Welsh election boundary map set to change

Proposals for new Welsh constituencies for Westminster will be released this month, following the publication of proposals for other three countries in the UK.

It is expected that there will be 30 seats for MPs to represent Wales, following the changes which cut the number of MPs from 650 to 600 and introduce a population criterion to determine constituency boundaries.

Plaid Cymru MP Jonathan Edwards said:

“Plaid Cymru fought strongly against the 25% cut in Welsh representation at Wales which was forced through by the Conservatives and Liberal Democrat coalition.

“We disagreed with the cut in the number of MPs at Westminster from 650 to 600 and the way of doing this – ignoring community links or history as the most important criterion for a seat and replacing them with a population criterion which will mean constant change in boundaries to keep the numbers right.

“Plaid Cymru have, of course, contributed our thoughts to the consultation and will respond accordingly when the proposals are published.

“However, it is not certain that these changes will take place.

“Many Conservative and Lib Dem MPs who went through the lobbies to back the cut have now begun to realise that they might lose their own seats through these changes, and have to started to fight against them.

“On the one hand, I hope that they are successful because that would be the right thing to do, but it is worrying that ConDem coalition MPs will fight so hard for their own job while consigning more than 700,000 public sector workers to the dole queue.” 

Housing changes damaging to young people

Plaid Cymru fears over housing benefit changes introduced today

Plaid Cymru spokesperson for work and pensions, Hywel Williams MP, has criticised housing benefit changes being introduced today – arguing that they are penalising younger people and potentially forcing benefit claimants into unsuitable housing.

Changes being introduced are expected to lead to younger people being forced to live at home longer and families moving into lower-grade accommodation.

Mr Williams said:

“Poor housing is linked to poor health and lower life chances.

“In changing the rules for families living on housing benefits, they are forcing families to move into housing which is at the lower quality end of the spectrum.

“These are very disturbing moves which Plaid Cymru has opposed. It is clear that these changes are motivated by cost implications, rather than human factors and improving society.

“They are also strongly motivated by problems with the housing market in London, rather than the conditions and costs in Wales.

“Changes to age qualification for single person properties, such as bedsits, for example, will mean that young people, up to the age of 35 – which is hardly young – have to stay with their families or find alternative accommodation.

“There is a very serious fear that this will lead to increased homelessness and desperation for young people who feel trapped by circumstances and unable to afford a place of their own.

“Councils in Wales are already predicting an increase in housing problems as people are forced out of the private property market and this will put pressure on social housing and homelessness supports.

“At the same time, £80m of money from housing in Wales is sent back to London under what is called the Housing Revenue Account subsidy. This is a dreadful misuse of funds which should be helping with housing in Wales.” 

Today's bank levy rise - step forward but more to be done

Step forward to better bank control but more to be done

Plaid Cymru has welcomed the increase in the bank levy that comes into effect today, but warned that the amounts raised were far smaller than those which could be generated by an international financial transaction tax, also known as a Robin Hood Tax.

The bank levy was raised to 0.88% on debts above £20bn as a behavioural tax to prevent large banks from taking on risky amounts of debt. It is hoped to raise around £2.6bn per annum from the banks.

Plaid Cymru treasury spokesperson, Jonathan Edwards MP said:

“While welcoming the increase on the banking levy, it is confusing that the Tory government can support one form of behavioural tax – to supposedly stop banks from taking on risky debt – but not another – a Robin Hood Tax on financial transactions.

“It seems especially strange in the light of David Cameron’s actions a few weeks ago in vetoing an EU treaty supposedly on the basis of the impact upon the City of London.

“It was the financial sector, not the public sector, which got us into this economic mess and they should be contributing significantly to get us out of it.

“A financial transaction tax, a Robin Hood Tax, would ensure that an often unnecessary and unproductive trade of money will become a socially productive investment in our future.

“There is significant pressure towards the introduction of a Robin Hood Tax, which is estimated could raise anywhere between £10bn and £20bn in the UK alone – depending on the amount charged, and could make a genuine difference if invested properly.”

FORGET POLITICS LET'S TALK BUSINESS

FORGET POLITICS

LET'S TALK BUSINESS

We’ve all seen the effects of the recent economic crisis with our own eyes – and the toll it has taken on our town centres and other local business.

The facts show that hundreds of thousands of people are employed by small businesses and our government should be protecting those jobs during the economic crisis. Small business owners here are working hard to keep their staff on despite the incredibly difficult economic conditions they’re facing and they should be praised and offered assistance.

After unemployment hit a record high earlier this month, Plaid has called for action to protect jobs in small businesses. The party’s Small Business plan would directly help any business with a rateable value of up to £18,000. However, during recent negotiations to agree the Welsh Budget, Labour blocked the plans.

What’s Plaid’s Plan

• The vast majority of shops and local businesses and shops would be helped by Plaid’s plan.
• We would extend Business Rate support to businesses up to a rateable value of £18,000 – which is over 80% of businesses in Wales.
• This would help safeguard thousands of jobs in Wales and lend valuable support to businesses in the toughest of times.
• Small businesses collectively employ 477,700 people in Wales, but Labour’s refusal to support this scheme has put those jobs at risk.

We believe that despite the cuts, more can be done to protect jobs and help our local businesses communities. Plaid has a plan that really could make a difference to you, your family and your community.

Publish Post

We would urge you to join us in saying that now is the time to make protecting jobs an absolute priority. Like you, we want a better future for Wales.

FORGET POLITICS LET'S TALK ABOUT JOBS

FORGET POLITICS

LET'S TALK ABOUT JOBS

Just like you, we believe that there is no issue more important in Wales today than creating and protecting jobs. 137,000 people in Wales are out of work and everyone agrees that the situation is going to get worse.

Now is the time for Wales to stand together and pledge to do whatever can be done in order to save jobs and to protect families.  Unlike the others we will not sit on our hands and let the Conservative and Lib Dem cuts take their toll in Wales in the worst possible way.  It’s time to put Wales first.

This is why we want to see this Welsh government shifting its money in order to;

• Invest in building projects which will help our construction industry. 
• Give greater help to small, local businesses
• Support the survival of our manufacturing sector
• Provide money for people to re-train if they lose their jobs
• Help companies so that they can avoid redundancies

We also want to see our councils treating their workers fairly – we want fairness for all those who work tirelessly everyday for our communities.  We would never treat our public sector workers in the way they have been treated by Labour councils.  Forcing through pay cuts and changing terms and conditions with minimum consultation is not the way to treat a workforce.  Our way is to invite workers to work with management in order to plan a way forward together.

Plaid exists not for its own sake, but for Wales.

We believe that despite the cuts, more can be done to protect jobs and communities. Plaid has a plan that really could make a difference to you, your family and your community. We would urge you to join us in saying that now is the time to make protecting jobs an absolute priority. Like you, we want a better future for Wales.  

Local communities: Our vision

What is Plaid's vision for our local communities?

Plaid will work to ensure that local government is more open and answerable to the public. We will also ensure that our local councils work effectively in partnership with other local councils and organisations for the benefit of our communities. We oppose the micro management of local councils by central government and are committed to ensuring that local councils have the freedom and funding to respond appropriately to local issues.

In the long term, Plaid will create an All-Wales Civil Service, with civil servants and officers able to move freely between the National Assembly for Wales, Local Government in Wales and The National Health Service in Wales. We believe that this model will encourage cooperation, the sharing of best practice, and will result in more joined-up thinking.

Plaid-run councils operate with robust scrutiny mechanisms so that decision-making power is not just concentrated in the hands of the executive board and senior local government officials. Plaid values the important work of town and community councils as they are a vital link in Welsh democracy. We will work to strengthen their role as we believe that they have the potential to play a fuller role in revitalising our communities.

We know that community involvement is vital to effective local government. We will make sure that voluntary groups, local businesses and individuals have every opportunity to share their views on decisions impacting their local community. We will support the campaign for participatory budgeting in our local authorities to ensure that local citizens have a voice in how money is spent.

Plaid is committed to a fairer voting system and will continue to campaign for the introduction of the Single Transferable Vote for every election in Wales including local authority elections. We will also continue to call for the right to vote at 16 as a way of encouraging young people to take part in the political process.

Plaid believes that we should abolish the unfair and outdated council tax system and introduce a local income tax. A local income tax would be based on the ability to pay, not on the value of property. It would be fairer and more efficient.

We know that Post Offices are often central to the vibrancy of communities, especially in our rural areas. Plaid has always been opposed to Post Office closures, and we have supported the strengthening of the Post Office network with a People's Bank. We believe that these community hubs have massive potential as information and advice centres. 

Undeb Credyd Plaid Cymru

ADRODDIAD ARIANNOL 2009/10

Archwilwyr yr Undeb Credyd yw Williams Ross sydd wedi’u lleoli yng Ngwaelod y Garth. Archwiliwyd ein cyfrifon ganddynt am dros 15 mlynedd, a dangosir eu harchwiliad mwyaf diweddar fod Undeb Credyd Plaid Cymru Credit Union mewn cyflwr ariannol cadarn. Unwaith eto mae swm yr arian a fenthycir wedi codi i £191,197, ffigwr sydd heb ei gyrraedd gennym ers bodoli, fel y dangosir yn y graff.  Llôg ar y benthyciadau yw prif incwm UCPCCU a chyda’r llôg ar fuddsoddiadau yng Nghymdeithas Adeiladu Abertawe a Chymdeithas Adeiladu Sir Fynwy, dyma’r unig incwm a sicrheir gan UCPCCU.  Yn anffodus, oherwydd y raddfa llôg isel gan y Cymdeithasau Adeiladu, mae’r incwm o’r ffynhonell yma wedi gostwng yn sylweddol. Mae’r swm o gyfrannau aelodau (cynilion) a gedwir gan UCPCCU wedi cynyddu unwaith yn rhagor am y degfed flwyddyn yn olynol.  Ar hyn o bryd mae’r swm yn sefyll ar dros £300,000.  O ganlyniad i’n perfformiad rydym unwaith yn rhagor yn gallu cynnig llôg difidend o 2% ar gyfrifon gyda mynediad sydyn, sydd yn uwch na rhan fwyaf o Fanciau y Stryd Fawr a Chymdeithasau Adeiladu. Newyddion da am 2010/11 yw bod y benthyciadau yn uwch eto ac yn llawer uwch na’n targed am y flwyddyn, a chyda 3 mis eto yn weddill o’r flwyddyn, fe all guro record y benthyciadau uchaf a wnaed yn 2004/05 a oedd yn £124,211. Ebost/Gwefan Gellir cael gafael ar pob ffurflen o’r wefan.  Bydd diweddiadarau cyson yn cael eu postio ar y wefan.   Hefyd mae dolenni diddorol ar gael i ACau a ASau  Plaid Cymru, Jill Evans ac amryw eraill.  Cyfeiriad  yr ebost yw post@ucpccu.org neu ucpccul@btconnect.com a gellir cael mynediad i’r  wefan drwy www.ucpccu.org http://www.ucpccu.org/undeb_credyd_plaid_cymru.html