Monthly Archive
Swansea would gain £3.9m extra if Wales received fair funding
Figures obtained by Plaid Cymru show that Swansea Council would stand to gain at least £3.9m extra each year if only the UK Government were to change the way Wales’ funded.
Last June, an Independent Commission, chaired by economist Gerald Holtham, considered the way the Assembly Government is funded and found that Wales is losing out by £300m a year.
The Commission recommended that the controversial Barnett formula should be replaced with a new needs-based system which would take into account factors such as the age of the population and levels of poverty.
Plaid AM Dr. Dai Lloyd stated::
“This issue is not one for the political anoraks – it is of great importance and relevance to Swansea during these times. We see that Swansea Council, along with other Councils in Wales, is facing very difficult decisions due to tight budgetary situations.
“The way that Wales is funded from Westminster is a key driver in this. Were the Assembly to receive a fair share of funding from Westminster it would have more to spend on local services. The Labour and Tory parties in Wales have recognised that this can’t go on but their masters in London refuse to do anything about it. Wales needs fairer funding and a strong, independent voice in Westminster during these hard times. Only Plaid Cymru can provide that voice.”
“Were this extra £300m shared equally across all Welsh Assembly Departments, it would have resulted in an increase of over £85m extra for local Government in Wales this year.
“Split equally between 22 local authorities this would mean an increase of funding of £3.9m, but given that Swansea is one of the larger authorities it would expect to receive even greater funding.
“This extra funding would have been a welcome relief to those of us who would like to see more funding for education in Swansea, and would enable the council to continue funding facilities such as the Tennis Centre.”
AM welcomes Assembly road investment
Plaid AM Dr. Dai Lloyd has welcomed investment by Transport Minister Ieuan Wyn Jones in Swansea’s roads.
Swansea is to receive £163,216 from a fund which aims to repair damaged roads following the recent cold weather.
Dr. Lloyd stated:
“Councils such as Swansea have seen significant increases in outgoings as a result of the recent cold weather. The funding announced by Plaid’s Ieuan Wyn Jones clearly recognises the pressure facing local Councils.
“It is vitally important that we try and get our road network back up to scratch as soon as possible. I have heard of so many examples in Swansea where the condition of the roads are terrible. I am hopeful that the extra Assembly funding will assist Swansea Council during these tough economic times.”
Tory block on housing LCO a worrying omen
A senior AM has reacted with concern to the news that the Welsh government’s Housing LCO is likely to fail after Conservatives blocked the bid in Westminster.
Plaid Cymru’s Dai Lloyd AM said that it is deeply concerning that a party that is not in government in either London or Cardiff can bring down a plan that is designed to bring about real benefits in Welsh communities.
Dr Lloyd said that this shows yet another failing of the LCO system – adding that the Conservative attitude shows their anti Welsh devolution principles.
The Chair of the Plaid Cymru group in the National Assembly, Dai Lloyd AM said:
“If this really is the end of the line for the Housing LCO, it will be a disgraceful waste of public resources. But more significantly, it will mean that 3 Conservative MPs in London have been allowed to bring down the policy of the Welsh government that was democratically elected by the people of Wales.
“It is very worrying that the Tories are willing to take this kind of action now – and it clearly shows a complete lack of respect for Wales. This sort of action is a worrying omen of how the Tories plan to treat Wales if they win the general election.
“As part of the Welsh government, Plaid is trying to tackle homelessness and hardship, yet the LCO system, aided and abetted by the Conservative party seem hell bent on holding us back.”
Students facing unfair cash machine charges: Plaid
Students in Swansea are being charged unfairly to withdraw cash, say Plaid politicians.
Dr Dai Lloyd AM and Parliamentary Candidate Harri Roberts (Swansea West) have called for charges on ATMs to be regulated at a UK Government level.
Dr. Lloyd, who is Plaid Cymru’s Social Justice Spokesperson today (Tuesday, Feb 2nd) raised the issue with First Minister Carwyn Jones at the Assembly.
Dr. Lloyd stated:
“The only cash point available to over a thousand students living in Hendrefoelan Student Village is an ATM cash machine which charges £1.50 with each withdrawal. The nearest free to use cash machine is over a mile away.
“Plaid believes that this is a totally unacceptable situation. It is clearly unfair that students, many of whom already have sizeable student debts, have to pay £1.50 for each and every withdrawal of cash.
“It is high time that action is taken to protect our communities. It is wrong that companies should profit most from those who can afford it least. I am calling on the London Labour government to take immediate action to regulate the proliferation and charges of these ATMs
“I am hopeful that the Welsh Assembly Government can put pressure on its UK counterpart to try and protect some of our most vulnerable communities from such charges.”
Dai Lloyd added:
“The amounts that are being charged to use some of these ATMs are ridiculous. We have seen rapid increases in prices recently. Some are now charging as much as £2.50 for every withdrawal - for anybody withdrawing £10 that’s an extra 25% - a cost which many users can ill afford. To make matters worse it would appear that more deprived areas with no free cash withdrawal options are being targeted by these companies. This is disgraceful and unscrupulous behaviour by these ATM companies.”
