Latest news with #PlaidCymru
BBC News
a day ago
- Politics
- BBC News
Free school swimming lessons election pledge by Plaid Cymru
Plaid Cymru has promised to make sure that all primary school children in Wales are given free swimming lessons if it wins next year's Senedd policy would provide 20 "swimming and water safety" lessons for children in years four and said the pledge would cost £4.4m a national governing body for Welsh swimming, Swim Wales, said that "fewer than 35%" of Welsh children aged seven to 11 are able to swim 25 metres unaided. According to Swim Wales, parents should already "expect their child to attend school swimming at some point during primary school".However, the "exact opportunities" can vary depending on the local council and each individual school, the organisation evidence to a Senedd committee in 2023, the chief executive of Swim Wales, Fergus Feeney, said that only 50% of the country's 1,600 plus primary schools took part in swimming, as he warned the activity risks being limited to "white middle class children".Plaid says that a lack of funding limits what primary schools are able to offer and so the party would set money aside specifically for school swimming Cymru's culture, media and leisure spokeswoman Heledd Fychan said the party's "fully-costed" policy would "teach every single child the skills they need to enjoy spending time in and by the water safely"."By giving children the opportunity to learn to swim, we will also actively encourage children to be healthier – which is all a part of our commitment to a new and transformative agenda for public health in Wales," she added. According to the National Water Safety Forum, there were 18 water-related deaths in Wales in 2024 and the rate of accidental drowning in Wales is almost double that of the UK as a whole."Teaching our young people how to swim and be safe in and around water is a necessity, not a nice-to-have," Fychan Feeney said he "welcomed" the policy."Without urgent action, tens of thousands of Welsh children every year could leave primary school unable to stay safe in, on, or around water," he said."By having a universal school swimming offer, we can ensure that Welsh children from all backgrounds have the same opportunity to acquire a life skill, to develop their confidence and begin their journey of lifelong physical activity."This would mean that Wales would be the first home nation to have a national programme of this significance in place."Earlier this year, the Senedd's culture committee called on the government to "develop a school swimming strategy to ensure that children leaving primary school have the ability to swim".Responding at the time, the minister for culture Jack Sargeant said he agreed with "the intention of the recommendation", but added "we need to be mindful of the financial pressure the recommendation would imply for schools in the current difficult financial circumstances"."The statutory guidance within the Curriculum for Wales, which all schools must consider, includes learners engaging in a range of physical activity, including within water," he added.
Powys County Times
a day ago
- Health
- Powys County Times
Llandrindod's Samaritans branch could be under threat
UNCERTAINTY clouds the future of Powys' sole Samaritans branch, after the suicide prevention charity announced that at least half of its offices in the UK will close. The proposals were revealed in a video message to staff earlier this month, sent by the leadership of the charity. It is believed there is no definitive view on how many branches the charity will close, but chief executive Julie Bentley said: 'It's likely that within the next seven to 10 years our branch network will have (been) reduced by at least half. 'With less branches, we'll look to move to fewer but bigger regions.' Samaritans has more than 200 branches across the UK. Llandrindod Wells is the only one in Powys and one of 10 in Wales. The list of branches which could close has not been decided; though if the charity's board agrees to the plans at a meeting in September, the changes will begin in April in the UK and 2027 in Ireland. In response to the closures, Plaid Cymru health spokesperson, Mabon ap Gwynfor, expressed particular concern on the impact the closures will have on the Welsh Government's suicide prevention strategy. He called for 'urgent explanations' from the Welsh Government. 'The work that the Samaritans do day in, day out is invaluable,' he said. 'The news of so many branches closing will be met with disappointment and fear in Wales and across the UK. 'We need urgent explanations from the Welsh Government about what this means for Wales' mental health and suicide prevention strategy. 'We must also recognise the invaluable service offered by the Samaritans through the medium of Welsh – a service that we must try to protect.' Founded in 1953, the Samaritans focus on preventing suicides by connecting trained volunteers with people who are struggling. The charity estimates it answers a call for help every 10 seconds. The news comes as the charity launched a groundbreaking project at the Royal Welsh Show to reduce suicide in farming communities. Samaritans Cymru is setting out to break the cycle of suicide risk in rural Wales by launching the 'Our Farming, Our Future' project. The project will work closely with Wales Young Farmers Clubs (YFC) in Ceredigion, Brecknock, Montgomery and Radnorshire to develop peer-led activities and resources that can be cascaded across farming communities to reduce the risk of suicide in rural areas. Powys Samaritans is the youngest Samaritans branch (premises based) in the UK and was set up in the wake of the foot and mouth outbreak in 1994. Over the last 31 years the branch has moved from a one-bedroomed flat to renting a larger premises; and it now owns an entire building on the spa town's High Street, comprising of upstairs rooms for listening volunteers and training, in addition to a charity shop on the ground floor which brings in the majority of funding.
North Wales Live
2 days ago
- Politics
- North Wales Live
Protestors demonstrate against 'shocking' solar farm proposals which could 'rip out' countryside
More than 100 protestors demonstrated against proposed, vast solar energy farms on Anglesey today. They are concerned about two plans - the Alaw Môn projects - which would reportedly produce 160MW of energy - and Maen Hir - which could produce over 350MW. The proposals by Enso Energy and Lightsource BP on Anglesey, could cover up to 3,700 acres of mostly farmland on about two per cent of the island. It is understood that Lightsource BP, who are responsible for the Maen Hir scheme, say they are still consulting with local communities, and that they appreciate the feedback they have received so far. North Wales Live has asked Enso Energy - the developers of the Alaw Môn scheme - for a statement. Today one resident Sarah Pye, a mother-of-two from Rhos-Goch in the north of the island, addressed the demonstrators in Llangefni in Welsh and English. She told them: "We live in the area of the Lightsource BP solar development known as Maen Hir. "Not only will our view be turned from green to black but they want to rip out our land and put a cable through it. My partner and I have spent the last four years rewilding our land and planting over 4,000 trees to create a mini-forest in Rhos-Goch. "Additionally, we have put all of our life savings into creating a tourism business to make our dream of living in a smallholding a reality. (But) out of the blue we received letters from Lightsource BP wanting to survey our land. "They decided that they may want to use our land for a solar development. You can imagine what a shock that was to us. We had no idea that four years ago this was a development plan not just for Rhos-Goch but for Anglesey too." Ms Pye also warned that if proposals are approved tourists could stay away, "Would you go on holiday to an island covered in black solar panels?" she asked. Ms Pye said she learned through Plaid Cymru members and others that in fact two solar farms were proposed which was a "shock". But she met some amazing people and formed the "No More Solar Farms Ynys Mon Group". Also today Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth said he is worried about the plans to "exploit" Anglesey. "We are very concerned here on Anglesey about the exploitation that is being planned by companies that are going to make a profit of millions of pounds from stealing our fertile agricultural land," said Mr Iorwerth, who is also MS for Ynys Mon. "There are other more innovative ways of producing solar energy - on our terms here in Anglesey. There is a recent example of using a solar cover in the county council car park, for example." Others to address the protestors today included Plaid Cymru MP for Ynys Mon Llinos Medi and Gareth Winston Roberts, who lives near the proposed site of the Maen Hir scheme. He said he wasn't against solar energy but added: "We are losing our young people from Anglesey, and so we want to secure work in Anglesey - we are talking about Dryweryn here on the Anglesey of Mother Wales." Get the best island stories from our Anglesey newsletter - sent every Friday On the Alaw Mon proposal, Enso Energy claim on their website the park would power 33,935 homes and create 160MW of solar generation, providing renewable electricity for distribution to the National Grid. An underground cable would connect the solar farm and battery energy storage facility to the substation at Wylfa Power Station. Enso Energy has said: "We will use existing farm access points at Nantanog, Chwaen Gach, Chwaen Bach and Tan Rallt to access the site during construction, which we anticipate will take 12 months, and operation." According to Enso Energy, the 160MW plan would produce enough electricity to meet the needs of all the homes on the island. Lightsource BP's intention is to erect the solar panels across three sites, which would produce enough green energy to support over 130,000 homes. The Maen Hir development would reportedly be almost five times larger than the largest active solar farm in the UK.
Leader Live
3 days ago
- Politics
- Leader Live
Ombudsman clears Wrexham councillor who challenged LDP
The independent Ombudsman has ruled that Plaid Cymru group leader Cllr Marc Jones did not breach the Code of Conduct by jointly initiating legal proceedings in Wrexham Council's name with two other members of the council. As a result, it has ruled no further action should be taken. 'The overwhelming feeling is of relief after waiting for 20 months,' said Cllr Jones. 'This feels like the end of a chapter, even if it's not the end of the entire saga surrounding the Local Development Plan (LDP). We stood up for what we believed was the right thing for Wrexham communities and the right of councillors and local democracy to be heard. 'Others didn't feel the same way and tried every way possible to silence us. Ultimately it didn't work and the courts, police and now the Ombudsman have found in our favour. 'It's time to move on and get the LDP withdrawn so that we can ensure we have a plan going forward that works for Wrexham and its communities.' That could happen next Wednesday when an extraordinary meeting of Wrexham Council has been called to debate a notice of motion asking Welsh Government to formally withdraw the LDP. Related reading: The LDP is the strategic plan that outlines where development is appropriate within Wrexham County Borough. It was considered a statutory duty for all Welsh Council's to adopt an LDP until Cllr Jones led a challenge against Wrexham's plan. The opposition to the plan stemmed from what Cllr Jones called the 'excessive allocation of housing on greenfield sites'. That challenge went all the way to the UK Supreme Court who ruled that the authority did not have to adopt the LDP. Currently planning committee can still use the LDP as a guide when deciding applications, but if withdrawn it will fall back to the outdated Unitary Development Plan. During the legal battle, a complaint was made to the Ombudsman that Cllr Jones and his supporters had breached the code of conduct for councillors by beginning legal action on the council's behalf. However, the Ombudsman accepted the explanation that Cllr Jones had taken the action to 'uphold and defend the democratic decisions of the council in April and June 2023 to reject the LDP'. It also accepted that while acting outside the council's usual legal framework could be considered bringing the council into disrepute, stating: 'the factual context of the Member's conduct and subsequent series of events provides strong mitigating factors which must be duly considered when deciding whether further action is required, in the public interest. 'I have considered that the council's statutory officers were acting in good faith and on the external legal advice received at the time, did not take steps to uphold the council/members' decisions not to adopt the draft LDP. 'However, as confirmed by the more recent Court of Appeal decision instituted by the Member, it appears that the officers' position, that the members were obliged to adopt the draft LDP, was based on an incorrect interpretation of the law. 'The crowdfunding campaign established to take further legal challenges against the adoption of the draft LDP received strong public support. Because of this, I have concluded that any impact on the public's perception of the member's conduct – and accordingly the public interest factors and considerations relevant to this complaint – significantly changed during the course of the investigation. 'For these reasons, I do not believe that any further action is required in the public interest.' Cllr Jones said the decision drew a line under the debate and added he wanted to move beyond the legal argument. 'People don't want urban sprawl,' said Cllr Jones. 'They don't want huge super-estates with no community facilities, they want improved public services, genuinely affordable homes, better transport links and the focus of any developments to be on derelict land and empty properties. 'That's the focus for me now – looking forward to improve Wrexham rather than looking back in anger.'
BBC News
4 days ago
- Politics
- BBC News
Show 'courage' to sanction Israel, Plaid Cymru tells Starmer
Leading Plaid Cymru politicians have called on the prime minister to sanction the Israeli government "without delay" over the conflict in ap Iorwerth and Liz Saville Roberts said "moral courage" was needed by Sir Keir Starmer's United Nations has warned mass starvation across Gaza is causing a "dire situation". The Israeli government rejected a statement from the UK and 27 other countries earlier this week that called for an immediate end to the war. The UK government has been asked to respond. The letter, addressed to Sir Keir Starmer and Foreign Secretary David Lammy, said "history will judge" politicians who did not do everything in their power to stop the unfolding situation in Gaza. Ap Iorwerth, Plaid's leader, and Saville Roberts, the party's Westminster leader, said sanctions must include a complete arms embargo, and said they were deeply frustrated the "UK government's deeds are not following its rhetoric".Earlier this week the Foreign Secretary, David Lammy, called the situation in Gaza "grotesque" and pledged to take further action if a change in behaviour was not seen from Plaid leaders urged the UK government to put pressure on other foreign powers so the UN takes "urgent and robust action", and called for the recognition of Palestine as a week, more than 100 international aid organisations warned of mass starvation in Gaza, blaming an Israeli "siege" on food trucks carrying at least 1,054 Palestinians have been killed by the Israeli military while seeking food since 27 May, according to the said 150 food trucks were collected by the UN and other agencies in Gaza on Wednesday with a further 800 waiting collection – but aid workers have said Israel has obstructed them from doing and the US say the system is necessary to stop Hamas from stealing aid, something the UN has not Montgomeryshire and Glyndwr Labour MP Steve Witherden, alongside Plaid Cymru MPs, were among 56 politicians who have written to cabinet politicians calling for an arms embargo on Israel and more transparency around what military parts were being exported abroad.
