I'VE been waiting for the Six Nations Champio-nship to end to have a go at a massive local rugby issue - and it's got nothing to do with Wales, on or off the field.

It's about Newport city council and their inability or unwillingness to do anything to help redevelop Rodney Parade as a major rugby venue or get rid of the ground altogether - heresy to some, realistic to others - and build a new stadium elsewhere within the city boundaries.

Newport Gwent Dragons whose headquarters is Rodney Parade and who are the focal point for sport in the area, whatever others may say, are being treated shamefully.

Just look at what is happening elsewhere in Wales. The local authority in Swansea provided nearly all the funding for the £27m, 20,000 all-seater new Liberty Stadium which houses Swansea City and the Ospreys.

Carmarthenshire County Council are prepared to stump up £15m towards a new ground for Llanelli Scarlets, a move which would involve selling Stradey Park, an historic ground just like Rodney Parade, and building houses and shops on and around it.

What is Newport council doing to help Newport Gwent Dragons and Newport? Apart from a bit of goodwill absolutely nothing. Sorry, that's not quite right - they take a cool £45,000 in rates every year. What a shameful state of affairs.

They are quite happy to at worst risk seeing rugby in this area go down the pan for lack of investment or at best throw them to the wolves and say 'get on with it, there's nothing we can do.'

Yet the local authority, with Newport Unlimited, are planning to inject a massive £150m into three master plans covering the central, eastern and western areas of the city.

The central area plan involves a new footbridge and cycle bridge across the River Usk, new roads and 2,000 new houses. It fringes Rodney Parade, but does not include it.

Don't the people responsible realise the importance of a vibrant rugby team competing in Wales, Scotland and Ireland in the Celtic League and in France as well in the Heineken Cup is an essential part of life in the city?

The Dragons will do far more to put Newport on the map than any city regeneration scheme. Only last week the council pledged at least £5m towards a new university campus in Newport as part of an overall scheme costing £50m.

To ignore rugby and Rodney Parade in all this is lamentable, especially when all other major rugby playing centres in Wales are enjoying major financial support from their local authorities.

There is also a suggestion Cardiff will be next, with the council keen to purchase the Arms Park ground where Cardiff Blues and Cardiff play and move them to Leckwith Stadium or Sophia Gardens.

There are two options here - redevelop Rodney Parade or sell it and build a new stadium at Spytty or Tredegar Park which would be handy for fans from all around the area.

Are the council happy for Newport to be the poor relations of Welsh rugby? Do they want to see the area, despite all their proud schemes elsewhere, reduced to a laughing stock?

Don't they mind critics like Stuart Davies labelling the ground which hosted the recent Wales-under 21 games as, quite simply, 'old?'

While the other major Welsh teams are striding out with ambitious new schemes here it is fast becoming a festering sore.

Are the council aware the Dragons squad travel out on buses to places like Caerleon, Llanwern and Cwmbran to train in all weather often on rotten surfaces when the Scarlets, Ospreys and Blues have dedicated training facilities on one site?

Do they not think there is fast becoming a stigma attached to Newport? Do they even care?

It is no good at all saying 'physician heal thyself' because every other region in Wales is getting local authority help. Here it's non-existent.

Having got that off my chest and hoping against hope it may receive a positive response, it's also time for Welsh rugby to sort itself out.

Is an EGM really necessary? What would be the purpose? What would it achieve? What is the point?

It appears the case put by WRU chief executive Steve Lewis and chairman David Pickering on their roadshows, packaged or not, is pretty watertight.

And the clubs are not likely to get Mike Ruddock to appear at any EGM because he has already asked for confidentiality.

Given that Wales put up such a valiant performance against France and with a whole host of players to return next season what do delegates want?

If they wish for a new group chief executive in overall charge okay, maybe that will happen though at a cost to the WRU of over £200,000 a year.

But a vote of no confidence, a massive upheaval by removing the chief officers? For what? And as I've said before, Barclays Bank, still owed over £40m by the WRU, would surely take an active interest if it all descends into chaos.

England are fast approaching that state with even calls for Sir Clive Woodward to return to sort it out.

England's national team is overburdened by ridiculous demands on their players by the clubs which is not the case in Wales.

A few heads need banging together in Wales and all the hidden agendas need to be sorted. Some hope.