Heledd Fychan Canol De Cymru - South Wales Central

Big News this week – I finally got the keys for my regional office and began moving in today (Friday 2 July). The office is 2 High Street, Pontypridd and we hope to complete all work on it over the summer to open to the public in September, dependent on Covid regulations of course.

Key issues I’ve been working on this week:

Pentre Flooding Report

Many of you will have seen that RCT Council has finally published the Section 19 report into the 2020 floods in Pentre This is the first Section 19 report of 19 reports in total, covering different areas. The report can be read here: https://www.rctcbc.gov.uk/.../RCT25Pentre%E2%80...

Whilst I welcome the fact that the first of the reports has been published at long last, I am concerned to see the Council and Natural Resources Wales already disagreeing about the findings. This has once again reinforces to me why we need an independent inquiry into the 2020 floods so that all the reports can be looked at together. Residents deserve the answers and solutions they need to feel safe from flooding in the future and should not have to put up with two different organisations with responsibility for flood management disagreeing publicly rather than working together.

Postal Services in Gelli and Ton Pentre

Earlier this week, Councillor Larraine Jones contacted me after being made aware that a number of people had not received post for over a week. She had received a number of complaints about the postal service over the past few months, with people waiting weeks for important mail and missing medical appointments including vaccines because the letters were delayed. A local Dr also expressed concern about this. I have written to Royal Mail, asking for this to be urgently addressed. Interestingly people received post for the first time this week today, though I am still waiting for an official response to my email. I will continue to work with Larraine to ensure this is resolved.

Ice Arena Wales

A number of people have contacted me to ask why Ice Arena Wales remains closed despite all other ice rinks re-opening throughout the UK. Ice Arena Wales is the most modern ice rink in the UK and it seems odd that skaters can travel to England to use others rinks that are less modern, yet cannot use the one here in Wales. When I raised this in the Senedd, the Health Minister stated that this situation was still under review, and I have also written to the Deputy Minister for Culture and Sport to ask for her support in getting the ice rink re-opened as soon as possible.

Bus Services

Many people are still getting in touch, to complain about local bus services. Given the extent of the problem, my team has created a survey and I would be grateful if you could please complete and share your views with me so I can continue to campaign for changes and improvements. The survey can be found here: Bus Service Survey - Heledd Fychan Plaid Cymru

Other Work

• I have written to the UK Government, making the case for greater support for S4C
• I met with the Deputy Minister for Arts and Sport, outlining how culture and sport are integral to our recovery from covid. I also made a passionate please for the arts to be considered in its broader sense to encompass culture and heritage as well, and it is clear that we are both committed to working together to ensure equity of access to all to both culture and sports.
• I met with Marie Curie, Hospices UK, Together for Short Lives, Ty Hafan & Ty Gobaith to discuss the palliative and end of life care sector in Wales.
• Attended IWA event on Reimagining Public Service Media in Wales
• Took part in Hawl i Holi on Radio Cymru, discussing a range of issues.
• Raised with the Llywydd how the Senedd will continue to engage with young people, to ensure more can help shape the future of our work.
• Casework – my team continues to support a number of residents on a number of different issues across South Wales Central. If you need our help, please get in touch - [email protected]