16th April 2012

Llais Gwynedd Election Press Release by Alwyn Gruffydd

LLAIS MANIFESTO

A decision to close nine rural primary schools in Gwynedd, including the iconic village school at Parc near Bala, will be reversed if Llais Gwynedd have a say in the way the county is run following the Local Government Elections next month.

Llais Gwynedd’s Manifesto for its election campaign says the party will review plans to close schools in the Tywyn, Dolgellau and Bala areas due to “an absence of fair consultation in the run-up to the decision to close the schools against the wish of the communities they serve”.

Launching the Manifesto Llais Gwynedd Leader, Councillor Owain Williams said: “The school closures have no educational, economical or environmental basis and is nothing more than the Plaid Cymru-run Council’s blinkered campaign to destroy the county’s most  fragile communities both socially and culturally.”

“The new post election Council needs to look once again, in an open a transparent way this time, into the pros and cons involved in closing a rural school without justification.”

Llais Gwynedd also promises to instigate a review into residential care for the elderly in Gwynedd by “consulting comprehensively with stakeholders taking on board their considered opinions and putting them to work.”

”There’s been too much ‘we know best’ from the Plaid Cymru-run Gwynedd Council as has been so obvious with its completely unacceptable handling of Porthmadog’s Hafod-y-Gest Residential Care Home ,” added Councillor Owain Williams.

“Llais Gwynedd believes the residents and their families know best and their opinions should always be respected.”

Llais Gwynedd’s Manifesto calls for more accountability both in Gwynedd Council and the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board and promised to support the essential role of community hospitals that serve the small towns and rural areas of Gwynedd.

On the economy Llais Gwynedd will establish local economic plans to spearhead rural and small town rejuvenation with the aim creating local employment to keep young people in their communities or attracting them back to their roots. Upgrading  the Cambrian and Conwy Valley Railway Lines is a Llais Gwynedd priority as is discounted business rates for town centres and rural businesses.

On the housing front Llais Gwynedd will continue its campaign of providing housing for local people and proposes establishing Community Land Trusts to acquire land for self-build purposes by local people.  Llais Gwynedd will also provide Council mortgages for local people.

Llais Gwynedd believes in renewable energy programmes for homes and businesses and free transport to further education and sixth-form students.

“But above all we will listen to the electorate that is something that’s distinctively missing after 16-years of Plaid Cymru-rule in Gwynedd,” said Councillor Owain Williams.

“As has already demonstrated so vividly no school, care home or other public service is safe if Plaid is returned to power after next month’s election – so be warned.”

Llais Gwynedd was established four years ago mainly to oppose Plaid Cymru’s hold in Gwynedd Council gaining 13 seats in its first election campaign. The party is fielding 29 candidates this time.