A Greenprint for the Valleys

Next Monday, I am launching 'A Greenprint for the Valleys'. The launch meeting will be held on 21st March at 7pm in Cwmaman Institute in the Cynon Valley, with Plaid Cymru’s Cynon Valley candidate, Dafydd Trystan Davies.

The Greenprint is an attempt to offer ideas which will provide solutions to the varied problems we face in the valleys from public sector cuts, high levels of unemployment, especially among young people, low skills levels as well as potential future problems like fuel and food price rises, benefit and pension cuts and the weather-related effects of climate change.

Proposals include establishing a Green Construction Skills College, implementing an integrated transport plan for the valleys, providing financial support for home energy efficiency measures and for the setting up of green co-operatives, as well as creating a land bank for renewable energy and food production and a programme to renovate heritage buildings.

Can we wake up the community spirit that was strong in the valleys during the 80s miners' strike? Can we recreate the ethos of our forefathers who built the miners’ welfare halls, the libraries, the hospitals and the workingmen's clubs in the days before the welfare state existed?

With the ConDem government in London intent upon tearing apart our hard-fought-for welfare safety-net, I hope that this consultation document will at least help to start a debate among people in the valleys about how we can use our own skills and resources to build protection against these attacks and to make sure the area has a future.

A second public meeting will be held at 7.30pm on Monday March 28th in the Soar Ffrwdamos Centre, Penygraig, Rhondda, with Plaid’s Assembly candidate Sêra Evans-Fear.

Copies of the Greenprint will be available at the public meetings and in the form of a PDF on the Plaid Cymru site from next Monday.

Cuts in RCT - Demo today

At 11.30 today, Ynysangharad Park in Pontypridd will be host to a demonstration against the cuts.

"The Demonstration has been called by RCT UNISON Branch & is supported by PCS, UNITE, GMB, Pontypridd Trades Council, Right To Work South Wales and many more.

Contrary to what some Labour councillors have told local people, Plaid Cymru has not supported any of the moves to downgrade workers' terms and condidtions. We opposed the original motion which handed decision-making to council officers and we have opposed their heavy-handed tactics since.

In response to feedback that we have received from people who have been told that Plaid supported these decisions we have issued the following statement and we will be aupporting the demonstration today.

Sera Evans-Fear, Treorci councillor and Plaid Assembly candidate in the Rhondda said:

“Ed Milliband and Carwyn Jones will be at the Welsh Labour annual conference while workers in RCT are demonstrating against decisions taken by their party members. They must be asked whether they agree with the downgrading of workers' terms and conditions in RCT? Are they really happy with a Labour council initiating lockouts of unions; forcing workers to take a pay cut in an area which is blighted by low pay? What would they have to say if this was being done by a Tory council? My guess is that they would be outraged.

I know from speaking to council workers that they are very angry about this issue. They feel badly let down by their Labour councillors and have had nothing but a wall of silence from their Labour AM and Labour MP.

The Labour conference is taking place as far away from this rally as possible. Whatever the geographical distance, as party leaders, Ed Milliband and Carwyn Jones have to be held accountable for the actions of this Labour council in bullying their hard-working staff.”

Leanne Wood AM said:

“Workers and their trades unions are sending a very clear statement today. The cuts should not be paid for by those on the lowest incomes who had no hand in the cause of this financial crisis. The cuts that are being imposed by this Labour-run council are unacceptable. Other councils in Wales have managed to balance their books without bulldozing through slashed pay and conditions. Elsewhere in Wales, councils have managed to keep council tax rises low, at 0% in some cases, while Labour in RCT have increased council tax by 3%. How are council workers who are forced to take a £3,000 year pay cut meant to afford a council tax increase like this as well as the general rise in prices brought about by inflation and the rise in VAT? I have spoken to many workers who are not prepared to take this attack lying down and I fully support them."