Matt Smith - A fresh, local voice for Cardiff North

Thank you

2011-06-06T12:47:00.000-07:00

The Assembly election is over, and the Cardiff North constituency, for the first time, has a Liberal Democrat representative in the Welsh Assembly, after the election of our first AM on the South Wales Central regional list.

There can be no disguising the fact that within Cardiff North, the result for the Liberal Democrats was a disappointing one. The national position of the party made it a tough contest - and we were hampered for other reasons too.

However - I have learned a lot from the contest, and though I do intend to stand for the Assembly again in the future, I'm sure you'll agree that five years is a long time - so I will make a concrete decision closer to the time of the next Assembly Election in 2016 as to whether I wish to contest the seat again.

I'd like to take the opportunity to thank a few people. The people who voted for me, the people who I spoke to on the campaign trail who were always positive and welcoming towards me regardless of how they planned to vote, my agent, our local Lib Dem councillors in Cardiff North who I will continue to work alongside, and my friends and family for the moral support they gave me during the campaign.

And last but certainly not least, my opponents, Ben Foday, Jonathan Morgan and Julie Morgan, who were always welcoming, accommodating, and whilst our encounters on the campaign trail were interesting and thought provoking, they were never heated or bitter.

I won't be updating the site for a while now, but if you need to get in contact with me, please feel free to get in touch via the Contact Me page.

Best wishes,

Matt

Wales can do better: Better politics, putting local people in charge

2011-04-19T15:58:00.000-07:00

We will take power away from Cardiff Bay and give it back to local people

Devolution was meant to give more people the chance to be involved in running Wales, not just move power from London to Cardiff Bay. Too much power in Wales is hoarded by a centralising political elite. Devolution has had its successes but it's becoming too much like Westminster; too distant from people and with too much control over our communities.

Wales can harness the knowledge and experience of our people and finally use the ideas to help change our country. The more power we give to our urban and rural communities, the more problems can be solved through local action.

We will empower local decision-making by freeing Councils from the bureaucratic rules imposed on them by Ministers, and giving local people more influence over their communities' future.

Welsh Liberal Democrats will:

Make sure your council can deliver for you by cutting restrictions that stop them innovating and acting in the best interest of local communities.
Enact a new law to give your community more power over local decisions on housing, culture, the environment and local services

Wales can do better: A better future for our environment

2011-04-07T12:01:00.000-07:00

Tackling climate change by saving money on energy bills and protecting rural communities.

The Labour-Plaid government has failed to deliver for our environment. It has wasted £8 million of our money subsidising the 'Ieuan Air' north-south airlink, but has failed to invest sufficiently in sustainable rail and bus transport. Progress towards providing Wales with safe, affordable green energy for all has not gone far enough. Wales has the second highest CO₂ emissions compared to the size of our economy and 200,000 more households falling into fuel poverty since 2004.

Going green must be an option for everyone, not just those who can afford it. We will help people to make their homes more energy efficient, cutting carbon emissions and fuel poverty. Renewable energy must be the focus of the next Government, and sustainable transport must be promoted.

We will take action to reduce Wales's ecological footprint by 75% by 2050. We will accelerate the drive for renewable energy, promote community power-generation schemes, and develop passenger-friendly sustainable transport.

Welsh Liberal Democrats will:
Radically overhaul the energy efficiency of an extra 12,000 homes by doubling the money available for tackling fuel poverty.
Unleash a new era of renewable energy production by encouraging the use of offshore tidal and wind resources and promoting community renewable energy schemes.
Scrap the wasteful 'Ieuan Air' airlink between North and South Wales, and prioritise green transport, including rail and bus travel.

Wales can do better: A better NHS that delivers for you

2011-04-06T15:28:00.000-07:00

Shorter waiting times for treatment - patients in Wales shouldn't have to wait longer.

Wales' NHS has been expensively reorganised by the Labour-Plaid government. But they have failed to tackle the waste of resources. Although we spend more per head on the NHS than England, we put up with worse results - longer waiting times, slower ambulance response times, lower standards of cancer treatment.

The Welsh Liberal Democrats will always be guided by the founding principles of the NHS - providing free care, when you need it, regardless of your ability to pay. Building on those principles, we will tackle the inefficiencies of the present organisation to achieve higher standards of care.

We will reform the way health care is delivered by focusing on prevention and local service delivery. We will strengthen the link with social care and, if you need social or nursing care, we will allow you to decide what best suits your needs.

Welsh Liberal Democrats will:

Cut your waiting times by cutting waste. We will improve healthcare by switching ineffective spending in the NHS to the frontline.
Improve care and support for the elderly and vulnerable by ensuring you can choose the care you want, when you want it.

Wales can do better: Better education for our children

2011-04-05T16:08:00.000-07:00

Investing in schools and teachers - cutting the £604 per child spending gap with England.

Welsh schools and education system were once the envy of the UK. Now, international comparisons shows that that Wales' results in reading and maths have fallen significantly behind and that Welsh students are falling behind their counterparts in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Education is the key investment we can make in all our children. It is the route of out poverty and the way to ensure that everyone can reach their full potential. Ultimately, it's how to make our economy strong, and narrow the gap between rich and poor.

Our schools will only improve when we give teachers the tools and training they need to inspire our children. At the moment, pupils in Wales get £604 less per year spent on their education than in England. We will start by giving education the financial priority it deserves and giving our teachers more and better training.

Welsh Liberal Democrats will:

Tackle the spending gap, providing more money for schools by targeting additional money at the 80,000 pupils who need it the most so that schools can afford to invest in the things that really matter, such as smaller class sizes or one-on-one teaching.
Invest in new training and development opportunities for teachers, driving up standards and challenging our teachers so we deliver for our children.

Wales can do better: Better use of our money

2011-04-04T17:18:00.000-07:00

The Welsh Lib Dems will stop wasteful spending by Labour and Plaid in the Assembly and invest in creating jobs.

The Labour-Plaid Government has spent more money on economic development than any other part of the UK but Wales is the poorest part of the United Kingdom and we're still falling further behind. The source of our economic problems continues to be low skill levels and a lack of investment in and by private business.

Gordon Brown and Labour failed us by deregulating the banks and refusing to take serious action on banking profits and we have been let down in Cardiff too. The Welsh economy has underperformed and the gap between rich and poor has grown. The result of this economic mismanagement is rising unemployment and a private sector that is far too small. We believe that private investment, alongside public investment, can also stimulate growth.

Welsh Liberal Democrats will focus on tackling the skills gap and making sure that Wales is a good place to do business. We can reshape the economy of Wales and our work and investment will start immediately.

Welsh Liberal Democrats will:

Root out Government waste so that the money we do spend makes a real difference to you and your family
Create jobs and improve our economy by offering companies £2000 for staff training if they provide jobs to unemployed young people and set up an Innovation Programme to invest in the infrastructure a prosperous economy needs.

Liberal Democrats deliver more tax cuts for millions of ordinary people

2011-03-23T13:21:00.000-07:00

Matt Smith has today welcomed the Coalition Government’s Budget, which delivers the key Liberal Democrat manifesto commitment of cutting taxes for those on low and middle incomes and raising the poorest workers out of paying Income Tax altogether.

The Budget also scraps Labour’s planned fuel duty rise, gives real help for local businesses and creates thousands more apprenticeships.

Commenting, Matt Smith said:

“This Budget shows the huge difference Liberal Democrats are making in Government.

“I am proud the Liberal Democrats are cutting taxes for ordinary people in Britain. This policy has gone from the front page of our manifesto to the pockets of thousands of people across the country.

“From next month, 140,000 people in Cardiff will get a £200 tax cut and today’s announcement means another £136 back in pockets next year.

“Liberal Democrats in Government have also given families real help by scrapping Labour’s fuel duty rise and set out a range of policies to help pensioners and first-time buyers, boost jobs and create apprenticeships.”

Matt pledges support for NSPCC campaign

2011-03-22T15:38:00.000-07:00

Matt Smith, prospective assembly candidate for Cardiff North, has pledged to support the NSPCC Cymru/Wales ‘I stand for children’ campaign which aims to make child protection a priority for the next Assembly Government.

Matt said: “As a candidate in Cardiff North, I’m supporting NSPCC Cymru/Wales’ new campaign to ensure protecting children is a political priority: I Stand for Children.”

The NSPCC’s campaign is calling on candidates to commit to three child protection measures:

Ensuring that funding of frontline children’s social services is protected
Tackling child neglect
Ensuring that children are effectively protected from abuse in all sports settings in Wales

NSPCC head of service for Wales, Des Mannion, said: “We need to make sure that the next elected Assembly Government keeps child protection high on its list of priorities. By signing up to our campaign, candidates in this next election can help.

“The public can also help by visiting our campaign website and letting their candidates know what they want done.”

More information about the NSPCC Cymru/Wales ‘I stand for children’ campaign can be found at www.istandforchildren.com/wales

Cardiff Lib Dems welcome electrification news

2011-03-01T10:02:00.000-08:00

Cardiff Central Railway Station

The UK Government today announced that it would be electrifying the South Wales Main Line from London to Cardiff.

Commenting on the announcement, Lib Dem prospective Assembly Member for Cardiff Central, Nigel Howells said,

"This is fantastic news for the people of Cardiff. Local residents will naturally be delighted about newer, cleaner and faster trains and I am equally pleased that our great city will benefit from an expected increase in business and leisure travel as well as from the extra jobs the work will bring."

Welsh Liberal Democrat Transport spokesperson and Cardiff Central AM Jenny Randerson added,

"I am delighted at the decision to electrify the line to Cardiff and hope that it can be used as a springboard to electrify more lines in the future."

Councillor Rodney Berman, leader of Cardiff Council said,

"Over the past few months, Cardiff Council joined forces with Bristol and Swindon Councils to form an organisation known as the Great Western Partnershipto jointly lobby for electrification of the Great Western mainline and for the eventual development of a more advanced high speed rail link between London and Cardiff."

Jenny Willott, MP for Cardiff Central added,

"I am also very happy that electrification to Cardiff comes hand in hand with new plans for the Valley lines which will improve links to the Capital and help bring new investment to the former coalfield areas of South Wales."

Welsh Liberal Democrats launch proposals for National Cancer Plan

2011-02-24T10:05:00.000-08:00

Veronica German AM

The Welsh Liberal Democrats have set out their proposals for a National Cancer Plan for Wales.

Launching their policy document, Wales Can Tackle Cancer, Welsh Liberal Democrats set out plans to develop a comprehensive National Cancer Plan for Wales to:

Roll out the latest IMRT radiotherapy across Wales.
Invest in state of the art screening.
Ensure a personal service that goes the extra mile for patients and families.
Tackle inequalities so that Wales has a service comparable to England.
Provide up to date bespoke information for patients and families.
Promote the mutual support groups so that patients receive the reassurance they need.

The document also highlights the inadequacies of the Labour-Plaid governments Wales approach to cancer prevention and treatment and sets out evidence that Wales is now slipping behind both Scotland and England in cancer prevention, detection and treatment.

Veronica German AM, Welsh Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Minister, said:

"Under the Labour-Plaid government, Wales has slipped behind England, despite spending more per head on our health services. The Welsh Government has failed to develop proper strategies to improve the prevention and treatment of cancer, as Scotland and England have done. The result of this has been patients in Wales receiving worse services than patients over the border.

"Wales needs a cancer service that is focused on the patient and their family from diagnosis, treatment through to aftercare, remission and palliative care. In short, a service that doesn t stop when the treatment stops."

Commenting, Kirsty Williams AM, Leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats said:

"Wales can tackle cancer but it needs the government to give it the priority and attention that it deserves. Welsh Liberal Democrats have today set out plans to develop a comprehensive National Cancer Plan for Wales. We will redirect money currently in the NHS budget to fund newer medicines and modern equipment to tackle cancer. We will ensure better facilities to help cut waiting times and improve patients quality of life."

Sainsburys "must listen to local residents"

2011-02-19T07:52:00.000-08:00

Matt Smith outside the former Maskrey's store which
Sainsburys hope to open one of their supermarkets in

Local Lib Dems have called on Sainsbury's to listen to local residents before submitting plans for a shop on Whitchurch Road.

The supermarket giant have signed up to take over the ground floor of the former Maskrey's store. No formal planning application has yet been submitted, but local Lib Dems have expressed grave concern over the implications of a supermarket on the street.

Cllr. Ed Bridges, who represents the area, said: “A supermarket could have a catastrophic impact on parking in the area, as well as being detrimental to local businesses. I am urging Sainsbury's to listen to the local community before they submit plans.”

Cardiff North Welsh Assembly Candidate Matt Smith, added: “We already have problems with congestion caused by deliveries to Co-Op further up Whitchurch Road. There are big logistical problems which need to be looked at before another supermarket can open in our area.”

The Focus Team have pledged to keep residents informed - keep an eye on cardiffnorthlibdems.org.uk for further information.

Why I'm really excited about the prospect of the Tour de France coming to Wales

2011-02-14T15:32:00.000-08:00

Today we discovered that the Welsh Liberal Democrats want to bring the opening stage of the Tour de France to Wales if we form the next Welsh Assembly Government. I was thrilled by this, as someone who enjoys cycling as a hobby and participated in competitive cycling as a child.

For me however, this is not just about bringing a world famous sporting event to Wales. It is something far more exciting and important that could help change Welsh society for the better for future generations.

We've just hosted the Ryder Cup at the Celtic Manor Resort in Newport, which is widely agreed put Wales on the map, particularly in the United States.

Obviously, the main benefit of a successful bid of the Grand Depart, which is the opening stage of the world famous cycle race, would be the number of visiting spectators and the boost to the local economy.

When the event was held in London in 2007, over one million people lined the route of the race and there was an estimated boost to the economy of £115 million, and if held here in Wales, the boost would be extremely beneficial.

However, it could open the gateway for future sporting events in Wales. It is well documented that Cardiff Council are going to bid for the Commonwealth Games at some point in the future, and if a successful Grand Depart was held in the South Wales area, for example, it would prove that we had the ability to host a large event here in Wales, helping our bid process for larger events.

However, the benefits run even deeper than a tourism boost.

One of the main obstacles to a more sustainable future here in Wales is the difficulty of getting members of the public to "buy in" to a greener, healthier living. Human beings are ultimately creatures of habit, and given the option of hopping into the car down to the shops or hopping on a bike, we ultimately choose the first one. I did it myself when I ran a car, and people do it every day.

And the cost to society is huge. Environmental problems in the near future, health problems which the NHS needs to take the brunt of now, and the stress of sitting in a traffic jam every morning on the way to work is not that good for you either.

And though cycling here in Cardiff has increased over the last few years, and I've always been surprised that the figure is not higher, particularly when you consider that our city is relatively flat compared with our English neighbour in Bristol.

Of course, local councils at the Welsh Assembly have their own parts to play in encouraging more cycling in Wales, but having an event like the Tour de France come to Wales, no matter whether it was held in North, Mid, West or South Wales, could be the catalyst that makes it easier for people to buy into cycling as part of a healthier, greener lifestyle that will help solve our obesity epidemic, our congestion issues in cities and help us do our bit towards global carbon reduction.

Welsh Liberal Democrats call for Valley Lines Electrification

2011-02-14T14:54:00.000-08:00

A Valley Lines train at Cardiff Central Station

The Welsh Liberal Democrats have called for the Welsh Assembly Government and the UK government to give their backing to proposals to electrify the Valley Lines and confirmed that this commitment will form a major part of the Welsh Liberal Democrats transport proposals in the forthcoming elections in May.

The call follows confirmation that Network Rail are exploring whether the Valley Lines should be electrified by the end of this decade. It aims to complete a Valley Lines study by the summer so that when the current rolling stock comes up for renewal electrification of the lines can be considered.

Welsh Liberal Democrat Transport spokesperson, Jenny Randerson said:

“Electrification of the Valley Lines is a major investment that will substantially speed up journey times from Rhymney, Merthyr Tydfil, Treherbert and Aberdare to Cardiff, Barry and Penarth. It would have a substantial positive economic impact and improve access to jobs.

“It is vital that when we change over the train stock, we achieve electrification. I applaud Network Rail for undertaking the study and hope it can be used as a springboard for the electrification of the valleys lines. But I would go further and ask government to work with Arriva and Network rail to see whether investment can be brought forward before 2018.

“As well as speeding up the Cardiff commute for many it would be better for the environment. I call on both Governments to work together to make this happen.

“The Welsh Liberal Democrats will be including in our manifesto for the forthcoming elections a commitment to ensure that in renegotiating the rail franchise, we look at offering a longer contract to allow for substantial capital investment to pay for electrifying the Valleys Lines.”

Matt Smith, Assembly Spokesperson for Cardiff North added; “The Valley Lines form an integral part of commuting in the Cardiff Travel to Work Area, and are used by people living in Cardiff North to get around the region. Electrifying these lines would have massive benefits for the people using them, and for the environment as a whole.”

Labour waste #2: Scandal of £750,000 spent on 10,000 ‘lost' ambulance hours at UHW

2011-01-30T07:19:00.000-08:00

Local Lib Dems Matt Smith and John Dixon outside the UHW

Shocking figures uncovered by the Welsh Liberal Democrats have revealed that in the last two years 9,986 hours of emergency ambulance cover have been lost at the Heath Hospital while crews wait to hand patients over to hospital staff.

Guidelines set by the Labour Health Minister currently state that the wait to hand over responsibility of a patient to nursing staff should be no longer than 20 minutes, but the target is clearly not being met. The Welsh Ambulance Service calculates that the cost of a ‘lost unit hour’ is £76 which means that time wasted in the Heath Hospital cost £750,000 over the past two years.

Apart from causing distress to the patient waiting to be transferred to the A&E department, pressure is put on ambulance crews to respond to other emergency calls in the area.

Local campaigner Matt Smith said;

“This is nearly 10,000 hours of emergency ambulance time being lost, which is just over 400 days, more than a years worth of wastage, at just one hospital! Cardiff residents are being let down and the conditions they are going in with are being made worse. There is clearly a serious problem of the Labour led Welsh Assembly Government's making holding back our excellent NHS staff. It's nothing short of a scandal.”

Veronica German, Welsh Liberal Democrats Shadow Health Minister said:

“These figures are absolutely shocking. This proves that there is systemic failure in the way the Welsh NHS handles emergency situations. Month after month, we see that Welsh patients have to wait an unacceptable amount of time for ambulances to respond to emergency call-outs and now we see that ambulances have to wait an unacceptable amount of time to transfer patients and get back on the road to respond to emergency calls.

“On top of the staggering wasted ambulances hours across Wales, it is estimated that over £6 million was lost to the Welsh NHS over the last two years because of queuing ambulances. We should be looking for savings in the NHS, not wasting money.”

Labour waste #1: £5m on North-South air link

2011-01-29T11:34:00.000-08:00

A plane similar to those that fly the twice daily service

The Labour-Plaid Welsh Assembly Government has committed almost £5m of tax- payers’ money to renew the subsidy for the north-south Wales air link.

The air link, which goes from Cardiff to Angelsey, has attracted criticism as it is mainly used by politicians and civil servants. £3.2m of public money has already been spent on the service since 2007. The decision to renew the subsidy for the next four years will take the eventual bill to £8million.

Local Welsh Lib Dem campaigner Matt Smith said: “At a time when ordinary people are having to tighten their belts, it’s outrageous that Labour AMs are wasting money on giving their friends cheap air travel. And that’s not to mention the environmental impact of this unnecessary and short internal flight. It's nothing more than Plane Stupid.”

“Every time a politician or civil servant buys a ticket for this flight, it costs the taxpayer £84. We actually pay more for their ticket than they do. I would much rather see that money put into improving our poor road and rail links, which would be more effective both in cost and environmental terms.”

Anger at landfill plans for reservoir

2011-01-16T05:33:00.000-08:00

Llanishen Reservoir has been drained and cordoned
off from the public

Matt Smith has condemned the actions of Western Power Distribution who have submitted a proposal to Cardiff Council to allocate Llanishen Reservoir as a Landfill Site

As part of the Local Development Plan (LDP) process, developers and landowners are invited to submit potential development sites for consideration by Cardiff Council.

Western Power Distribution (WPD) who own the land have submitted two plans for the Llanishen Reservoir site. One is for around 300 homes, and the other is for a Landfill Site.

Matt Smith, Prospective Assembly Candidate for Cardiff North said, "I am completely against any proposal to develop the Reservoir site, and this latest proposal is both crazy and wrong. Local residents are understandably angry about the news."

"The site has already had several planning applications for housing on the site turned down and now they want to use it as a landfill site instead."

"I hope that WPD will listen to the local residents who have been campaigning against development of the site for a number of years and restore the area to the way it was before."

Residents who are against the proposals are invited to sign our petition. Please send your name, address, and postcode to Matt Smith, 99 Woodville Road, Cardiff CF24 4DY, or to matt@mattsmith.org.uk

Matt will say Yes for Wales

2011-01-15T09:17:00.000-08:00

Matt Smith has confirmed that he will be voting Yes in the upcoming Welsh powers referendum and will be encouraging others to do so to.

The Prospective Welsh Liberal Democrat Assembly Candidate for Cardiff North said he felt a Yes vote was "a no brainer" and that the No campaigners arguments "had no true arguments whatsoever."

Commenting, he said "I will definitely be voting Yes. It is a no brainer to me. It is only right that any laws that affect Wales are made here in Wales, by politicians elected by Welsh people. I am also happy to work alongside my political opponents in Cardiff North for this cause."

He also added "The No campaigners have done nothing but try to muddy the waters. They claim it will put up taxes, which it won't. They claim it will be a step to independence, which it won't. And they claim it will cost more taxpayers money, which it won't."

"They have no true arguments whatsoever. They have dogma and fiction on their side, while the Yes campaign is uniting members of all political parties and people of none with a positive shared goal."

Matt's diary: Welsh Labour's new election slogan isn't even a joke, it's an insult

2011-01-14T12:32:00.000-08:00

Welsh Labour have launched their election slogan for the upcoming election, claiming that they will "stand up for Wales".

Considering the endless failures I have seen from them both in Westminster and in Cardiff Bay, I'd say this was a joke. But it's beyond that. It's an insult.

Labour's list of failure in Westminster is pretty darn obvious to even the least interested members of the public. They failed to regulate the banks which caused the economic crisis, they failed to keep spending under control while the economy was going well. They did not reform MPs expenses, and doubled income tax for the poorest in our society.

And in Wales, their record of failure goes even deeper. They have presided over an Assembly that hoards power at the centre, because they don't trust people with power, they have seen the education funding gap between Wales and England get even higher, and they haven't met their targets on carbon reduction.

They've won hardly any contracts for the Olympics in 2012 compared to other parts of the UK, they've let Wales slip behind on cancer treatment, and have wasted crucial spending in areas like health and education on freebies to keep the voters happy. Freebies that they are now keeping in tough economic times, while making deeper cuts in some areas than Westminster elsewhere.

When the Westminster coalition Government was formed, Welsh Labour rubbed their hands together with glee as their get out of jail free card had come. They could lick their wounds in opposition while the new Government tried to plaster up the cracks that Labour had left behind.

And then they could point the finger and pretend to be the good guys.

Labour don't know how to stand up for Wales. They never have. If they did, Wales wouldn't be the poorest part of the UK after thirteen years of them being in power both here and in London.

Every spending cut we see over the next few years has been caused by Labour's incompetence.

By all means engage with the new Government, by all means tell them where you think they are going wrong, and say what you think should be done instead.

But whatever you do, don't let Labour off the hook at the ballot box in May.

Matt's diary: A new Year - A new Welsh politics?

2010-12-31T09:29:00.000-08:00

As we get ready to enter the New Year, I want to take a few moments to explain what the upcoming developments in the political world in 2011 will mean to me.

First of all, probably most importantly, we have the chance to create something very special here in Wales. After the 3rd March, we may have a fresh start for Welsh politics, where elected Welsh politicians can have direct say over the laws that affect only Wales, such as on public health, the Welsh language, and our environment. But only if the Welsh electorate want it.

My greatest concern is that people will vote "No" because they don't understand what the upcoming referendum is about - because they think it's about Welsh independence, because they think it is about putting up taxes, or because they think it is about endorsing the One Wales Government, all of which I stand against.

But the referendum is not about any of these things. It is simply about whether laws that affect only Wales should be debated on and voted on by Welsh politicians alone - and stopping Westminster's long, bureaucratic checking process will save £2 million pounds a year - and depending on which laws introduction can be sped up by up to two years, could save lives or make people's quality of life better.

Then, two months later, we have the chance to change British politics for good, with another referendum. They're like buses, aren't they? This one, on 5th May, is about how we elect our MPs. Are we happy with the system as it stands which makes MPs think they don't have to work hard for our votes? That made them think they could get away with claiming immoral expenses? That devalues your democratic vote for not living in a marginal seat where your vote would count more?

I certainly am not! And that's why I am pleased that we have the chance to move to a system which will force MPs, or anyone who wants to be an MP, to work harder if they want to represent us. At least half the people in their area will have to say that they wouldn't mind that person representing them, even if they would prefer someone else.

And, on the same day, we will have the chance to make Welsh politics better for the next four years. If we get the powers that Wales deserves, we will need a Government here that won't sit on their hands and not stand up for Wales when their chums are in power, but start pointing the finger for their own failure when a new Government comes in at Westminster. We will need a Government that decides on policy that works, not free this, free that. Free breakfasts in schools, for example, don't close the £527 per pupil funding gap between Wales and England.

And to do politics differently, we need new politicians. You can't have radical change with the same old people in charge. With the fresh vision of Kirsty Williams and the Welsh Liberal Democrats, we can do things differently, just like we have started to change things in London, with just 57 MPs. What if there were more of us? What if we could make decisions here as well as in London? How much better off would Wales be?

So, 2011 will be a year of saying Yes.

Yes for Wales, Yes to Fairer Votes, and Yes to fresh, new politics with the Welsh Lib Dems.

Oh, and a Happy New Year to you all! I'm raring to go, are you?

£4.8m ‘Ieuan Air’ renewal ‘an outrage’ - Randerson

2010-12-06T13:41:00.000-08:00

Jenny Randerson AM

Welsh Liberal Democrat Shadow Transport Minister, Jenny Randerson AM, has condemned the decision of the Labour-Plaid government to renew the subsidy for the ‘Ieuan Air’ north-south airlink as an ‘environmental and financial outrage’.

Jenny Randerson said: “At a time when families and business are cutting back, it beggars belief that the Labour-Plaid government can waste another 4.8 million of taxpayers’ money subsidising the Ieuan Air airlink. It is an environmental and financial outrage.

“This controversial air link not only pumps thousands of tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere but has already cost the Welsh taxpayer £3.2 million in public subsidy. The renewal sees the subsidy rocket from £800,000 a year to £1.2 million a year and will take the total bill to £8 million.

“The decision to sign a contract that binds a future Assembly government for the next four years is simply scandalous and the Welsh Liberal Democrats will now look to see what can be done to ensure a future government is free to scrap this wasteful and polluting subsidy.”

Matt Smith, Welsh Assembly Spokesman for Cardiff North added: "I am totally disgusted by the Labour-Plaid administrations clear lack of priorities. They have the transport budget by a whopping 35%, but are still happy to fund what may as well be the Deputy First Minister's private jet between his workplace and his constituency. They should be absolutely ashamed of themselves."

"That money would be much better spent on more environmentally friendly, more well used north-south transport links, such as running more trains between Cardiff and Holyhead or improving the A470 in Mid Wales."

Welsh tuition fees scheme must see students beyond the election - Randerson

2010-12-03T13:10:00.000-08:00

Jenny Randerson AM is the Education Spokesperson for
the Welsh Liberal Democrats in the Senedd

Welsh Liberal Democrats Shadow Education Minister, Jenny Randerson AM, today broadly welcomed the tuition fees proposal but warned the test of the scheme will be its long term sustainability.

Jenny Randerson said: "The Welsh Liberal Democrats have always said that we should seek to mitigate the impact of tuition fees on Welsh students. That remains the right approach even in a challenging financial environment.

"But this must be a plan for the long term not a short term electoral fix for the Labour-Plaid government. I am concerned that the Minister was vague on the Government's ability to fund future years.

"This scheme responds to the Browne Review, with terms of reference set by a Labour Government. It is a scheme with merit but which needs to stand up to scrutiny over the coming weeks. I will also be looking to ensure that the Minister's criteria for part time students delivers part time students a fair deal. We must also make sure that the cuts in HEFCW, or top slicing as the Minister calls it, will not leave some universities with a funding stream gap between financial years."

Matt Smith, Assembly Spokesperson for Cardiff North added, "I welcome the Education Minister's move to protect Welsh students from the rise, but I am concerned that the policy will not last for long after the Assembly election next May. Labour have a comprehensive record of breaking promises on fees once they have got elections out of the way, and I for one would not be surprised of yet another Labour U-turn on fees."

New car club scheme starts up in Cardiff

2010-11-30T15:42:00.000-08:00

One of the new CityCarClub vehicles parked on
Churchill Way, Cardiff City Centre

Liberal Democrat led Cardiff Council has backed a new car hire venture starting up in the city - a scheme which aims to encourage more sustainable travel attitudes and take over 1,000 cars off the city's roads.

The scheme, run by CityCarClub.co.uk, hopes to encourage people who own cars but use them infrequently to ditch them and use the car club when they need a car.

It costs £50 a year to join the car club, and between £5 and £10 an hour to hire one of the cars (pictured, right), which are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. They can be booked either online or by phone. The company claims this could save people who ditch their cars in favour of the scheme more than £1,500 a year.

The scheme should also help relieve congestion in the city and free up parking spaces in town and in the suburbs.

Commenting, Matt Smith, Assembly Spokesman for Cardiff North said "The car club is an excellent scheme that I hope encourages occasional car drivers to sell their vehicles, use other means of transport for everyday commuting, and hire the cars when they need them for one-off journeys."

"As someone who has myself switched from car usage to cycling and using public transport, I appreciate how difficult it can be for people to give up their cars. But I hope that schemes like this will help people to make the switch, something I feel they will not regret once they have done so."

To begin with, there will only be 12 places where you can hire a car from, mostly around the City Centre, but as the scheme becomes popular, the company hopes to expand it's fleet to 50.

Matt recommends CycleStreets for enjoyable cycling

2010-11-28T06:28:00.000-08:00

Excalibur Drive in Thornhill with cycle lanes going each way

Matt Smith, Assembly Spokesman for Cardiff North and keen cyclist, has recommended a user driven website which helps cyclists find the best routes to cycle on in the city.

CycleStreets.net is a UK wide cycle journey planner system, which lets you plan routes from A to B by bike. It is designed by cyclists, for cyclists, and caters for the needs of both confident and less confident cyclists.

Matt commented on the website, "I think the site is absolutely fantastic. People who are not too keen on cycling in traffic can have quieter routes suggested, and the site suggests walk-through link up alleyways that shave minutes off journey times that even I didn't know about, despite cycling in Cardiff for ten years or so!"

"The site is really easy to use, you literally just drag and drop markers for your start and finish points and it will calculate three routes for you. You can choose a fast route, a quiet route, or a happy compromise between the two. There is also an option of a route breakdown so you can see where the route may be busy if you feel more comfortable getting off and walking along the pavement on main roads."

"You can also change the speed you are planning to go, depending on whether you are planning a leisurely Sunday ride or a Monday morning commute, to help you work out more accurately how long the journey will take."

"As someone who truly believes that the bike is one of the best ways forward for more sustainable transport in Cardiff, this website gets two thumbs up from me!"

You can also take CycleStreets with you on the move with a free mobile application available on the iPhone, which you can download here.

Also, to get you started, why not have a look at these pre-set routes? Click the links below or copy the number into the Journey Number bar in the top right corner of the website to get started.

375956 for Cardiff City Centre to Gabalfa   375962 for Cardiff City Centre to Llandaff North
375953 for Cardiff City Centre to Heath   375926 for Cardiff City Centre to Whitchurch
375938 for Cardiff City Centre to Llanishen 375941 for Cardiff City Centre to Rhiwbina
375945 for Cardiff City Centre to Pontprennau   375947 for Cardiff City Cenre to Lisvane and Thornhill

New allotments for Llandaff North announced

2010-11-23T12:55:00.000-08:00

More allotments like this one will soon be
available in Llandaff North.

Nearly 300 new allotment plots have been announced this week, with 35 of them in Llandaff North - thanks to Cardiff's Lib Dem led council.

Thirty five new plots have been planned for the College Farm area off Heol Amwlch alongside the railway line, in an expansion of the current allotment lots already available in the area.

Matt Smith, Assembly spokesman for Cardiff North, commented: "I'm really pleased that more people will be able to apply for an allotment in Llandaff North soon. They can be great places to grow produce and get away from the hustle and bustle of city life."

Anyone who is interested in having an allotment should contact the Allotments Officer at Cardiff Council by calling 029 2068 4069 or by emailing parks@cardiff.gov.uk.

Welsh budget must include pupil premium - Williams

2010-11-16T17:11:00.000-08:00

Kirsty Williams, leader of the Welsh
Liberal Democrats

On the day before the Welsh Government’s budget is announced, the Welsh Liberal Democrats are calling on the Labour-Plaid Government to ensure they root out waste and inefficiency in order to prioritise improving educational life chances for the poorest children.

We are calling on the government to introduce a Welsh Pupil Premium. The Pupil Premium would target money directly to children from the poorest backgrounds.

Tackling waste must be a priority for this budget. Only one in five people think that public bodies in Wales used their resources in the most effective way. This reflects the concern of the Welsh Liberal Democrats that currently the Labour-Plaid government has not done enough to root out inefficiency in our public services. As families and businesses tighten their belts, it is reasonable of the public to expect our Government to do the same. It is by making efficiencies that the Welsh Government will be able to prioritise improving the life chances of the poorest children in Wales.

The Labour-Plaid Government has consistently underfunded our schools. Education spending in Wales is over £500 lower per pupil than in England and sadly, this is now reflected in Wales’s poorer performance at GCSE and A level – where we have now slipped behind England for the first time.

It is vital that in Wales we begin to close this funding gap, starting with children from the poorest backgrounds.

The start you have in life can determine your prospects for the rest of your life so extra resources must be targeted at those who start the furthest behind.

The Welsh budget is a chance to put that situation right for the poorest children in society. The Welsh Liberal Democrats are calling for a Welsh pupil premium that would mean schools would be able to help children from poorer homes much more effectively.