Campaigns

The economy of rural Wales without of a shadow of a doubt needs to be developed. There aren't enough jobs to keep our young people in these areas, and as a result the average age of the population is getting older. I believe that the future of rural Wales will be secured by developing a green and sustainable economy, as well as developing tourism further in the area.  We need a clear and visionary strategy in place to achieve this, with emphasis being placed on marketing all the things that makes Wales unique and playing on its strengths. We also need to ensure that the right infrastructure is in place - support for small businesses, better public transport, broadband facilities for all and so on - to support such plans.

The population of rural Wales is ageing, and I would fight hard to ensure that our elderly people are treated with the respect they deserve and receive access to the services they need. I will support my Plaid Cymru colleagues in fighting for a fair pension for all - one on which people can actually live on. It horrifies me to think that so many of our elderly die every year because they cannot afford to heat their homes adequately during cold periods, and I will campaign to eradicate fuel poverty.

Access to key services is also an integral aspect of this, which is why I'll fight to maintain local services. I'll also be campaigning for better public transport, to ensure that our elderly aren't isolated within our most rural communities. They deserve to be supported, and I will fight for a fair deal for them.

The funding of schools is a huge issue in rural Wales, and I would work with the local authorities and schools to try and seek a solution so that these essential services can be adequately funded.  I would fight for a better financial settlement for the Welsh Assembly Goverment from Westminster which would, in turn, result in more funding being made available for local authorities. I am a firm believer that education is the key to developing the economy of rural Wales, and that budgetary cuts to the education budget will hinder progress.

Due to the disperse nature of the population, many key services are not always readily available. I would work hard to protect any services that are under threat, such as post offices, health services and explore which ones could be developed. It is completely unacceptable that some of the most vulnerable within our society - the young, the sick and the elderly - don't have access to the most basic of services. Many are reliant on friends and relatives to help them reach a number of services, as public transport is either non existent or infrequent. We need to work together to ensure that those living in our rural communities are not excluded, and I would give a voice to those who are far too often ignored by decision makers.