Llanelli AM Helen Mary Jones and Plaid’s Westminster candidate for Llanelli Myfanwy Davies have been left feeling reassured following a positive meeting with Dwr Cymru. Senior Management from Dwr Cymru met with both Helen Mary and Myfanwy to discuss the ongoing issues in Llanelli with regards to water quality and flooding.
During the meeting, Dwr Cymru gave their commitment that they will continue to do everything that they can to ensure that the issue will be resolved. Even though the water quality has improved, it is still unclear what is causing the mass cockle deaths which is affecting the livelihoods of many local fishermen and cockle pickers in the area.
Both Helen Mary and Myfanwy has been very concerned about the worrying possibility that cockle beds in the Burry Estuary may continue to die this year – a situation that would cause devastation to the local industry.
Plaid's Helen Mary Jones said:
“I was pleased after the meeting that the Senior Manager from Welsh Water were taking the issues with regards to water quality and flooding in Llanelli very seriously. It is disappointing that Ofwat’s interference means that some of the planned investment will now not be met, but I do have some confidence that working together with the other appropriate agencies, Dwr Cymru will make what progress they can on these issues. They have committed to keeping myself and Myfanwy informed on progress, and we will certainly be keeping a very close eye on developments as they move forward.”
Myfanwy added:
"I’m very pleased that Senior Managers from Welsh Water were able to come and have a wide ranging discussion with us. We touched on a number of issues to do with the Estuary and also flooding within the area. I’m particularly pleased that they were able to make an unequivocal commitment that they would do what had to be done to ensure that Dwr Cymru is not contributing to the cockle deaths. I think that this is an important commitment for cockle fishermen in Llanelli and for other people who are reliant on the industry.”
Showing posts with label economy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label economy. Show all posts
Tuesday, 1 December 2009
Monday, 2 November 2009
Give us free parking for Town centre say Myfanwy and Helen Mary
Llanelli AM Helen Mary Jones and Dr Myfanwy Davies, Plaid’s Llanelli Westminster candidate have joined local business leaders in calling on the County Council to release the Stepney Hotel site for free car parking over the Christmas period. The call follows a breakfast meeting arranged by Myfanwy and Helen Mary at which Ieuan Wyn Jones, Economy Minister and Plaid Cymru Leader met with business leaders to discuss problems faced by the town centre.
The number of shoppers visiting the town centre continues to decline despite many empty shops having recently being filled. Many businesses are nervous of borrowing from banks even where credit is available. Increasing the number of shoppers visiting the town centre during the Christmas period will be crucial to the survival of many local businesses. Traders also noted that free parking in out of town centres represented an unfair advantage over the town centre.
In a letter to Ieuan Wyn Jones, Myfanwy wrote:
Our town centre businesses are under severe pressure due to the developments at Parc Trostre and Pemberton but also due to the wider effects of the recession on lending and consumer spending. Releasing the empty Stepney Hotel site in the town centre could provide an important boost to visitors in the run up to Christmas. I understand that the County Council believes that the site cannot be released due to concerns about pollution - presumably by petrol. I would be grateful if your officers could discuss options for opening the site or another suitable site and providing support for marketing free car parking during the Christmas period.
Myfanwy said:
“We are asking the County Council to do something very simple to help support Llanelli’s businesses during a period when they have seen an unprecedented fall in sales. Our businesses pay their rates and it is right that they expect suitable support from the county council.”
Helen Mary added:
“Free parking at Christmas would give people the opportunity to see how much Llanelli town centre has to offer. I understand that plans are in place for the site to be developed, but whilst we’re waiting for the plans to come through, I don’t see why the site can’t be used as a free car park. We’re still in a situation where people can park for free in Trostre Park, and charged in the town centre. Releeasing the empty Stepney Hotel site would be a small way to sort out this inbalance.”
St Elli Shopping Centre Manager Gilmore Jones said:
"I would warmly welcome the release of the Stepney Hotel site for parking over the Christmas period and into late January. I have been approached by a number of traders and tenants asking for this to happen - the site is the first thing visitors to the Town Centre see and is a complete eyesore as it currently stands. Utilising the site for free parking would mitigate its negative image, and would be an enormous boost to the Town Centre - putting us on a level playing field with Parc Trostre."
The number of shoppers visiting the town centre continues to decline despite many empty shops having recently being filled. Many businesses are nervous of borrowing from banks even where credit is available. Increasing the number of shoppers visiting the town centre during the Christmas period will be crucial to the survival of many local businesses. Traders also noted that free parking in out of town centres represented an unfair advantage over the town centre.
In a letter to Ieuan Wyn Jones, Myfanwy wrote:
Our town centre businesses are under severe pressure due to the developments at Parc Trostre and Pemberton but also due to the wider effects of the recession on lending and consumer spending. Releasing the empty Stepney Hotel site in the town centre could provide an important boost to visitors in the run up to Christmas. I understand that the County Council believes that the site cannot be released due to concerns about pollution - presumably by petrol. I would be grateful if your officers could discuss options for opening the site or another suitable site and providing support for marketing free car parking during the Christmas period.
Myfanwy said:
“We are asking the County Council to do something very simple to help support Llanelli’s businesses during a period when they have seen an unprecedented fall in sales. Our businesses pay their rates and it is right that they expect suitable support from the county council.”
Helen Mary added:
“Free parking at Christmas would give people the opportunity to see how much Llanelli town centre has to offer. I understand that plans are in place for the site to be developed, but whilst we’re waiting for the plans to come through, I don’t see why the site can’t be used as a free car park. We’re still in a situation where people can park for free in Trostre Park, and charged in the town centre. Releeasing the empty Stepney Hotel site would be a small way to sort out this inbalance.”
St Elli Shopping Centre Manager Gilmore Jones said:
"I would warmly welcome the release of the Stepney Hotel site for parking over the Christmas period and into late January. I have been approached by a number of traders and tenants asking for this to happen - the site is the first thing visitors to the Town Centre see and is a complete eyesore as it currently stands. Utilising the site for free parking would mitigate its negative image, and would be an enormous boost to the Town Centre - putting us on a level playing field with Parc Trostre."
Wednesday, 16 September 2009
Myfanwy wins national support for town centre businesses
Dr Myfanwy Davies, Plaid’s Llanelli Westminster candidate has won national support for a plan to help Llanelli’s town centre businesses. In a motion to Plaid Cymru’s National Conference, last weekend which was passed to a packed hall, she called for revising the rate relief scheme to help small businesses effected by out of town developments. She also called on the Assembly Government to develop community finance initiatives to provide credit to local businesses and for a national strategy to fill empty shops, promote local produce and provide suitable housing in town centres.
In her speech to the conference Myfanwy said:
“In Llanelli the failure of Carmarthenshire County Council to stop a huge out of town development together with the loss of hundreds of manufacturing jobs is bleeding our town centre dry”.
Speaking in Llanelli on Wednesday, Myfanwy added:
“For our town centre traders, business rates have become a real burden. I’m delighted that we have won national support to look at prioritising their needs. We also won support to call for a strategy to fill empty town centre shops and our Plaid AMs will now be able to campaign for community finance schemes to fund viable new businesses and to support surviving traders who need credit to grow. I know of a number of established businesses that are struggling to grow because they are scandalously being refused credit by those very same banks we bailed out with our public money.”
Helen Mary Jones Llanelli’s Plaid AM added:
“The decision gives us a clear platform to campaign for more Assembly support for small businesses in Llanelli and to look at how we can continue to help good local businesses get going and grow”.
In her speech to the conference Myfanwy said:
“In Llanelli the failure of Carmarthenshire County Council to stop a huge out of town development together with the loss of hundreds of manufacturing jobs is bleeding our town centre dry”.
Speaking in Llanelli on Wednesday, Myfanwy added:
“For our town centre traders, business rates have become a real burden. I’m delighted that we have won national support to look at prioritising their needs. We also won support to call for a strategy to fill empty town centre shops and our Plaid AMs will now be able to campaign for community finance schemes to fund viable new businesses and to support surviving traders who need credit to grow. I know of a number of established businesses that are struggling to grow because they are scandalously being refused credit by those very same banks we bailed out with our public money.”
Helen Mary Jones Llanelli’s Plaid AM added:
“The decision gives us a clear platform to campaign for more Assembly support for small businesses in Llanelli and to look at how we can continue to help good local businesses get going and grow”.
Wednesday, 12 August 2009
Myfanwy leads fight for free ATMs in Llanelli communities
ATMs that charge people to withdraw their money are cashing in on some of the most vulnerable people in our communities, says Dr Myfanwy Davies, Plaid’s Llanelli Westminster candidate. While there is a choice of free ATMs in the town centre and in the retail parks, people in areas like Felinfoel and Llwynhendy need to choose carefully if they are to avoid paying up to £1.99 for a withdrawal of any kind. In Dafen and Furnace, there is currently no choice other than to pay to withdraw cash.
Myfanwy is worried by the recent rapid price increases on charging ATMs. She believes this development is particularly damaging to families struggling to deal with the recession and to groups like older people and the disabled who do not have easy access to transport. Myfanwy will be working with Plaid colleagues at Westminster to call on the UK government to regulate charges on ATMs that target the most vulnerable in our communities.
Myfanwy will also be working with Plaid’s Social Justice Spokesman, Dr. Dai Lloyd AM and Helen Mary Jones AM to investigate what can be done at an Assembly and local level to protect Welsh communities from unfair charges.
Dr Davies said:
“These withdrawal charges target people on lower incomes who take out less money at once as so pay more as a proportion on each withdrawal. These unfair charges also disproportionately affect people like pensioners whose benefits are paid directly into their accounts”.
“For those who don’t have access to cars and who live in communities like Llwynhendy and Felinfoel where most cash machines charge for withdrawal, this is an additional cost at a time when they need it least. In communities like Furnace and Dafen, there is literally no choice available.”
“Small shops and pubs in our communities provide a vital service and it is easy to see why owners would be willing to host a fee-paying ATM. Nonetheless, my concern is that the charges will place an unsustainable burden on their most loyal customers and in the longer term, introducing these ATMs may jeopardise the future of our key local businesses as people spend less locally”.
“Over the last five years the number of cash machines that charge has increased by more than 18,000 while free cash machines have only increased by around eight thousand.”
“This is an issue of basic social justice. We can’t allow our most vulnerable people to be unfairly targeted in this way and I will be working closely with Helen Mary and colleagues at Westminster to find ways of providing free ATMs across all our communities.”
Cllr. Clem Thomas from Dafen added:
“I am concerned that there is no free ATM in Dafen. We are lucky to still have our post office which has so far survived the Governments’ closure programme but the days of withdrawing benefits and pensions directly and over the counter are long gone.”
“In these difficult times, I can understand entirely why small business people would want to diversify by providing a fee-paying ATM which provides them with up 60p per transaction. It goes without saying that we need to support small local businesses. Nonetheless I am sceptical whether the cost of having a fee-paying ATM in a local business does not outweigh the potential benefit as people who feel they have paid a large fee are likely to spend less in that business than they otherwise would.”
DIWEDD / ENDS
Notes for editor
Myfanwy is campaigning for 3 things:
1. She is working with Plaid’s MPs to press the London Labour Government to regulate ATM charges and the proliferation of charging ATMs.
2. She working with Helen Mary Jones to call on WAG to increase the provision of free machines for example through public service providers such as post office network, local government offices or community centres
3. She is researching into whether planning law can be amended to protect isolated/deprived communities where there is currently no option other than to pay for cash withdrawal.
For a map of ATMs and details of charging in the Llanelli area go to: www.link.co.uk
Myfanwy is worried by the recent rapid price increases on charging ATMs. She believes this development is particularly damaging to families struggling to deal with the recession and to groups like older people and the disabled who do not have easy access to transport. Myfanwy will be working with Plaid colleagues at Westminster to call on the UK government to regulate charges on ATMs that target the most vulnerable in our communities.
Myfanwy will also be working with Plaid’s Social Justice Spokesman, Dr. Dai Lloyd AM and Helen Mary Jones AM to investigate what can be done at an Assembly and local level to protect Welsh communities from unfair charges.
Dr Davies said:
“These withdrawal charges target people on lower incomes who take out less money at once as so pay more as a proportion on each withdrawal. These unfair charges also disproportionately affect people like pensioners whose benefits are paid directly into their accounts”.
“For those who don’t have access to cars and who live in communities like Llwynhendy and Felinfoel where most cash machines charge for withdrawal, this is an additional cost at a time when they need it least. In communities like Furnace and Dafen, there is literally no choice available.”
“Small shops and pubs in our communities provide a vital service and it is easy to see why owners would be willing to host a fee-paying ATM. Nonetheless, my concern is that the charges will place an unsustainable burden on their most loyal customers and in the longer term, introducing these ATMs may jeopardise the future of our key local businesses as people spend less locally”.
“Over the last five years the number of cash machines that charge has increased by more than 18,000 while free cash machines have only increased by around eight thousand.”
“This is an issue of basic social justice. We can’t allow our most vulnerable people to be unfairly targeted in this way and I will be working closely with Helen Mary and colleagues at Westminster to find ways of providing free ATMs across all our communities.”
Cllr. Clem Thomas from Dafen added:
“I am concerned that there is no free ATM in Dafen. We are lucky to still have our post office which has so far survived the Governments’ closure programme but the days of withdrawing benefits and pensions directly and over the counter are long gone.”
“In these difficult times, I can understand entirely why small business people would want to diversify by providing a fee-paying ATM which provides them with up 60p per transaction. It goes without saying that we need to support small local businesses. Nonetheless I am sceptical whether the cost of having a fee-paying ATM in a local business does not outweigh the potential benefit as people who feel they have paid a large fee are likely to spend less in that business than they otherwise would.”
DIWEDD / ENDS
Notes for editor
Myfanwy is campaigning for 3 things:
1. She is working with Plaid’s MPs to press the London Labour Government to regulate ATM charges and the proliferation of charging ATMs.
2. She working with Helen Mary Jones to call on WAG to increase the provision of free machines for example through public service providers such as post office network, local government offices or community centres
3. She is researching into whether planning law can be amended to protect isolated/deprived communities where there is currently no option other than to pay for cash withdrawal.
For a map of ATMs and details of charging in the Llanelli area go to: www.link.co.uk
Monday, 27 April 2009
Myfanwy holds a Conference on a creating a sustainable economy for Wales at the National Botanical Gardens
As we face the twin crises of the recession and rapid environmental change, Plaid Cymru’s Dr. Myfanwy Davies and Nerys Evans AM hosted a one-day conference with experts from a range of fields aiming to develop solutions on each level of government. The conference was held at the National Botanical Gardens on Saturday.
Key points made were:
• Wales has excellent resources to produce sustainable food and energy
• These industries support good long-term jobs
• The policies of councils, the Welsh Assembly and Westminster could increase the market available for local food and energy
• The relationships of supermarkets to suppliers need to be regulated
• Communities need to have a better deal when selling locally produced energy on the national grid
• Communities need to make their own decisions on which sustainable technologies to develop
Speaking from Llanelli, Dr. Myfanwy Davies, Plaid’s candidate in Llanelli for the next Westminster election said:
“As a party we have been committed to sustainability for decades, we are fully committed to acting upon the points raised at this important conference. It is clear that the recession and the wider environmental crisis are linked to patterns of consumption that create huge inequalities of wealth and that make our jobs uncertain”.
“We have seen an increase in joblessness of 80% in Llanelli over the past year. Those jobs were lost because it is too easy to relocate and because we do not have policies in place that mean we are able to buy local goods in preference to those shipped from the other side of the world”
Adam Price, MP for Carmarthen East and Dinefwr added:
“We all need to change the way we think and the way we live to respond to the environmental and financial crisis. There is a lot we can do as individuals, but essentially we need bold actions from politicians. I was very pleased to see so many experts and organisations come to the conference and I would urge people concerned about crisis facing the environment to get involved politically and start making their points from inside the political parties”.
Key points made were:
• Wales has excellent resources to produce sustainable food and energy
• These industries support good long-term jobs
• The policies of councils, the Welsh Assembly and Westminster could increase the market available for local food and energy
• The relationships of supermarkets to suppliers need to be regulated
• Communities need to have a better deal when selling locally produced energy on the national grid
• Communities need to make their own decisions on which sustainable technologies to develop
Speaking from Llanelli, Dr. Myfanwy Davies, Plaid’s candidate in Llanelli for the next Westminster election said:
“As a party we have been committed to sustainability for decades, we are fully committed to acting upon the points raised at this important conference. It is clear that the recession and the wider environmental crisis are linked to patterns of consumption that create huge inequalities of wealth and that make our jobs uncertain”.
“We have seen an increase in joblessness of 80% in Llanelli over the past year. Those jobs were lost because it is too easy to relocate and because we do not have policies in place that mean we are able to buy local goods in preference to those shipped from the other side of the world”
Adam Price, MP for Carmarthen East and Dinefwr added:
“We all need to change the way we think and the way we live to respond to the environmental and financial crisis. There is a lot we can do as individuals, but essentially we need bold actions from politicians. I was very pleased to see so many experts and organisations come to the conference and I would urge people concerned about crisis facing the environment to get involved politically and start making their points from inside the political parties”.
Tuesday, 21 April 2009
Myfanwy to host Carmarthenshire conference on building a sustainable economy
Dr Myfanwy Davies, Plaid’s Llanelli Westminster candidate and Plaid regional AM, Nerys Evans will host a high-profile national conference on saving jobs and preparing for a green economy. The event which will be held at the Botanic Gardens near Llandeilo will explore how to protect local jobs and businesses from the effects of the recession while building an economy that is sustainable and where decisions are made by local people.
The ‘Sustainable Spring’ conference will focus in particular on developing sustainable food and energy production and improving infrastructure like roads, rail and telecommunications. It is expected that around 150 people will attend including experts and representatives from the environmental sector, industry and the farming unions. With figures recently released showing dramatic differences in the effects of the recession across the UK, the conference will explore why the recession has hit Wales - and particularly West Wales - so much harder than other parts of the UK.
Speaking from her campaign office in Llanelli, Myfanwy said:
“The economic crisis and the environmental crises are closely related. The Brown boom of the last few years was based on consumption that nobody could afford. But once again, it is our communities in Llanelli and Carmarthen that are suffering while Brown protects the bankers.
“The conference is about taking a hard look at the policies that got us here – looking at transport, education and how we use our natural resources – using the powers that we have in the Assembly, Westminster, Europe and our councils to create a stronger, greener economy.
“We will see Wales through but it will be a different economy that comes out of this recession. It will be an economy that puts people ahead of profits and that is sustainable and locally-based. We can offer that change and the conference is about establishing how we can work with experts, environmentalists and industry to deliver that change”.
Nerys Evans AM added:
“We have always believed in developing a sustainable economy in Wales. It is proof of the seriousness with which we take the economic and environmental crises that so many of our front line politicians will meet with representatives from the field for a day to develop an integrated approach to living sustainably. We will see Wales through the crisis but now is the time to make sure we are world-leaders in living and working sustainably."
The ‘Sustainable Spring’ conference will focus in particular on developing sustainable food and energy production and improving infrastructure like roads, rail and telecommunications. It is expected that around 150 people will attend including experts and representatives from the environmental sector, industry and the farming unions. With figures recently released showing dramatic differences in the effects of the recession across the UK, the conference will explore why the recession has hit Wales - and particularly West Wales - so much harder than other parts of the UK.
Speaking from her campaign office in Llanelli, Myfanwy said:
“The economic crisis and the environmental crises are closely related. The Brown boom of the last few years was based on consumption that nobody could afford. But once again, it is our communities in Llanelli and Carmarthen that are suffering while Brown protects the bankers.
“The conference is about taking a hard look at the policies that got us here – looking at transport, education and how we use our natural resources – using the powers that we have in the Assembly, Westminster, Europe and our councils to create a stronger, greener economy.
“We will see Wales through but it will be a different economy that comes out of this recession. It will be an economy that puts people ahead of profits and that is sustainable and locally-based. We can offer that change and the conference is about establishing how we can work with experts, environmentalists and industry to deliver that change”.
Nerys Evans AM added:
“We have always believed in developing a sustainable economy in Wales. It is proof of the seriousness with which we take the economic and environmental crises that so many of our front line politicians will meet with representatives from the field for a day to develop an integrated approach to living sustainably. We will see Wales through the crisis but now is the time to make sure we are world-leaders in living and working sustainably."
Wednesday, 4 February 2009
Statement on the economy
Thanks to New Labour letting reckless bankers have a free hand the recession is likely to continue for at least a year. Repossessions have doubled since the summer. Llanelli has seen hundreds of jobs under threat. Plaid’s Llanelli AM Helen Mary Jones is working hard to keep manufacturing jobs in Llanelli, and Plaid’s Ieuan Wyn Jones is making sure that the Assembly Government is doing all it can, but for many of us the future is uncertain.
Myfanwy is calling for further action to help Llanelli get through this difficult time.
Town Centres in Llanelli and Burry Port: Shops can be left empty when tenants face legal problems getting out of their leases. The County Council must act to match new clients to empty shops in Llanelli and Burry Port.
Myfanwy will support a realistic bid for funding for Upper Park Street and will campaign for changes to the Local Development Plan to reflect the needs of people in Burry Port.
Businesses: Ieuan Wyn Jones has introduced the ‘ReAct’ scheme to provide cash payments to businesses who take on unemployed people.
Companies with orders on their books for the future who don’t have work now can be helped to keep workers on by the ‘ProAct’ scheme. Myfanwy has called on Mr Jones to make sure all Llanelli companies know how to apply.
With her colleague Adam Price MP and Jill Evans MEP, Myfanwy is campaigning to change EU competition law so that the Assembly Government can provide loans to Welsh business at below the market rate.
Affordable Homes: Myfanwy is calling on the Council to make sure that people in Llanelli can get help from Plaid Minister Jocelyn Davies’ mortgage rescue scheme and to make best use of nearly £1 million pounds Jocelyn Davies has made available to provide more affordable homes in Carmarthenshire.
Help for Families: With Helen Mary, Myfanwy has called on the UK Government to fund affordable childcare for all parents.
Myfanwy has joined Plaid MPs in calling for a limit on energy prices and for cheaper rates for those struggling to pay, especially young families and pensioners.
Speaking from her campaign office in Llanelli, Myfanwy said: “ Plaid in the Assembly is taking practical steps to help ordinary people and businesses. Now it’s time for Labour in London to invest where it matters instead of throwing money at the banks . We need action now to safeguard real jobs and get ready for the future. And we need new laws to make sure greedy bankers can never do anything like this to our communities again.”
Myfanwy is calling for further action to help Llanelli get through this difficult time.
Town Centres in Llanelli and Burry Port: Shops can be left empty when tenants face legal problems getting out of their leases. The County Council must act to match new clients to empty shops in Llanelli and Burry Port.
Myfanwy will support a realistic bid for funding for Upper Park Street and will campaign for changes to the Local Development Plan to reflect the needs of people in Burry Port.
Businesses: Ieuan Wyn Jones has introduced the ‘ReAct’ scheme to provide cash payments to businesses who take on unemployed people.
Companies with orders on their books for the future who don’t have work now can be helped to keep workers on by the ‘ProAct’ scheme. Myfanwy has called on Mr Jones to make sure all Llanelli companies know how to apply.
With her colleague Adam Price MP and Jill Evans MEP, Myfanwy is campaigning to change EU competition law so that the Assembly Government can provide loans to Welsh business at below the market rate.
Affordable Homes: Myfanwy is calling on the Council to make sure that people in Llanelli can get help from Plaid Minister Jocelyn Davies’ mortgage rescue scheme and to make best use of nearly £1 million pounds Jocelyn Davies has made available to provide more affordable homes in Carmarthenshire.
Help for Families: With Helen Mary, Myfanwy has called on the UK Government to fund affordable childcare for all parents.
Myfanwy has joined Plaid MPs in calling for a limit on energy prices and for cheaper rates for those struggling to pay, especially young families and pensioners.
Speaking from her campaign office in Llanelli, Myfanwy said: “ Plaid in the Assembly is taking practical steps to help ordinary people and businesses. Now it’s time for Labour in London to invest where it matters instead of throwing money at the banks . We need action now to safeguard real jobs and get ready for the future. And we need new laws to make sure greedy bankers can never do anything like this to our communities again.”
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