Heledd Fychan Pontypridd Cynon Merthyr

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.

Heledd Fychan MS has called for an urgent oral statement from the Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government regarding the presence of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) in homes in Hirwaun. It has been a year since RAAC was identified in many homes in the area, including 17 properties bought under the right-to-buy legislation.