NEW proposals of the Penarth Council for boundary changes seemed at first sight to be the most sensible and logical of them all, wrote Rowland Harris.

Certainly the White Paper suggestion that Penarth should be grouped with Cowbridge is ludicrous.

And as far as teaming up with Barry is concerned, neither Penarth nor Barry want it now, according to the “leakages” from the private meeting.

The new suggestions would enable the aims of the White Paper to be achieved of an eventual area of population of around 50,000 to 70,000 and the provision of a new access road would open up new areas for development which Penarth needs badly.

The suggestions entail linking up with Lavernock, Sully and St Andrews, part of Wenvoe, Michaelston and Leckwith.

These are all adjacent: travel between them is natural and the areas share a much closer community interest than any ideas so far put forward.

Mr Parsons, the Penarth surveyor, is to be congratulated.

The big stumbling block is the Ministry mind which tends to shut out everything which it has not conceived itself.

But as Cllr Barratt inferred “nothing ventured, nothing won”.

The Minister has asked for ideas.

We must see now they are presented in a way which shows that his own aims are best met with these proposals.

At no time during a Christmas period have I known less goodwill amongst politicians – and towards them.

Stumbling from one crisis to another, wracked with dissension inside the Government and fiercely assailed outside, it would seem to be futile to wish anyone “a happy New Year.”

There does not seem to be anyone big enough to attack the root of the trouble which is that we are spending too much on ourselves in the social security services.

This is particularly so with the health service.

The whole system needs a drastic over-hall, no-one wants to penalise the needy, yet hundreds of millions of pounds are being wasted inside the hospitals with excessive ordering of supplies.

And outside the health service is becoming a racket of the first order, but no member of parliament who values his seat will say so.

Doctors clear out of the country because they are over-taxed and over-worked.