Heledd Fychan Pontypridd Cynon Merthyr

Heledd Fychan MS has hit out at the Welsh and UK Labour Governments for allowing Wales to be short-changed to the tune of £70 million as a result of the increase in National Insurance Contributions.

Heledd Fychan accused the Labour Welsh Government of being “bystanders to unfairness” with Cabinet Secretary for Finance Mark Drakeford resorting to raiding the Welsh reserves rather than demanding that UK Labour funds Wales fairly.

Heledd Fychan welcomes Plaid Cymru calls on the Labour Welsh Government to act on historical pension injustices and support victims of these scandals. 

In a motion to be debated in the Senedd on Wednesday (21 May 2025), Plaid Cymru has called on the Labour Welsh Government to ‘make the case for action’ on historical pension injustices. Labour’s response was to ‘delete’ the calls. 

The Plaid Cymru motion notes the significant and long-standing pension injustices, and the inaction of successive UK Governments to rights these wrongs. The motion also calls on the Welsh Government to make representations to the UK Government on these issues.

On 14 May 2025, a debate in the Senedd was brought forward by Heledd Fychan, Plaid Cymru Member of the Senedd for South Wales Central, focused on the deepening crisis of hunger and financial hardship throughout Wales.

Last night at Dyffryn Gardens was a fantastic experience! As a species champion for the Great Crested Newt, it was amazing to see them up close in their natural habitat.

It was great to visit Taff-Ely Foodbank again on Monday and catch up with Andrew and Matthew about Trussell’s "Guaranteeing the Essentials" campaign as well as the new baby bank opening there. It’s clear how much hard work goes into supporting individuals and families in our community.

The Supreme Court’s recent ruling has caused distress within the transgender community. Plaid Cymru emphasises that this decision must not be seen as a victory for one group over another. We remain steadfast in our commitment to protecting the rights of all, supporting both women's and trans people's rights, and upholding the principle of self-identification.

After a few months of heavy rain and flooding at the beginning of the year, a lot of rubbish built up along the riverbank at Berw Road and Sion Street in Pontypridd. To help clean up, I organised a litter pick with a group of volunteers. We worked hard and managed to collect 51 bags of rubbish! 20 volunteers joined in, making a big difference to the area. While we couldn’t remove everything, the riverbank looks much cleaner and safer for the community and wildlife.

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.