Creative ideas for AM surgeries

I've had quite a productive day today. I've been out doing a street surgery in Pontardawe, and there is plenty of issues to get stuck in to in the area. I like getting out and about because I think that going to talk to people is much more accessible than having to wait for them to come to you at a designated time. It also takes you to different areas, and allows you to meet different people with varying concerns. I'm looking in to the idea of holding surgeries in alternative venues so that I can be more accessible. For example, during the election, the cafe La Cucina in Skewen were more than happy for us to use the Cafe as a base, and it was an ideal location to meet people. Aileen Campbell, the youngest MSP at the Scottish Parliament has also researched this possibility, and held a surgery at a local fayre over the summer so as to raise her profile locally.
In Camarthen East, I know that Adam Price MP holds surgeries with local groups or charities. I am going to trial it in this area, and see what the response is like.

This afternoon I was also at a meeting with Bridgend Council. This meeting is intended to keep AM's updated with the work of the Council generally, concentrating on regeneration plans in the area. It was very informative, much like the meeting that I attended last month with Swansea Council Leaders. It's a way of keeping us in the loop with any developments, and a key opportunity for us to question the Council with regards issues that have arisen through our work as AM's. I am not sure if Neath Port Talbot are organising such meetings, but I think that it would be a positive initiative for them to take on.

Tomorrow I am going to a Cut the Carbon rally organised by Christian Aid in Cooper's Field in Cardiff. Hollywood actress Greta Scacchi and others will be speaking at the rally. Then I will go on to the Football match at the Millennium Stadium. I hope we put up a good fight!

Bridgend Council out of tune

I can't believe that Bridgend Council are planning to charge school children for music tuition in schools. They plan to charge £6 an hour for lessons, and all in order to make the £5.5million saving that they need to carry out as a Council. I understand that Council budget's are tight, but this smacks of desperation on the Council's behalf. There is obviously no clear savings strategy, otherwise this small scale scheme would be a no go area.

To charge students for music tuition will lead to a segregation between those who can afford the lessons and those who can't. Poorer children are already stigmatised enough, without Council's interfering. In my experience, many successful talented musicians are from lower income families, and struggle hard enough to fund instruments, courses etc without putting fees for lessons in to the equation.

If the Council decide to charge for lessons, this sets a very bad example to other Council's who may be considering this option. It could lead to a fall in demand of music tuition, thus putting the livelihoods of our unappreciated Peripatetic teachers in the balance.

Music provision is always the first to go when cut backs are needed- this was so in Aberystwyth University when Music degrees were scrapped a while back. This shouldn't be the case. Studying music taught me so many varying skills- from communication, to teamwork, to commitment, not to mention the social skills on many a music course!

It definitely shouldn't be rated as a second class subject. Bridgend Council obviously view it as such, otherwise this scheme wouldn't be up for discussion!

*(The picture on this blog is of a VIOLA, not a VIOLIN. It is, in my eyes, the best instrument that exists. It is not a mongrel violin, ok?!)