Letters: October 20, 2016

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Anniversary of disaster

FRIDAY, October 21 is the 50th anniversary of the Aberfan disaster.

The disaster resulted in the deaths of 116 children (mainly 6-9 year olds) and 28 adults, five of whom were teachers.

At 9.15am October, 1966 a coal slag heap, 800 feet high and containing 1 million tonnes (estimates vary) slipped down the steep mountain slopes smashing into the farmhouse cottages 500 yards below, instantly killing its occupants. It then rampaged towards Pantglas Infants/Junior school, 1,500 yards away, breaching its outer walls, and then slammed into the school.

Streaming over parts of the stricken school it buried cars in the street below then demolished a whole row of houses which collapsed like skittles.

Two major water pipes (Brecon-Cardiff) fractured causing thousands of tons of water to lubricate the coal slag.

According to witnesses it sounded like a jet plane flying too low.

Friday was the last day before half-term so everyone was in ebullient mood.

The last survivor was rescued at 11am that day. Bodies and body parts were still being found up to one week later.

One male head teacher, new to Pantglas school, was discovered clutching five children in his arms in a vain attempt to save them. The whole class perished.

The scale of the disaster is still hard to take in even now.

Pre-1966, Pantglas school headmistress, the local councillor et al, complained to Merthyr Tydfil Corporation of the ever-present danger. The council forwarded the complaints to the National Coal Board (NCB), who gave bland assurances but did virtually nothing. Even during most of the 66-day Tribunal hearing the NCB were still in denial of blame. (The longest tribunal up till then in history)

Ackner QC accused the NCB managers/directors, of ‘eight years of folly and neglect’ regarding Tip 7.

There had been previous tip slides, the last one in 1963 – warning signs ignored by the NCB. He also used the term ‘callous indifference’ regarding NCB officials but the Tribunal dismissed this allegation.

With the passage of time and the tragedy of the Hillsborough disaster I believe he was correct in his analyses of the devious NCB officials, including Lord Robens.

No-one from the NCB ever bothered to inspect the tips, except the odd perfunctory glance.

It was learned during the hearings that water and coal slurry are a fatal combination, more so on a steep gradient. Common sense, perhaps?

Incredibly, in the light of Hillsborough, no-one was ever prosecuted for gross negligence even though the NCB eventually admitted liability.

No board member or NCB employee was demoted, dismissed or prosecuted.

The Tribunal’s conclusions?

“The Aberfan Disaster is a terrifying tale of bungling ineptitude by many men charged with tasks for which they were totally unfitted, of failure to heed clear warnings, and a total lack of direction from above.”

Parents who lost one or more children were paid just £1,000 compensation because the authorities reasoned that coming from an economically deprived mining village they would be unable to cope with large amounts of money.

Adding insult to injury the Wilson government removed £150,000 from the Aberfan charity fund in order to pay towards the removal of Tip 7.

One man, John Collins, lost his wife, two sons, his house, and was left without even one photograph of them.

Some blamed God for the disaster, but as one one barrister said: “God never built the tips.”

The real tragedy is that it need never have happened.

Lessons to be learnt? NEVER trust authority!

JEFF ADAMS

Swindon

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Tax increase on horizon

WITH absolute predictability the Conservative administration at the civic offices advise that Swindon taxpayers will face above inflation Council Tax rises for the next three or four years. Of course, it is not only a 4.99 per cent increase on Council Tax, it is also a potential five per cent increase on other ‘services’ such as green waste collection which used to be funded from general taxation but is now charged separately. The new service was intended to save SBC taxpayers over £720k per annum but was opposed by a majority of residents on the basis the charge was unfair and regressive; but most importantly the service was already paid for in the Council Tax.

It was only three years ago that the council cancelled its contract with SCS and brought services such as street cleaning back under SBC control with politicians claiming the move would “deliver efficient services within budgetary constraints” and yet now they are forcing parish councils to take on the tasks of the Streetsmart portfolio which will result in Swindon residents paying even more tax. How short-term is the approach taken by Swindon’s politicians or is three years a “long time in politics”?

Coun Renard and his fellow councillors lack the moral courage to make the case for Council Tax increases and present them to the people of Swindon to decide by way of a referendum; they would prefer to take the 3.99 per cent and continue reducing publicly funded services while leaving the parish councils to pick up the shortfall. Perhaps they simply do not trust the electorate to provide the answer they want.

The reality as we all know is that central government – of the same hue as the council administration – is starving local authorities of funding whilst at the same time indulging their appetite for fancy futuristic ‘legacy schemes’ which cost billions but offer little in terms of satisfying the requirements of people today. There is no shortage of money in the government’s coffers, just an unwillingness to allocate it in the right way.

I fear that Cllr Renard and his motley crew are not as aggressive in seeking funding as they ought to be and they certainly do not appear to be willing to tell central government – enough is enough.

DES MORGAN

Caraway Drive

Swindon