counts and the door is firmly slammed in your face. That is because they are civilized and sensible & care for their country’s inhabitants.
Try this link for an interesting “blast from the past” : http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2001/sep/10/wales
This issue is the perfect illustration of the 1984 situation Wales is in today – deny the truth and defame those who dare speak it. But it can’t work for much longer; there are just too many serious crimes, horrendous crimes, being committed by people who shouldn’t be in Wales. Even if the ‘Welsh’ media refuses to delve into the culprits’ backgrounds it’s easy enough, with a little digging, to get at the truth.
correction last line ” promotion are not the values of any true Welsh person.” not instead of now.
I believe your article is 100% accurate ! There exists, I believe an English policy to rehouse, remove. rehabilitate the dregs of English (society) which they cannot (control) by sending them to Wales. This is done by a number of official organisations under the blessing of the Welsh Government .There is a funding process involving Local Government & Councils in Wales. .One of the reasons that I moved to North Wales was the low crime rate in Conwy which is I believe is mainly due to the activities of the Police. Their concerns for the safety & security of the elderly & the disabled are unmatched . However there is still a long way to go for the future protection & development of the young & the youth of Wales.
I personally believe that many people in Wales have been conned & duped by politico’s in the past & present, who have little or no real concern for the people of Wales. Greed , grandiose schemes , self promotion are now the values of any true Welsh person.
Politicos with no real concern for the people! That’s slander, if not heresy! We want no revolutionary thoughts like that on this blog.
Of course criminals get send to wales, lets get it straight London and Liverpool and such are relatively nice places, London especially seeing it’s a touristic attraction. Criminals get sent to wales because it’s a shit hole. Who really likes wales? Honestly! Criminals don’t want to be there! They rather be in a torture chamber. Personal experience, not a criminal myself, but I won’t be going to the hell for sheepshaggers. EVER AGAIN. Pedophiles, rapists, drug dealers, murderers, animal abusers, child abusers, all of which with that absolutely head banging welsh accent. Sorry that’s not my cup of tea. Obviously England’s better, the queen lives there, and although there’s ‘the prince of wales’ he’s only ever seen in London. Wales could make prince William into a criminal. Let’s be honest!
And now the biggest prison in Britain to be built in North Wales!!!
In North Wales, but not for North Wales. Guarantee that this will be used as an argument against devolving the prison system, or the justic system, or the probation service.
Another problem is the way in which the local government service has become a “national” service. Time was you got a job with your local council at 18 and then gradually worked your way up the ladder. Nowadays its all change with people moving in from England and moving on after a few years.
Of course the stay at home Welsh are less likely to progress because they don’t snap up the promotion opportunities in the English cities and therefore don’t qualify for the better jobs back home which goes to Cedric Hopeless from Dimwitshire.
You’ve got a particularly dreadful couple living in Telford who’d surely benefit from living in a more rural environment. Phone up your old pal Felicity Airhead who recently got a job with Cyngor Sir Bando and she’ll arrange housing for them and their eleven kids via her pal Nigel Common-Porpoise who runs Tai Dyffryn Cachu. You get the message.
Beautiful expressed, Nonny, and all true.
Am I right in saying that part of the problem is that the Probation Sevice has not been devolved and remains the Probation Service of England & Wales (Scotland being totally separated)? This allows the service to move high risk people from England to Wales without having to consult or gain permission of any part of Welsh Government.
Am I also right in saying that Housing Associations and third sector organisations dealing with ex-offenders and/or people with substance abuse issues are also doing likewise and for the same reason? That it’s not a devolved area and as such they have the freedom to operate both sides of the border?
As an afternote, I see that the geographically challanged ENGLISH Defence League intends to hold a demonstration in WALES in Llandudno on saturday the 10 August – in the peak of the holiday season. I have family living there and already the pubs and pier say they will close for the day as they do not want them here and neighbouring towns are starting to organise to do likewise. Shops, off-licnces all doing the same. The good people of Llandudno are absolutely furious that this can’t be stopped and that the powers to stop it have not been devolved to Wales, remaining firmly in the grasp of the Home Office. There is a f;edgling ‘Llandudno Says No’ grouping already forming and the locals intoend to turn out and block them en-masse.
Seems even England’s nazis operate cross border.
THe Probation Service not being devolved is one problem, aided by low property prices and lax legislation on houses of multiple occupation. Not so sure about housing associations, The WG claims to have its own code of practice to which all ‘Welsh’ housing associations must adhere. Problem is that housing assocations in Wales have links with charities and government agencies catering for ex-cons and people with ‘issues’ and these operate on an Englandandwales footing. I might make the effort to go to Llandudno. It’s about time these bastards were opposed on Welsh grounds.
I’ll be there. In my suit, regimental tie and medals – just to piss them off.
Yes that’s what I meant by third sector organisations. They do their bit, bring them in to HMOs, then once they quualify as ‘local’ they become the Housing Associations problems. (Rhyl is a classic example)