Ceredigion County Council is, in my opinion for good reason, deeply unpopular with people in Aberystwyth. The same is likely true across the rest of the County, but my focus is here in Aberystwyth. Between unelected officers making decisions and pressuring votes, a Cabinet structure that is highly undemocratic, repeated failures to hold CCC officers and decision makers to account, and any semblance of scrutiny being suppressed, it is understandable why people feel disgruntled when council tax goes up again, yet services remain stagnant or are removed entirely.

So what are peoples options? I would of course advocate for them to hold their representatives to account at the ballot box, but the issue goes much deeper than that. Short of a complete overhaul of Ceredigion County Council and its structures, a change in faces will likely mean more officer control, and the electoral reality meaning that a majority for any other party is unlikely. Any coalition or agreement, unless hyper-targeted, disciplined, and ready to truly hold decision makers to account, will fail. 

One solution I present is this; the devolution of some services and decision making powers away from Ceredigion County Council to Aberystwyth Town Council. That devolution of powers should only occur when we are given the revenue and capital to back it up. The problem is, of course, that only when pigs can fly would CCC agree to such a radical proposal.

So, while I figure out how to glue some wings to a pigs’ back, I’ll put forward the case for such a radical devolution of powers to a more local government.

I’ll start my case by stating I am not saying Aberystwyth Town Council is perfect. Anyone who comes to our meetings knows how often I am frustrated by certain decisions and rationales. 

But what I witness every single Monday I sit in the Council chambers for Committees or Full Council, is a group of people working as hard as they possibly can to make Aberystwyth better. What I meet when I walk into the office to check some minutes or read a policy is a team of staff dedicated fully to the betterment of our town, to making it a safer, happier, and healthier place to live. When we work together I see amazing things happen; they can be as simple as putting a bin where a community needs it, or as complex as managing million pound projects. Whatever it is, everyone tries their best to make it a success.

Aberystwyth Town Council is on the larger end of Town Councils. Our precept (main part of our budget, that is claimed as a small portion of your Council Tax) this year is nearing £700,000. On top of that we are managing partners of Prosiect Aber and a few other pots of money. This means that we manage upwards of £1million. Though a lot to any individual resident, this is a small budget in the grand scheme of local government. Though I am sceptical of viewing it this way, let’s ask the question: 

What do residents of Aberystwyth get for their money out of ATC? First of all some basic items; all playgrounds in Aberystwyth, and their maintenance. Green spaces, and their maintenance. Festivals and parades, including Dwynwen, St David’s Day (which we part fund), Gwenllian, Glyndwr, Remembrance (organised by the RBL on our behalf), and others we are partners in, such as the Christmas Light Switch-On. We run and maintain allotments, including those at the new Plascrug site. Public sites such as Parc Kronberg are under our control, and soon to be the old castle ground and Plascrug avenue, pending CCC sign-off. Aberystwyth residents also get representation on various partnerships and projects via the Town Council, including Twinning, Rail Passenger Committees, Refugee Resettlement Group, Menter, Greener Aberystwyth, and many many others. 

In addition to all these ‘basic’ services, Aberystwyth Town Council has also managed to employ a street cleaner to help tackle the rubbish in town, has ensured the public toilets remain open by providing funding to CCC, is developing Neuadd Gwenfrewi and Maes Gwenfrewi to be a community owned and operated space, a programme of summer entertainment on the bandstand, greater links with our twin towns, at-cost sale of Gull Proof Bags, Community Grants that support so many fantastic causes, the new Old Town Market, and again, so much more. 

Now, I'm very aware that anyone attempting to justify more politicians and layers of government has a hill steeper than Consti and taller than Pen-Dinas to climb. But I think that Aberystwyth Town Council provides quality representation and support to our fantastic town. This lies in stark contrast to some of the decisions and actions of CCC. Furthermore, what I am advocating for is the devolution of powers to ATC; functionally ATC is empowered. This does not create any more layers of government, really just strengthens one layer we already have. There is precedent for this. ATC used to be a much stronger entity when it existed as a borough council. When it was dissolved as such, most of its assets were transferred to CCC and ATC was defanged. What we have seen over time is ATC going from strength to strength, and I think it needs the space to regain its old power, and provide true, responsive, and accountable representation for the people of Aberystwyth. Aberystwyth deserves better than it gets from Ceredigion County Council. Aberystwyth needs better than it gets from Ceredigion County Council.

It doesn’t matter what I think though; it matters what you, the residents and voters of Aberystwyth think.