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  • cardiff
  • council
  • free
  • parking

So despite the rhetoric about leaving our cars at home, taking the bus to work and helping to improve the environment of our city centre, our council leaders aren't exactly living up to their public words.
Today in a special investigation, our reporter Matthew Aplin has discovered that six out of seven of Cardiff Council's executive cabinet are still driving to work and parking for free in County Hall's underground car park.
Unlike our readers, they face no £5 a day charge... they don't even get wet when it rains.

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where's city final

Computer problems put paid to our normal City Final edition today.. which meant that sadly we were unable to update readers on a couple of quite lively stories.

Echo reader Karen Evans walked into the office this morning with some strong news pictures from the fire on the City fans bus last night.

Thankfully no-one was hurt in the incident - which is quite incredible when you see the size of the fire.

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david cameron

I'M travelling to London tomorrow for a meeting with Tory leader David Cameron, along with other newspaper editors from around the country.
Should be interesting as I still don't feel we really know much about Cameron and what he stands for.
I'll be interested in hearing his views about Wales, particularly now with the Conservatives as official opposition to the Labour and Plaid coalition.
Have you got a burning question for Cameron? Post your thoughts and I'll see if I can put him on the spot.

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rugby world cup in cardiff

The Rugby World Cup is about to hit Cardiff.
The eyes of the world will turn to the Welsh capital as TV stations around the world beam back pictures from the Wales v Australia match.
More than 70,000 will pack the Stadium for what we all hope will be a thrilling spectacle.
What a fantastic occassion and what a marketing opportunity for the city!
At least that's what you'd think......
But take a walk into Cardiff city centre and see how much of that Rugby World Cup excitement you can see.

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Dan O Neil and the Eisteddfod

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The BBC seem to be whipping up a mini-row over our columnist Dan O'Neil's piece yesterday about the Eisteddfod coming to Cardiff next year.
Dan, in his own unique style, talks about how non-Welsh speakers may view the event and takes quite a barbed look at the festival.
http://icwales.icnetwork.co.uk/southwalesecho/comment/tm_headline=let-8217-s-tell-these-dotty-druids-to-byrger-off%26method=full%26objectid=19670446%26siteid=50082-name_page.html
I am told that Huw Llewellyn Davies, the BBC's experienced rugby pundit - and a high profile member of Cardiff's Welsh community - was interviewed this morning on the radio and was critical of the paper for publishing Dan's views.

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summertime

There is no harder time to work on a newspaper than in Summer.
Everyone is away on holiday, the world comes to a standstill ... and we've still got an 88 page newspaper to fill!
This is when good planning kicks in and I'm glad to say that the Echo is up there with the best when it comes to planning news, features and sport coverage.
So today, while there was hardly a mention of South Wales on the morning radio bulletins, we are still able to provide page after page of news from deaths on the M4, Charlotte Church's revelations in her new book and a great, great interview with the Cardiff couple who won $5m on the lottery.
And the first thing they are going to buy?

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Fowlermania

The signing of Robbie Fowler has been a stroke of genius at Ninian Park.

The scenes at the fun day on Sunday - and last Friday when the new kit went on sale - were more reminiscent of those outside a rock concert than a football ground.

There is real excitement about the club this Summer and should they get a good start to the season, the interest will go through the roof.

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Children's Hospital

Another shambles. That's the only way of describing the shameful situation which has seen the Welsh public raise £10m for a children's hospital in Cardiff ... only for the local health board to say: 'Sorry we can't afford to run it.'
I can quite understand the furious reaction from the Noah's Ark fundraisers who have done such a fantastic job in stirring up support for their campaign.
Lyn Jones, the chairman of the trustees, said that Cardiff Local Health Board was 'completely out of touch with the people of Cardiff and Wales.'
And, in this case, I think he's right.

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video

YouTube has become a great source of news stories for newspapers.
Yesterday the Echo has the story of the new mayoress of Llantwit Major and a film of her that has been put on the website.
The film shows her having a very loud and aggressive row with a pub landlady, throwing in racist insults and threatening to 'kill her.'
It is unbelievable stuff and you have to see it to believe it. Go to http://icwales.icnetwork.co.uk/southwalesecho/news/tm_headline=mayoress-threat-to-pub-landlady%26method=full%26objectid=19472900%26siteid=50082-name_page.html

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Chopra and ASW

Today's ASW story http://icwales.icnetwork.co.uk/southwalesecho/news/tm_headline=hopes-of-triumph-for-asw-workers%26method=full%26objectid=19450980%26siteid=50082-name_page.html marks a huge watershed in the Echo's Justice for the Workers campaign.

This campaign was launched five years ago when the workers at the ASW factory lost their pensions when their company collapsed.

Today Peter Hain has told us that he will be making sure in his new position as Pensions Minister that the workers will get their money.

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