Heledd Fychan Canol De Cymru - South Wales Central

Plaid Cymru announced ‘transformational’ child payment during party conference South Wales Central Member of the Senedd Heledd Fychan has welcomed an announcement that a Plaid Cymru government would begin implementing a child payment in Wales. This could be key to address the 30.5% of children living in poverty in Rhondda Cynon Taf, 29.4% in Cardiff and 23.9% in the Vale of Glamorgan. The policy was announced during the leader’s speech in Plaid Cymru’s Spring Conference in Llandudno. Mr ap Iorwerth, the leader of Plaid Cymru said that a Plaid Cymru government would begin the process of implementing the payment to “sustain families and support communities”.

Mark Drakeford has today confirmed that the UK Treasury will apply the Barnett formula to calculate Wales’ share of funding to shield public sector institutions from Labour’s National Insurance rises. Plaid Cymru says this will leave Welsh public services facing a financial black hole. Wales has a larger percentage of public sector workers, compared to England and the rest of the UK. Labour Finance Cabinet Secretary Mark Drakeford said in the Senedd that the Welsh Government “are now as much as £65 million short” on the funding needed to shield the public sector from the tax rises.

On Wednesday, 26th March, Heledd Fychan, Plaid Cymru’s Member of the Senedd for South Wales Central, led a debate in the Senedd inspired by the Women's Institute's (WI) campaign, Thinking Differently: Autistic and ADHD Women and Girls. The debate highlighted the systemic barriers faced by neurodivergent women and girls and called for urgent action to improve diagnosis and support.