Carmarthenshire council rats


Alec Thraves

A glimpse of the response to the massive cuts to council services in Wales was highlighted this week by the direct action of one Carmarthenshire resident.

After being told that Carmarthenshire county council no longer had a pest control department she caught one of the live rats infesting her property. She took it to the county hall and asked the receptionist to please pass it on to the chief executive!

An unusual and humorous protest but revealing a serious situation when residents in Carmarthenshire cannot rely on council services to prevent the spread of vermin.

However, Carmarthenshire’s pest department will not be the only part of council services that will be cut if councillors vote through a package of £30 million of cuts in February! Huge job cuts and attacks on services will be devastating.

Carmarthenshire Unison branch has submitted a ‘no cuts budget’ to the council and is leading the way in Wales in preparing to link up local government unions and community campaigners to oppose all cuts to jobs and services.

At the planned council lobbies and protests of next month, residents and workers will be keeping a keen eye on those councillors who are prepared to ‘rat’ on their constituents and will remember them at the next election.

Unison lobby of Carmarthenshire council executive, Monday 3 February, 8.30am, Carmarthen Town Hall