11th April 2008

Plaid Cymru Manifesto

Plaid Cymru sent us their Manifesto today. So here it is in full.

CREATING TOMORROW’S GWYNEDD

PREFACE

Gwynedd is changing. It is changing as a County and changing as a Council. There is a change in our population, in our economy and in the way we deliver public services. Gwynedd is also facing the results of climate change just like other parts of the world. The challenge facing Gwynedd Council and Plaid Cymru is to react to these changes and to plan constructively a sustainable future for Gwynedd in order to deliver first rate public services for our people.

In a world where the powers of the multi national companies and large governments are becoming more and more influential, Gwynedd Council has a key role in ensuring the future of the unique structure of our communities as well as our culture and traditions.  But every challenge and threat also provides an opportunity and Plaid Cymru believes that the people of Gwynedd have the ability and power to ensure the prosperity of our communities and our way of life.  Our role as a Council is to ensure that the appropriate conditions are in place to support and promote this.

It’s through planning purposefully and freeing up the potential of our people that we can create Gwynedd Tomorrow: a Gwynedd where the environment and language are respected, a Gwynedd where we promote opportunities for each individual  and a Gwynedd where there is a sense of venture and excitement amongst our young people.

Plaid Cymru, in partnership with the people of Gwynedd, is ready to lead the work of ensuring a prosperous future for all the communities in our County, in an imaginative, creative and strong manner.

GOVERNING

In today’s post devolution Wales, the Welsh county councils, together with the town and community councils, remain the layer of government closest to the people.  Gwynedd Council supports public services which the people of Gwynedd make use of daily – from refuse collection and book lending to leisure centres and schools.  But this agenda is becoming increasingly challenging when we have to operate within an ever more difficult financial context.  Since 2004, Gwynedd council has received, on average, the second lowest settlement in Wales from the Assembly Government.  The government’s financial formulae do not recognise the higher costs of providing services in rural areas.  This has resulted in us in Gwynedd facing cuts of £16m in the Council’s budget over the period 2007-2011.  In order to avoid having to make cuts across all services, as a Council we have adopted a pioneering method of prioritising functions and finding efficiency savings together with a regime of variable targeting so that essential services such as schools are protected.

 Gwynedd Council under Plaid Cymru’s leadership would

• Continue to campaign on the matter of fair funding for the rural areas of Wales.
• Support Plaid Cymru’s call nationally for a review of the Barnett formula to ensure a fairer system of funding public services in Wales.
• Review the Council’s financial investment systems so that we do not invest Gwynedd people’s money to support the arms industry or in oppressive states.
• Raise its voice against central government’s spending on nuclear weapons and unnecessary wars rather than investing in local services.

Plaid Cymru in Gwynedd believes in working with others in order ensure the greatest benefit for the people of Gwynedd. We acknowledge that no one has a monopoly on new ideas or innovative thinking. This is why we have nurtured a culture of joint working and being inclusive in our decision-making process – from the cross county project Gwynedd Together to the Council Board which includes  representation from each of the political groups.

Gwynedd Council, under Plaid Cymru’s leadership, is renowned for being a council which is ruled firmly and providently.  The Audit Commission in its’ latest report on the Council’s work says, “The Council has responded robustly to many important maters during the year and, although the Council still faces many challenges, we have recognised commendable performances in the main matters that the Council have contracted to accomplish.”

While serving the County of  Gwynedd, as a Council we recognise our wider role and responsibility to the rest of Wales and the world-wide community.  Plaid Cymru is proud to promote the principles of the Fair Trade movement and is ready to declare Gwynedd Council’s support for those groups who share our vision and principles.

SERVING THE PEOPLE OF GWYNEDD

Maintaining public services is vital to the residents of a county like Gwynedd.  As a council we acknowledge the importance of front line services to the people of Gwynedd – especially the weakest and most vulnerable in our society.  Plaid Cymru believes that the people of Gwynedd deserve the same opportunity of ensuring access to services and an acceptable standard of living. As a Council our staff is our most important asset in delivering these services. Each member of the Council’s workforce is a key element in the work of maintaining our services throughout Gwynedd.

Gwynedd Council under Plaid Cymru’s leadership would

• Promote the culture of continuous improvement across the Council’s services.
• Promote an attitude of positive solutions to problems facing the Council’s departments.
• Invest in the development of the Council’s workforce at all levels, ensuring that each member of staff has a chance to contribute to the process of making Gwynedd better.
•  Establish a Communications Centre at Penrhyndeudraeth creating a new and easier system for the people of Gwynedd to contact the Council’s departments. This will also contribute to our aim of devolving jobs within Gwynedd wherever that is possible.

LOOKING AFTER THE VULNERABLE 

Gwynedd Council, under Plaid Cymru’s leadership, would be committed to improve the care that is given to vulnerable people.  We would help people to be independent and to achieve their full potential, without forgetting our duty to people when at their weakest.  Our vision is to support and strengthen an administration which will:

·         address disadvantage and protect the rights of the individual from cradle to grave

·         serve all our residents with services which offer a good prospect for the future

·         stress fair play, raise the expectations, give independence and power in a person-centred environment  

·         promote effective communication between the user and the service

Gwynedd Council under Plaid Cymru’s leadership would

• Maximise our services to children and vulnerable families by adopting a preventative programme
• Improve services for the elderly.  There are four Extra Care Housing projects already in the pipeline.
• Redesign the services for children and adults with learning difficulties by carrying out our vision of ensuring that our services are person-centred and enabling individuals with learning difficulties to reach their full potential within their local communities.
• Develop first class services for individuals and their families who suffer from dementia.
• Acknowledge, in practical ways, the contribution of carers to the care system.  A Carer’s Strategy has already been published which expands on the options available to carers.
• Develop a programme, in conjunction with health agencies, which maximises Mental Health and Alcohol and Substance misuse. 
• Work with Gwynedd Local Health Board and other partners in order to re-design and provide health care services in the community fit for the 21^st century.

HOMES FOR THE PEOPLE OF GWYNEDD

Every member of the community has a basic right to a home.  Higher house prices and the substantial increase in rent levels have created obstacles for a number of Gwynedd’s people to gain an entry to the housing market – especially younger people.  That is why as a Council we have put in place an innovative programme to provide affordable homes – to rent, to buy or for shared-ownership – for the people of Gwynedd in their communities.  The Affordable Housing officer facilitates this work by working with local developers, Housing Associations, community groups and individuals who wish to self-build.  By now over 300 affordable homes have either been built or are to be developed in the near future, and the Council has provided land worth £400,000 as part of these projects.

Developing a supply of suitable homes in our rural villages is essential in order to ensure the viability of our rural areas.  A Plaid Cymru Council would lobby the planning authorities to allow suitable housing developments in the county’s villages.  The Unitary Development Plan (UDP) will be the basis of all of Gwynedd’s planning decisions over the next few years, and the basis for the Local Development Plan.  Plaid Cymru will therefore challenge the Inspector’s opinion and insist that Rural Villages are part of the UDP, where affordable homes will be allowed to answer local need, since our first duty is to ensure homes for the people of Gwynedd in their communities.

We support the Assembly Government’s intention of giving Councils powers not to sell council houses where there is a shortage of houses, and we oppose the change in the rating system which will encourage more people to buy second homes.  We believe that there should be a need for planning consent if a home is changed to a second home, so that their numbers can be regulated.

Gwynedd Council is keen to ensure a quality housing stock for our tenants.  However, the present financial resources do not allow us to improve the stock to the expected standards by 2012 as required by the Assembly Government.  That is why we have decided to ask our tenants if they wish to consider other means of controlling the stock by attracting outside investments.

Gwynedd Council under Plaid Cymru’s leadership would

• Continue to develop a stock of affordable homes for local need across the county.
• Continue to consider the use of public land for housing developments.
• Promote local housing surveys as a means of identifying the housing needs of Gwynedd’s communities.
• Co-operate with community groups in order satisfy local housing needs
• Co-operate with our tenants in accordance with their balloted decision on the future of the Council’s housing stock.

CREATING A STRONG ECONOMY FOR GWYNEDD

Plaid Cymru’s emphasis on Gwynedd Council has been to strengthen the economy and local communities across the whole county.  That was the vision underpinning our successful Business Grants Package, Objective One projects, Community Regeneration Officers, Slate Valleys Strategy, Gwynedd Community Chest Fund grants, as well as the Get on in Gwynedd initiative for young people.  And by developing the new Community Centre for the county in Penrhyndeudraeth, we will be looking for opportunities to devolve more Council jobs to Meirionnydd and Dwyfor.  Plaid Cymru believes that the future of the Welsh language, and the future of communities across the county, are linked with economic prosperity and work opportunities for the people of Gwynedd.

Plaid Cymru will also ensure that the Unitary Development Plan provides industrial sites not only in the main centres, but also in the smaller towns and larger villages, and will also ensure that the North-West Wales Spacial Plan provides for economic growth across the whole county.

Gwynedd has traditionally been on the fringes of economic growth, in Western Europe, Britain and Wales leading to a low economic activity.  However, lately there are some signs that the situation is changing for the better:-

* Income levels per household have increased by more than the Welsh average over the last few years.

* Although long-term unemployment is still higher than the Welsh average, employment has increased at a high rate, namely 21% between 1990 and 2005.

* The workforce has a higher skill level than the Welsh average.

Small and medium businesses are the backbone of our economy, and our priority is to help these businesses to develop and grow.  To ensure this, we must make sure that local people have the necessary skills, including management skills, and that the appropriate advice and help is available to companies and businesses to help them to grow.

We can be proud of the success of Parc Menai and Cibyn industrial estates, and of Bryn Cegin’s vast potential.  But we must also continue to develop smaller industrial estates in towns in Meirionnydd, Dwyfor and the rural parts of Arfon that are just as important to Gwynedd’s economy.  The success of businesses in places such as Tywyn, Pwllheli, Blaenau Ffestiniog, Bala, Llanberis and Bethesda provide a pattern for other areas to emulate. The tremendous potential of a place like Pwllheli must be developed in accord with the local community with innovative plans like the Sailing Academy, and build on the enormous possibilities of a site like Glyn Rhonwy in Llanberis.

Some recent projects in the field of economic development confirm our good record as a Council. During this current year there have been two major investments in the public sector, namely Bala Rural Life Centre, an investment of £2.5 million, leading to the creation of 11 jobs which will be an attraction for local residents as well as visitors.  Re-designing the Maes in Caernarfon has meant a substantial investment in local produce, especially slates from Blaenau Ffestiniog and granite from Trefor.  In addition, various investments have also been attracted by the private sector over the same period:-

High-Tech cluster of businesses: £16 million, creating 270 jobs

Menai Centre, Bangor: £32 million, creating 250 jobs

Victoria Dock development, Caernarfon: £25 million, creating 400 jobs

Siemens, Glyn Rhonwy, Llanberis: private investment of £5 million, creating 200 new jobs.

Gwynedd Council’s record is amongst the best of all the Welsh councils in our use of structural funds and European money.  By building on our successful experience with Objective 1, in spite of the Assembly’s slowness in setting the criteria for the new projects, we will ensure that Convergence money, the new Rural Development and Interreg Projects, is used to benefit Gwynedd and the North West economy.

Gwynedd Council under Plaid Cymru’s leadership would

•  Develop the Get on in Gwynedd project further by promoting Gwynedd as “A Good place to Venture”.                           
• Facilitate economic growth across the county.
• Recognise and develop growth sectors which are highly valuable to Gwynedd’s economy e.g. the creative industries, renewable energy and new technologies
• Promote specific economic activities for our rural areas e.g. outdoor activities and tourism, alternative energy and the food sector.
• Establish specific projects in order to promote economic prosperity within the county e.g. the Business Succession programme, the second phase of the Genesis project, adding to our stock of industrial units.
• Develop the use of the internet across the county and campaign for fibre speed to be available in strategic centres across Gwynedd.
• Build on the successful business grants package in order to provide more help for small businesses.

DEVELOPING OUR PEOPLE’S SKILLS AND EDUCATION

Plaid Cymru believes that education and training is the key to regenerating Gwynedd.  Providing relevant educational opportunities for each child is at the heart of our aspirations to create a prosperous Gwynedd. 

Gwynedd’s schools are a vital part of this work and are central to the agenda of developing each child and young person so that they can contribute fully to their communities.  There is a need for a network of schools which have the appropriate resources and buildings and a curriculum which addresses the needs of young people and the labour market in Gwynedd today.  We shall continue with our work of restructuring our primary school sector and developing a new sustainable model with each child’s educational needs at its’ core.  We will make further investments in our innovative programmes such as The Incredible Years in order to make sure that each child has the best start in life.  The new primary schools reorganisation and the new tier of lead heads which will be created will offer us the opportunity to co-ordinate efforts in all aspects of child welfare across all services – education, health and social services thereby adopting a whole child ethos. 

A recent national report by Adrian Webb on the education and skills of those aged 14+ sets the context on the needs of young people in this field.  As a Council we will ensure there is provision so that Gwynedd’s young people have access to a broad and balanced curriculum and appropriate learning pathways. Vocational and alternative educational courses will provide positive opportunities for every young person. We are keen to build on the excellent bilingual education we provide as a County, by targeting the 16+ age group in particular.

Gwynedd Council under Plaid Cymru’s leadership would

• Maintain the high educational standards across the county, and continue to consult on proposals to reorganise primary education in order to create a new structure and pool of buildings that will serve the demands of the new curriculum and meet the needs of viable communities.
• Continue to develop the progression of Welsh medium education from pre-school age to further education.
• Ensure fluency in English and other languages, with a strong emphasis on Welsh history and culture.
• Continue to invest in innovative projects in order to give each child the best start in life.
• Develop an educational structure which will promote the potential of each child and young person.
• Maintain the county’s excellent record in exams and assessments.
• Establish Vocational Centres across the county.
• Build on our programme of providing nutritional food choices for our children through the healthy schools agenda and breakfast clubs.
• Widen the introduction of the Welsh Bac in Gwynedd’s schools.
• Support the professional development of our schools’ staff and teachers including through the schools support service, CYNNAL.
• Work with other agencies in order to promote the life-long learning agenda.

PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT

Plaid Cymru believes that sustainability is a cross-cutting policy which is at the heart of all Gwynedd Council’s work.  We have a duty to protect the environment locally and world-wide, by considering the way we provide services as a Council, in order to protect the earth’s natural resources and reduce our ecological footprint.  Our desire is to see Gwynedd Council, under Plaid Cymru’s leadership, leading the public sector on sustainability matters and implementing innovative environmental policies. The state and quality of the environment affects all of us.  Environmental problems such as climate change, waste, pollution and traffic jams can have a damaging effect on health, standard of living and the economy of Gwynedd and beyond.

Gwynedd has a patchwork of natural resources with a rich landscape being a prominent feature of the County: over 67% of the land area lies within the Snowdonia National Park, and the Llyn Peninsula has been denoted as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.  The challenge still facing us remains: looking after our environmental heritage while taking advantage of the unique opportunities our natural resources present in areas such as the economy and tourism, especially so in renewable energy.

Creating a sustainable Gwynedd depends on a positive partnership with the rest of the public and private sector locally.  But the people of Gwynedd themselves, as service users, are just as important in developing a county which looks after the environment.  We acknowledge we have an important role as a Council to promote the principles of sustainability amongst the County’s residents by highlighting the choices and obligations which face us as people.

Gwynedd council under Plaid Cymru’s leadership would

• Implement an environmental audit of all the council’s services, set higher targets than the national ones and would form a working group to oversee the work.
• Aim to ensure that the Council as an institution is carbon neutral by 2015.
• Increase recycling and composting levels to 50% by 2009/10 thereby reducing our dependence on landfill sites.
• Reduce the Council’s business miles by 950,000 a year.
• Use the planning system to insist that every new development conforms to the highest environmental standards.
• Work with others to develop an integrated public transport system based on the needs of the user.
• Press for immediate improvements to the North-South trunk roads including the link between Plas Menai and Llanwnda, the Porthmadog by-pass and improvements to the A470 around Dolgellau.
• Develop a system of renewable energy for the Council’s buildings and the County’s schools.
• Continue to raise the awareness of the people of Gwynedd of the need to consider the environment in all aspects of our lives. 
• (See also the final section “Innov 08”)

PROMOTING SAFE COMMUNITIES

Plaid Cymru believes that every individual has a basic right to live without the threat or fear of violence.  Although crime levels in Gwynedd are not particularly high, many of our residents live in fear because of the increase in anti-social behaviour.  The challenge facing us is to try and change this perception and improve the lifestyle of everyone in our communities.

To this end, Gwynedd Council has a key role in working with the County’s people in order to promote the sense of belonging to the community and the realisation that everyone – whatever their background – has a contribution to make. The sense of ownership and understanding that each person – young or old – can contribute to and influence the fate of their communities is all important. Plaid Cymru in Gwynedd has vowed to try and create sustainable, fair and inclusive communities.  Ensuring suitable facilities for young people in our villages is central to this work as is listening to children and young people’s voices. Alcohol and substance misuse by some young people is a cause for concern and there is a need to develop the work already being undertaken by many agencies in this important area.

The external appearance of our towns and villages and the condition of facilities is important to the residents of Gwynedd. We acknowledge that the deterioration of buildings and vandalism not only detract from our communities but also undermine people’s endeavours to act positively. We have to act in order avoid a situation where crime leads to more crime.

Gwynedd Council under Plaid Cymru’s leadership would

• Develop the use of the resources and services available to young people in their communities, including buildings belonging to the Council.
• Promote the opportunities for young and older people to work together
• Develop specific projects in sports and the arts for to prevent young people from being enticed to a life of crime in conjunction with our partners.
• Consider implementing schemes such as “Clean Streets” and “Shelters for Young People” within communities in Gwynedd.
• Work with town and community councils to further develop our Community Gang project and the Enforcement Unit in order to improve the environment within Gwynedd’s communities.

LEISURE AND ENJOYMENT IN GWYNEDD

Gwynedd is an ideal place to enjoy a wide variety of activities - from drama or concerts to climbing and swimming. We have a rich array of resources such as libraries, galleries, cinemas and leisure centres. Plaid Cymru in Gwynedd has vowed to ensure that there are opportunities for everyone in the fields of sports and culture in the County and that accessing these services is easy and affordable. We encourage excellence in these fields but also promote sports and the arts as drivers in the process of regenerating our communities.

Developing an exercise and fitness agenda is very important to all of Gwynedd’s people and for all ages. Our wonderful natural resources present an excellent opportunity for this as do our swimming pools and leisure centres. Plaid Cymru’s policy of offering free membership to those under 16 helps to promote fitness amongst young people and to raise awareness in this area. The same is true of lower charges for older people and the ‘Exercise by Invitation’ project.

The Gwynedd Youth Service provides a special opportunity to young people throughout the County. The clubs cater for a wide range of activities and promote matters concerning the agenda of young people today. We are also proud to support other voluntary movements which cater for the age range such as the Urdd and Welsh Young Farmers Clubs. Young people’s expectations develop as circumstances change and we need to ensure that we have facilities to cater for them, by promoting closer co-operation between the voluntary organisations and those provided by the Council.

Gwynedd Council under Plaid Cymru’s leadership would

• Support the arts institutions within the County by commissioning a variety of activities in accordance with our Arts Strategy.
• Promote opportunities to enjoy open air activities alongside the Council’s leisure facilities.
• Implement the “Mountains and Coast” project, similar to that in Brittany, as part of our health and fitness agenda to improve the quality of life, and to create new economic opportunities.
• Promote a wide range of sporting activities throughout the County ensuring they are accessible to all.
• Develop our Youth Service so that it can further re-act to new ideas, and ensure more effective joint working between various bodies.
• Consider expanding our free membership to Leisure Centres to include young people under 18 years of age. 
• Establish a pilot project amongst the Council’s workforce to improve health and fitness levels.

PROMOTING THE WELSH LANGUAGE

Gwynedd is the main stronghold of the Welsh language, and Plaid Cymru is proud of the strong lead that Gwynedd Council has given to the rest of Wales by making it the main medium of communication in our work, by providing a thoroughly bilingual service to the public. We call on the other local authorities in the west of Wales, and other bodies, to follow our lead.

Promoting the Welsh language is central to our work as a Council – from planning and the economy to education and the arts. Under Plaid Cymru’s leadership the language is a cross-cutting consideration across all the Council’s services.  But we must continue to develop new policies and to create suitable conditions for the language to flourish and remain as a living language within Gwynedd’s communities.

Gwynedd Council under Plaid Cymru’s leadership would

• Ensure that the new Menter Iaith Gwynedd (Language Initiative) under the auspices of the Council will work effectively with partners across the county in a dynamic and proactive way.
• Introduce an innovative Language Charter based on the principle that every citizen in Gwynedd has the right to access services in Welsh. We will lead on this work together with our partners in the public and voluntary sector.                           
• Press to strengthen the Welsh medium provision for the post 16 sector in our schools and further education establishments, so that more students from Gwynedd choose to follow higher courses through the medium of Welsh.
• Strengthen the language as a factor and condition in planning matters, and develop a Language Impact Study as an effective means of measuring the effect of any major developments.
• Work with our partners in order to promote more opportunities for adults to learn and to improve their Welsh.

* INNOV8 : “The GreenManifesto”

PLAID CYMRU ALL WALES POINTS FOR WELSH COUNCILS

PlaidCymru nationally has developed 8 radical policies for Welsh county councils.  They are all based on our vision of creating a sustainable, healthy and green Wales.  Plaid Cymru on Gwynedd Council will put these into action and adapt them for our local circumstances where practical. More information is available on the Plaid Cymru website and in the appendix to be published in April.