Since the council has made it easier for people to contact them there has been a big jump in the number of messages the council has received.
Readers might be surprised to learn that the number of compliments the council received actually outnumbers the amount of complaints.

A report presented to the council's corporate support services scrutiny panel showed that, in the year 2007/08, the council received 692 compliments and 575 complaints – compared to 592 and 342 respectively in the previous year.

Councillor Phil Box, chairman of the previously mentioned panel, says: "Though complaints have increased in the past 12 months, this is largely down to the council's new customer service centre – which makes it easier for people to make a complaint in the first instance; improvements that make it easier for people to complain online; and other activities designed to encourage people to contact the council with feedback.

"I'm pleased to see that the number of compliments received by the council has also risen in the past year, and continues to exceed the number of complaints."

That's well done to the council I think. Now I wonder if Powys will release similar figures some time soon?

***

I DON'T know what your pay increase was this year, but I'm guessing that most of you will have been lucky to have received much more than a two per cent rise.

I can only imagine it will rankle with you that senior Assembly officials have had a 154 per cent increase over the amount of their bonuses in the last five years, according to figures just released by the Tories.

Top officials pocketed more than £680,000 in bonuses last year.
The government will argue the payments were made in accordance with the Senior Civil Service pay system which is determined by the UK Government on the advice of the independent Senior Salaries Review Body.
Tory leader Nick Bourne says: "I find it incredible that the Labour-Plaid government has the brass neck to award staff such whopping bonuses when it has been failing on so many fronts over the last 12 months."

Whatever spin you put on it, they've had a better deal than most of us who are paying their wages.

***

"WHAT a waste of time the whole process has been"... You couldn't have put it any better Barbara Jessop, from Castle Caereinion.

She was, of course, referring to the so-called consultation over the closure of so many of our village Post Offices.

They've told us they are going to close many of our Post Offices, then they consulted with us (and there were plenty of unheeded protests) – and then they proceeded to shut all (with a couple of exceptions) the Post Offices they said they wanted to close.

I doubt that the people of Castle Caereinion, Llanbrynmair, Llanddewi Brefi, Llangeitho, Llanilar, Llanwrtyd Wells, Llyswen/Boughrood and Pontsian will feel like they've been properly consulted... totally ignored more like.

My heart goes out to people like Michael Rogers who runs the Post Office in Castle Caereinion who says: "Everyone is very upset about the decision to close the Post Office. I have been running it since 1971, and my parents were before that, so it's sad for me personally and for the village as a whole."

***

HOW bitterly disappointing that TNS should lose out in their first round UEFA game by that last gasp goal in Lithuania.

Let's keep everything crossed for next week's return match back over here. Come on you Saints.